Mail Moves America. . .and Mailing and Fulfillment Technology Moves the Mail

Mail Moves America is the name of a new broad-based coalition of mailing and fulfillment industry related companies and associations, initially formed for the purpose of countering efforts to curtail, if not eliminate, mail delivery of direct commercial communication. But the phrase “Mail Moves America” is far more than that; it is quite simply the literal description of a key structural component of the American economy.

Despite the growth of electronic communications, the U.S. mail remains a critical means by which to exchange information and conduct commerce for over 146 million separate American households, businesses and nonprofit organizations. And, since advertising mail currently provides more than half of the annual revenue that makes this possible, its loss would surely cause postal rates to rise, curtail customer service and ultimately damage the larger U.S. economy.

NPES and the other members of the Mail Moves America coalition have stepped up industry education efforts in order to be prepared to act swiftly and decisively in anticipation of aggressive “Do-not-Mail” efforts. The presentation of this subject at the GRAPH EXPO Mailing and Fulfillment Theater was the most recent example of this increased industry awareness effort.

According to the Direct Marketing Association, the original organizer of Mail Moves America, the average U.S. household receives just over 14 pieces per week of Standard Mail from businesses and nonprofit organizations, and a 2005 USPS Household Diary study indicated that 85 percent of U.S. households usually read some or all of the advertising mail they receive. They say it makes shopping more convenient, gives additional choices and saves them money.

Getting off mailing lists should never be difficult. It is usually a simple matter of recipients contacting mailers and request-ing to be removed from their lists, and to not have their names shared with other mailers. Nevertheless, the recent “Do-not-Mail” legislative effort has come about and persists. Fortunately, no legislation has been enacted into law yet…but the momentum is building.

In 2005, only three states – Hawaii, Missouri and New York – had bills introduced in their legislatures. In 2006, Illinois joined those three states. But in 2007, the activity jumped dramatically with 18 bills introduced across 15 states. Although none advanced into law, eight of the proposals will automatically carryover to the 2008 legislative calendars. To date, no federal legislation has been introduced, and it seems unlikely absent a success in one or more of the states – but anything is possible in an election year like 2008. The provisions of the bills vary; some require mailers to register with state agencies and pay annual fees, but also allow exemptions based on express request, business contact during a specified period of time, small business status and even by political speech.

“Do-not-Mail” legislative efforts are led principally by two groups: an environmental organization known as GreenDimes, and an anti-consumerism group called the New American Dream. The bills are promoted as environmental statements to reduce waste, and are modeled after the earlier “Do-not-Call” effort. Reduction in identity theft and privacy concerns are also raised as bases for the bills, notwithstanding that general advertising mail does not contain personal information, and a Presidential Task Force finding that only three percent of ID theft is attributable to mail.

Although, to date, “Do-not-Mail” efforts are without success, according to NPES Government Affairs Director Mark Nuzzaco, “failure in even one state is not an option, because one successful bill could snowball into a fast-spreading interest in other states that could cause a dramatic change in nationwide postal delivery.” With approximately 45 percent of print distributed by the Postal Service, “the results of such a curtailment would be very serious for mailers, printers and their technology suppliers,” said Nuzzaco.

For more information contact Mark Nuzzaco, NPES Government Affairs Director, at phone: 703-264-7235 or e-mail: mnuzzaco@npes.org.