The embattled U.S. Postal Service (USPS) faces a host of new challenges, several of which threaten to directly impact marketers. However, many who rely on direct mail say that in spite of the tumult, they'll wait and see how things pan out before altering marketing strategy.

Although Oracle's lawsuit against Google for infringing on Java patents to develop the Android operating system has the potential to drive up costs for marketers who use the platform, most are keeping their concerns to themselves as the litigious saga continues.

Marketers have expressed skepticism about whether a new data security bill introduced in the U.S. Senate would be effective in solving what Wes Nguyen, head of marketing at Privacy Data Systems, said is a common problem for companies in an age where most information 
lives online.

While consumers may think of interest as the only cost of paying with plastic, retailers have long been burdened with "swipe fees" the credit card companies charge them for every transaction. The Federal government instituted a cap on swipe fees on July 21, limiting them to 7 to 12 cents per transaction.

E-commerce retailers and wireless companies are teaming up to lobby Congress to simplify the taxation process for digital goods, such as MP3s, e-books, mobile apps and games. Working with various industry groups, the companies are supporting legislation that would simplify the tax code for digital items.

The US Postal Service literally guaranteed the effectiveness of integrating direct mail into marketing campaigns when it launched a postage-back assurance program in mid-May to attract the business of large marketers.

The financially struggling US Postal 
Service distributed its first round of "Sample Showcase" mailings last month, helping marketers reach a target audience of mothers in Austin, Texas, Chicago and Denver. Brand marketers reacted positively to the program's initial results.

Retail marketers are adjusting their data collection strategies after the California Supreme Court ruled in February that Williams-Sonoma could no longer collect ZIP codes during credit card transactions. Retailers are also concerned that the ruling, which has spawned similar lawsuits, will 
impact other types of data collection.

The threat of federal consumer privacy regulation has spurred marketers to take online privacy into their own hands.

Industry experts said the Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act, passed in December, will protect some consumers by curbing dishonest practices, but it won't affect most ethical marketers.