# Direct Mail Marketing Statistics 2026: Volume, Response Rates, ROI and Attention

Updated 2026-10-24. Checked by StatisticsGlobal editorial team. USPS Revenue, Pieces and Weight reports FY2015 to FY2026 Q3, the JICMAIL Response Rate Tracker and Q2 2026 panel results, the Advertising Association and WARC, Ofcom, Canada Post and Lob, data for 2015 to 2026.
Canonical: https://statisticsglobal.org/direct-mail-marketing-statistics/

USPS delivered 56.77 billion pieces of Marketing Mail in fiscal 2025, down 1.3% on the year and 29.1% in ten years. Marketing Mail is still more than half of all US mail. Revenue still rose 2.2% in fiscal 2025 because USPS earned more per piece: 27.8 cents, up 3.5%. The best free response data comes from the UK. JICMAIL puts the average response rate at 1% for cold direct mail and 6.3% for mail to existing customers, with an average return of £2.10 and £8.80 per £1. UK households spent 151 seconds with the average direct mail item in Q2 2026.

## Key statistics

- USPS delivered 56.77 billion pieces of Marketing Mail in fiscal year 2025, down 1.3% from fiscal 2024, according to the United States Postal Service.
- Marketing Mail made up 52.2% of all pieces handled by USPS in fiscal year 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from United States Postal Service data.
- Warm direct mail sent to existing customers had an average response rate of 6.3% in the UK across 2023 to 2025, according to JICMAIL.
- Warm direct mail returned an average ROI of £8.80 in the UK across 2023 to 2025, according to JICMAIL.
- UK households spent 151 seconds on the average direct mail item in Q2 2026, up from 145 seconds a year earlier, according to JICMAIL.

## Direct mail volume statistics (USPS)

USPS reports advertising mail as Marketing Mail. It counts every piece, so it is the most complete count of direct mail volume we found. The US fiscal year runs from October to September.

Marketing Mail volume is shrinking, but slowly. It fell 1.3% in fiscal 2025, against 5.1% for First-Class Mail. Over ten years Marketing Mail lost 29.1% of its volume and First-Class Mail lost 33.4%. So advertising mail now makes up a slightly larger share of what USPS delivers, at 52.2% of all pieces in fiscal 2025.

The steepest single drop came in fiscal 2020, which covered the first months of the Covid-19 pandemic, when volume fell 15.2%. Volume was higher in fiscal 2022 than in 2020 but has fallen every year since. The first nine months of fiscal 2026 were down 3.2%. The April to June 2026 quarter broke the pattern, with volume up 4.3% and revenue up 12.3%. USPS credits strength in Marketing Mail and price increases. It does not say which senders drove the extra volume.

Within Marketing Mail, the mix is moving. Standard letters are two thirds of the volume and held steady. High Density letters grew 11.7%. Carrier Route mail fell 21.0% and Flats fell 14.8%. For how US advertisers split budgets between mail and screens, see our [TV advertising statistics](https://statisticsglobal.org/tv-advertising-statistics/).

