Five USPS promotions are on the table this year.
Here’s what each one is worth — and which deadlines are already closing.
The USPS discount calendar rewards specific behaviors: tactile finishing, multichannel integration, and continuous contact campaigns. If your mail program reflects any of these practices, you may be leaving postage savings on the table simply by not registering.
Postage is typically the largest line item in a direct mail budget. The USPS Promotions Program exists to reduce that cost — but only for direct mailers who know the programs, register on time, and build qualifying elements into their pieces. In 2026, available discounts range from 5% to 10%. That’s not trivial for large volume campaigns.
And here’s what most miss: several of these discounts can be stacked — pushing total postage savings to 11% or more on a single campaign.
Below is a breakdown of every active USPS discount promotion, what it rewards, and what you need to do to capture it.
USPS Discount Promotions at a glance
(updated March 2026)
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Tactile & Sensory – ACTIVE NOW
Integrated Technology – ACTIVE NOW
Continuous Contact – OPENS APRIL 1
First-Class Advertising – OPENS JULY 15
Catalog Insights – WINDOW CLOSING JUNE 30
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Tactile, Sensory & Interactive Promotion – 5% postage discount
This promotion rewards finishing. The USPS discounts mail pieces that engage recipients beyond standard ink on paper — specialty stocks, tactile coatings, foil, scented inks, and interactive physical elements all qualify. The logic is that more engaging pieces drive better response rates, and the USPS wants to make that investment easier to justify.
If you’re already producing premium pieces, this is the lowest-friction discount on the calendar. You may qualify without changing a thing — the primary requirement is ensuring your piece meets the specs and that you’re registered before mailing.
Qualifying elements
- Specialty substrates
- Textured papers
- Foil stamping
- Soft-touch coatings
- Tactile coatings
- Specialty inks
- Scented inks
- Interactive physical elements
Best for: Premium brand mailers, packaging inserts, luxury direct mail
Integrated Technology Promotion – 5% postage discount
This promotion bridges physical mail with digital experiences — and its timing is flexible. Rather than a fixed promotional window, you select your own 6 consecutive months, allowing you to align the discount with a major campaign. If you’re already taking advantage of mail with digital touchpoints, this is a straightforward registration.
Qualifying technologies
- QR codes that launch AR experiences
- NFC-enabled pieces
- Video-in-print
- Voice assistant integration
- Mobile commerce
- AI-generated imagery & content (new in 2026)
Best for: Omnichannel campaigns, product launches, retail promotions
Continuous Contact Promotion – 5% postage discount
This promotion rewards what direct mail already prescribes: multiple touches to the same audience over time. Sequential campaigns outperform single-touch drops in response rate and brand recall — the USPS is acknowledging that by discounting the behavior.
Multi-wave programs qualify — acquisition followed by follow-up, reengagement sequences, or any campaign with planned repeat mailings to the same list. One-offs do not qualify.
Qualifying elements
- Sequential mailings (Repeat mailings to the same list over time)
- Multi-touch campaigns (multiple touchpoints to the same audience)
- Marketing Mail class only (not First-Class)
Best for: Acquisition campaigns, reactivation programs, retention sequences
First-Class Mail Advertising Promotion – 5% postage discount
First-Class Mail moves faster, isn’t subject to postal work sharing, and gets received differently in the mailbox than Marketing Mail. The tradeoff has always been cost. This promotion narrows that gap considerably — the USPS is actively incentivizing advertisers to leverage First-Class deliverability for promotional campaigns.
If your brand has been defaulting to Marketing Mail primarily for cost reasons, this second-half promotion is worth modeling out. Faster delivery windows and higher perceived value can meaningfully affect open and response rates.
Best for: Brand advertisers, financial services, time-sensitive offers
Qualifying elements
- First-Class Mail
- Advertising or promotional messaging
Catalog Insights Promotion – 10% postage discount
This is the largest single discount the USPS offers — 10% off postage for qualifying catalog mailings — and the registration window closes June 30. If you’re planning a spring or summer catalog, this needs to be on your production timeline now.
Catalogs already outperform most digital channels for value among established brands. The 10% postage reduction makes an already strong format significantly more cost-efficient. There is no other promotion on the 2026 calendar that delivers this level of savings.
Best for: Retail brands, e-commerce, B2B product companies with catalogs
Qualifying elements
- Marketing Mail class
- Catalog format with product listings, images, and pricing
- Ordering information (order form, phone number, URL, or QR code)
Stacking USPS Postage Discounts for Maximum Savings: Add-ons
Most organizations treat USPS promotions as individual discounts. The smarter approach is to build your 2026 direct mail campaign calendar around combinations — pairing base promotions with add-ons to maximize total postage savings on every drop.
Informed Delivery Add-On — +1% discount
USPS Informed Delivery gives recipients a digital preview of incoming mail via email or the USPS app — the day before it arrives. Adding a clickable digital campaign component turns a passive preview into an active touchpoint. The 1% discount is modest, but Informed Delivery itself is free to set up and extends the reach of every qualifying mail piece you send.
Sustainability Add-On — +1% discount
If your paper and substrates come from responsibly sourced, certified materials — FSC-certified stocks, SFI, or PEFC — you may qualify for an additional 1% Sustainability Add-On postage discount by documenting that sourcing in your mailing. For clients already printing on FSC-certified paper, this is a free discount. Ask us about certified stock options when planning your next job.
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Ready to Put These Savings to Work?
Not sure which promotions apply to your next campaign? Should you use them? Which add-ons do you qualify for?
B&B Print Source works with clients throughout the planning process — not just at print time. If you have a direct mail campaign on the horizon for 2026, we can help you determine which USPS promotions apply to your program, how to structure your pieces and timeline to qualify, and how to stack discounts for maximum postage savings.