The U.S. Postal Service, which is seeking ways to boost the appeal of direct mail for marketers in a changing technological landscape, is considering including scannable codes on advertising mail. It would allow recipients to interact and provide feedback to advertisers, according to a new report from the USPS office of the inspector general.
In the proposed system, direct mail recipients would be able to use their smartphones to scan a code or symbol -- such as a QR code, image recognition code, or “intelligent mail” barcode -- to access a feedback form or other response mechanism, with coupons or other rewards offered as an incentive.