As mobile technology continues to bridge the gap between the online and offline world, a new use for QR codes has been found. Last month, The U.S. Postal Service proposed a program that would offer commercial mailers a discount if they used QR codes in their postage. The proposal has been approved by the Postal Regulatory Commission, and will be put into effect beginning July 1st of this year. The Postal Service is among one of the first governmental organizations to encourage the use of QR codes.
Commercial mailers making use of the code on their mailpieces will be eligible for an upfront 3% discount on first-mail and Standard Mailing services. Nonprofit organizations will also be able to benefit from this discount, having been included through an amendment to the original proposal. The only requirement is that the QR code must be functional and cannot link to malicious content. One-dimensional barcodes do not qualify for this promotion.
While the codes are popular with marketers and have been successful in generating huge amounts of traffic to mobile websites, the USPS does not expect that the codes will raise mail volume. In fact, the USPS says that its revenue will reduce as a result of the promotion. However, the Postal Service believes that raising awareness of emerging mobile technologies is an important issue.
This is not the first time QR codes have been sent through the mail, of course. Several direct mail marketing campaigns already make use of the codes. However, this is the first time the Postal Service is advocating the use of the codes.