- USPS delivered 56.77 billion pieces of Marketing Mail in fiscal year 2025, down 1.3% from fiscal 2024, according to the United States Postal Service. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf
- USPS Marketing Mail revenue rose 2.2% to $15.78 billion in fiscal year 2025, according to the United States Postal Service. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf
- Marketing Mail made up 52.2% of all pieces handled by USPS in fiscal year 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from United States Postal Service data. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf
- Marketing Mail brought in 20.7% of USPS mail and shipping revenue in fiscal year 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from United States Postal Service data. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf
- USPS delivered 1.35 Marketing Mail pieces for every First-Class Mail piece in fiscal year 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from United States Postal Service data. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf
- US Marketing Mail volume fell 29.1% in ten years, from 80.09 billion pieces in fiscal 2015 to 56.77 billion in fiscal 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from USPS data. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2015 (FY2015 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2015.pdf
- US First-Class Mail volume fell 33.4% between fiscal 2015 and fiscal 2025, faster than Marketing Mail, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from USPS data. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2015 (FY2015 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2015.pdf
- US Marketing Mail volume fell 15.2% in fiscal year 2020, from 75.69 billion to 64.18 billion pieces, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from USPS data. Source: United States Postal Service, Quarterly Statistics Report, FY2020 Quarter 4 (FY2020 Q4, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/quarterly-statistics-reports/fy2020-q4.pdf
- USPS Marketing Mail volume rose 4.3% and revenue 12.3% in the April to June 2026 quarter, according to the United States Postal Service. Source: United States Postal Service, U.S. Postal Service Reports Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Results (7 August 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2026/0807-usps-reports-third-quarter-fiscal-year-2026-results.pdf
- USPS delivered 41.85 billion Marketing Mail pieces in the first nine months of fiscal 2026, down 3.2% year on year, according to the United States Postal Service. Source: United States Postal Service, Quarterly Statistics Report, FY2026 Quarter 3 (FY2026 Q3 report (April to June 2026), accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/quarterly-statistics-reports/fy2026-q3.pdf
- Letters made up 66.8% of US Marketing Mail pieces in fiscal year 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from United States Postal Service data. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf
- USPS Carrier Route Marketing Mail volume fell 21.0% to 2.73 billion pieces in fiscal year 2025, according to the United States Postal Service. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf
- USPS High Density Marketing Mail letter volume grew 11.7% to 3.43 billion pieces in fiscal year 2025, according to the United States Postal Service. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf
- USPS delivered 559.2 million Every Door Direct Mail Retail pieces in fiscal year 2025, down 4.1%, according to the United States Postal Service. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf

Table: USPS Marketing Mail by product, fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025)

| Product | Pieces (millions) | Change in pieces vs FY2024 | Revenue ($ millions) | Revenue per piece (our calculation) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letters | 37,941.9 | +0.3% | 10,360.3 | 27.3 cents |
| Saturation Flats and Parcels | 6,540.0 | -2.4% | 1,300.3 | 19.9 cents |
| High Density Letters | 3,434.1 | +11.7% | 846.6 | 24.7 cents |
| Carrier Route | 2,734.1 | -21.0% | 1,099.1 | 40.2 cents |
| Saturation Letters | 2,590.9 | +5.2% | 487.9 | 18.8 cents |
| Flats | 1,650.9 | -14.8% | 1,122.4 | 68.0 cents |
| High Density Flats and Parcels | 1,304.6 | -10.7% | 371.6 | 28.5 cents |
| Every Door Direct Mail Retail | 559.2 | -4.1% | 127.4 | 22.8 cents |
| Parcels | 11.4 | -37.4% | 45 | 394.1 cents |
| Total Marketing Mail | 56,767.1 | -1.3% | 15,779.2 | 27.8 cents |

Source: USPS Revenue, Pieces and Weight report, FY2025. Revenue per piece calculated by StatisticsGlobal (revenue / pieces).

## Direct mail response rate statistics

The most quoted US response rates come from the ANA Response Rate Report, which is for members only. We could not check it, so we do not use it. The best free campaign data is from JICMAIL, the UK industry body for mail measurement. Its Response Rate Tracker pools 4,939 real campaigns from 15 organisations.

Who you mail matters most. Mail to existing customers (warm) drew a 6.3% average response from 2023 to 2025. Mail to prospects (cold) drew 1%, so warm mail responds 6.3 times as well. Partially addressed mail, sent to an address without a name, sits between cold mail and door drops at 0.7%. Unaddressed door drops are lowest at 0.3%, but they are also the cheapest to send.

Response is rising. JICMAIL says cold and warm direct mail response rates both grew by over 20% in 2025. Its quarterly release gives the detail for retailers, with warm response up 26% and cold up 21%.

