Your article says that the reinterpretation by the U.S. Postal Service means that any “household-specific offer” must mail at First-Class rates (“Mail Switch May Cost Millions,” Feb. 2). So will retailers have to offer the exact same coupons to everyone in order to get the Standard rate? They can’t use their databases anymore?
My household gets household-specific coupons because Kroger knows what brand of pet food we buy, what medicines, etc. Our next-door neighbor gets different household-specific coupons because Kroger knows they buy diapers, baby food, etc. Those letters obviously have a large amount of personal content. Under the new interpretation, wouldn’t this sort of household-specific offer be required to mail First Class? If not, why not?
Why would a financial services company’s household-specific offer be required to mail First Class and a retail company’s household-specific offer not? After all, “consistency means a lot to me and to the postal service,” Steve Kearney said.
The USPS may not need another rate increase for decades. All it has to do is keep reinterpreting the regulations until every piece of mail with more personalization than a name and address is required to mail First Class.
David E. Mackey, Director of marketing, Tabs Direct, Stafford, TX
