Yes, you read that right. The 2025 postage landscape is looking up for marketers.
There are several ways you can get your postage down below 2024 per-piece costs. In this article, we’ll share recent USPS developments that provide multiple opportunities for marketing mailers to reduce 2025 postage below your 2024 spend.
No January Postage Increase
The USPS is pressing pause on the “Delivering for America” plan’s biannual rate increases. January 2025 will see no rate adjustments.
2025 Postal Promotions Unveiled
Also great news is that the USPS has unveiled its 2025 Postage Promotions, and strategic use of these programs could lower your 2025 postage spend below 2024’s! The 2025 Promotions include:
- Five primary promotions, two of which are new for 2025
- Also new, two add-on promotions running all year that you may layer with certain primary promotions to increase your total discount
The USPS has shared details via two webinars – one in August and one in November – that are available on demand: Part 1 and Part 2.
All promotions require pre-approval by submitting electronic samples via the Mailing Promotions Portal (MPP) on the Business Customer Gateway (BCG).
Tactile, Sensory & Interactive
Registration Period: December 15, 2024 – July 31, 2025
Promotion Period: February 1 – July 31, 2025
Postage Discount: 4% for qualifying mailpieces
Combine with add-on promotions to increase total discount up to 6%.
Marketers earn this discount by making mail pieces more memorable with visible and distinguishable treatments that engage the five senses.
Options include:
- Specialty inks/coatings
- Sensory treatments (touch/sound/smell/taste)
- Interactive elements (3-D/attachments/folds)
Access the full Tactile, Sensory & Interactive program guidebook.
Continuous Contact – NEW for 2025
Registration Period: February 15, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Promotion Period: April 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Postage Discount: 3% for qualifying mailpieces
Combine with add-on promotions to increase total discount up to 5%.
Build consumer engagement with ongoing, targeted conversations by sending follow-up mail to repeat addresses. Initial mail pieces do not receive the 3% discount but qualify for the add-on promotion discounts. Each qualifying follow-up mail piece earns the 3% discount and can be combined with the add-on promotions.
To qualify, follow-up mail pieces should relate to the original mailing and must differ in some way. An example is a new cover on a product catalog.
Follow-up mailing lists may include fewer addressees than the initial list, but they must exclude any new addressees.
Access the full Continuous Contact program guidebook.
Reply Mail IMbA
Registration Period: May 15, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Promotion Period: July 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Postage Discount: 3% for static barcodes / 6% for serialized barcodes
Create efficiencies in your direct mail marketing by using Intelligent Mail barcode Accounting (IMbA) for Qualified Business Reply Mail. Adding a static or serialized barcode to reply mail speeds up conversations and responses.
Access the full Reply Mail IMbA program guidebook.
First-Class Mail Advertising – NEW for 2025
Registration Period: July 15, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Promotion Period: September 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Postage Discount: 3% for qualifying mail pieces
Combine with add-on promotions to increase total discount up to 5%.
Marketers can benefit from speed and reliability by including marketing messaging in mail sent First-Class. Examples include:
- Adding marketing messaging to transactional mail (e.g. billing statements)
- Stand-alone marketing offers sent as First-Class mail
- In addition to letters/flats, this is a huge opportunity to save big on postcards up to 6″ x 9″.
Access the full First-Class Mail Advertising program guidebook.
Integrated Technology
(Formerly Emerging and Advanced Technology)
Registration Period: November 20, 2024 – December 31, 2025
Promotion Period: Any consecutive 6 months in 2025
Postage Discount: 3% for qualifying mail pieces
Combine with add-on promotions to increase total discount up to 5%.
Marketers, enhance your outreach efforts and earn this discount by incorporating one of the following technologies with a mail piece:
- Mobile shopping
- Voice assistant integration
- Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality / Mixed Reality
- Near field communications
- Video in print
- AI assisted copy/image creation
As in 2024, marketers can execute the Integrated Technology Promotion using a six-month window based on your needs.
Access the full Integrated Technology program guidebook.
Add-On Promotion: Informed Delivery – NEW for 2025
Registration Period: November 20, 2024 – December 31, 2025
Promotion Period: January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Postage Discount: 1% for qualifying mail pieces
Requires use with one of the four available primary promotions. Combine with the Sustainability promotion to increase savings.
Informed Delivery has transitioned from a stand-alone promotion to an always on add-on promotion. Mail campaigns that meet the requirements for Informed Delivery earn the 1% discount year round.
Add-On Promotion: Sustainability – NEW for 2025
Registration Period: November 20, 2024 – December 31, 2025
Promotion Period: January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025
Postage Discount: 1% for qualifying mail pieces
Requires use with one of the four available primary promotions. Combine with the Informed Delivery promotion to increase savings.
In addition to promoting responsible environmental practices, demonstrating the paper used in your mailing is responsibly sourced and sustainably produced earns a 1% postage discount.
To qualify, your mailing must use paper certified by one of the following sources:
- Sustainable Forestry Initiative
- Forest Stewardship Council
- Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification
- Bureau Veritas
- SCS Global Services
Additionally, the USPS announced they will review for approval additional sources on a case-by-case basis.
Additional Savings Opportunities
Full-Service Discount
Mailers earn a per piece discount for:
- placing a unique Intelligent Mail barcode (IMb) on each mail piece
- placing a unique IMb on mail trays/bags/pallets
- submitting postage statements and mailing documentation electronically
In July 2024 the per-piece discount increased from $.003 to $.005.
Sectional Center Facility (SCF) Pallet Discount
As mail moves through the delivery process, letter-shaped mail pieces placed on SCF USPS Marketing Mail pallets help the USPS eliminate some sortation and tray handling.
Marketers earn a $.003 per piece discount by working with mail providers who help to meet this requirement.
Catalog Incentive Discount
In July, 2024, the USPS redefined what qualifies as a catalog for mailing purposes. At the same time, a new Catalog Incentive started that offers a $.001 per piece postage discount for qualifying catalogs.
Mail Growth Incentive
- A 2024 Mail Growth Incentive launched in 2024 offering postage credit on FY2024 mail volume that exceeds FY2023.
- This incentive shall continue, delivering a 30% the credit for FY2025 mail volume that exceeds FY2024.
2025 Postage Savings Example
This example demonstrates the savings power of combining discounts.
| Letter Rate Envelope | |
| Mailing at Automation rates using FSC Dropship, March 2025 | |
| Postage per piece: | $.318 |
| Full-Service Discount: | $.005 |
| SFC Pallet Discount: | $.003 |
| Adjusted postage per piece: | $.310 |
| Promotional Discounts | |
| Tactile, Sensory & Interactive | 4% per piece |
| Informed Delivery | 1% per piece |
| Sustainability | 1% per piece |
| Final Postage Per Piece: | $.2914 – Lower than the same piece in 2024! |
| Per Piece Savings: | $.0266 |
As a matter of routine we help our clients earn every applicable discount, and help them understand, apply for, and earn various annual Promotions savings. Getting your postage to its absolute minimum contributes to a healthy ROI for direct mail.
Access our FREE 2025 Postage Optimization Planner and Promos Calendar to start planning your 2025 strategies today!