Size and purpose change results. Among warm retail mailings in 2025, A4 letters drew 9.6% and postcards 3.5%. Campaigns that aimed to build the brand as well as drive response averaged 9.3%, against 1.9% for response-only campaigns. These are averages across many sectors. A single campaign can land well above or below them.

- Cold direct mail had an average response rate of 1% in the UK across 2023 to 2025, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- Warm direct mail sent to existing customers had an average response rate of 6.3% in the UK across 2023 to 2025, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- Door drops had an average response rate of 0.3% in the UK across 2023 to 2025, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- Partially addressed mail had an average response rate of 0.7% in the UK across 2023 to 2025, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- Warm direct mail drew 6.3 times the response rate of cold direct mail in the UK across 2023 to 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from JICMAIL data. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- Cold and warm direct mail response rates in the UK grew by over 20% in 2025, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- A4 warm retail mailers had a 9.6% response rate in the UK in 2025, against 3.5% for postcards, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- A4 warm retail mailers drew a response rate 6.1 points higher than postcards in the UK in 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from JICMAIL data. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- UK mail campaigns with both brand and response goals averaged a 9.3% response rate from 2022 to 2025, against 1.9% for response-only campaigns, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf

Table: Average response rate and ROI by mail type, UK, JICMAIL Response Rate Tracker 2023 to 2025

| Mail type | Average response rate | Average ROI (return per £1) | Share of campaigns in tracker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warm direct mail (existing customers) | 6.3% | £8.80 | 42% |
| Cold direct mail (prospects) | 1% | £2.10 | 47% |
| Partially addressed mail | 0.7% | £2.30 | 2% |
| Door drops (unaddressed) | 0.3% | £4.0 | 8% |

Source: JICMAIL Response Rate Tracker, Full Year 2025 Update (June 2026), n=4,939 campaigns. Dated copy of the figures: /data/snapshots/jicmail/jicmail-figures-2026-10-24.csv.

## Direct mail ROI statistics

JICMAIL reports return on investment as revenue per £1 spent, from campaign data that advertisers submit. On the cost side, USPS revenue per piece shows what US mailers pay in postage on average.

Warm direct mail pays back best, at £8.80 per £1 on average from 2023 to 2025. Cold mail returns £2.10, which is still positive. Door drops nearly doubled their return to £5.28 in 2025, 32% above their three-year average of £4.0. Scale helps too. Cold campaigns of over 100,000 items returned £2.7 per £1, 69% more than campaigns of up to 25,000 items.

Sector results vary widely. Mail order firms got £3.1 per £1 from cold mail, while charities got £0.2. Charity mail often aims to recruit long-term donors, so a first-response ROI may understate its value. JICMAIL does not publish exactly how each contributor measures revenue, so treat ROI figures as benchmarks rather than targets.

In the US, postage is getting dearer. USPS earned 27.8 cents per Marketing Mail piece in fiscal 2025, up 3.5% in a year and 25.7% in ten years, before inflation. In the April to June 2026 quarter it was 29.2 cents. Rising price per piece is why USPS revenue grew while volume fell. Every Door Direct Mail Retail, the self-service option for small businesses, averaged 22.8 cents.

- Cold direct mail returned an average ROI of £2.10 in the UK across 2023 to 2025, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- Warm direct mail returned an average ROI of £8.80 in the UK across 2023 to 2025, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- Door drop campaign ROI nearly doubled to £5.28 in the UK in 2025, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- UK door drop ROI of £5.28 in 2025 was 32% above the 2023 to 2025 average of £4.0, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from JICMAIL data. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- Cold direct mail campaigns of 100,000+ items returned 69% more per pound than campaigns of up to 25,000 items in the UK from 2022 to 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from JICMAIL data. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- UK mail campaigns with brand and response goals returned 41% more per pound than response-only campaigns from 2022 to 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from JICMAIL data. Source: JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026) (June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
- USPS earned 27.8 cents per Marketing Mail piece in fiscal year 2025, up 3.5% from 26.8 cents in fiscal 2024, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from USPS data. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf
- USPS earned 29.2 cents per Marketing Mail piece in the April to June 2026 quarter, up from 27.2 cents a year earlier, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from USPS data. Source: United States Postal Service, Quarterly Statistics Report, FY2026 Quarter 3 (FY2026 Q3 report (April to June 2026), accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/quarterly-statistics-reports/fy2026-q3.pdf
- USPS revenue per Marketing Mail piece rose 25.7% in ten years, from 22.1 cents in fiscal 2015 to 27.8 cents in fiscal 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from USPS data. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2015 (FY2015 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2015.pdf
- USPS earned 22.8 cents per Every Door Direct Mail Retail piece in fiscal year 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from United States Postal Service data. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf

Table: Cold direct mail benchmarks by sector, UK, JICMAIL Response Rate Tracker 2022 to 2025 average

| Sector | Response rate | ROI (return per £1) | Cost per acquisition | Average order value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mail order | 1.3% | £3.1 | £65 | £596 |
| Medical | 0.4% | £2.6 | £634 | £1,683 |
| Financial and insurance services | 0.8% | £2.4 | £106 | £279 |
| Retail and online retail | 0.8% | £1.8 | £145 | £293 |
| Charity | 0.7% | £0.2 | £161 | £27 |

Source: JICMAIL Response Rate Tracker, Full Year 2025 Update, p.17. Sectors with at least 10 campaigns per metric. JICMAIL labels these as 2022 to 2025 averages, while its headline benchmarks are labelled 2023 to 2025.

## Direct mail engagement and attention statistics

JICMAIL also runs a panel of about 1,100 UK households who log every item of mail they receive and what they do with it. That shows how long mail stays in the home and how much attention it gets, not only whether people respond.

Attention to mail has grown. Households spent 151 seconds with the average direct mail item in Q2 2026, up 39.8% from 108 seconds in Q4 2022. Door drops get less than half as much attention, at 70 seconds. Business mail such as bills and statements gets the most, at 197 seconds.

Mail lingers. The average direct mail item stayed in the home for 7.4 days and was picked up 4.41 times. That frequency fell 3.2% on the year. JICMAIL links the dip to a sixfold rise in political party mail before the May 2026 local elections, which people handle less often than commercial mail.

Mail drives action online and in store. 9.5% of all mail items prompted a website visit in Q2 2026 and 5.6% prompted a purchase, payment or donation. The share of mail-driven purchases made in store jumped from 34% to 41%, which JICMAIL credits to more supermarket mail. Direct mail with a QR code was 60% more likely than average to send someone to a website.

- UK households spent 151 seconds on the average direct mail item in Q2 2026, up from 145 seconds a year earlier, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, JICMAIL Q2 2026 Results (full release) (September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/JICMAIL-Q2-2026-Results-for-Website.pdf
- Attention per UK direct mail item rose 39.8% from 108 seconds in Q4 2022 to 151 seconds in Q2 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from JICMAIL data. Source: JICMAIL, JICMAIL Q2 2026 Results (full release) (September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/JICMAIL-Q2-2026-Results-for-Website.pdf
- UK households spent 70 seconds on the average door drop in Q2 2026, up from 60 seconds a year earlier, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, JICMAIL Q2 2026 Results (full release) (September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/JICMAIL-Q2-2026-Results-for-Website.pdf
- Addressed direct mail held 2.2 times as much attention as door drops in the UK in Q2 2026, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from JICMAIL data. Source: JICMAIL, Q2 2026 Results: Political parties and supermarkets provide a boost to mail engagement and effectiveness (8 September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/insights/quarterly-releases/q2-2026-results-political-parties-and-supermarkets-provide-a-boost-to-mail-engagement-and-effectiveness/
- The average UK direct mail item stayed in the home for 7.4 days in Q2 2026, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Q2 2026 Results: Political parties and supermarkets provide a boost to mail engagement and effectiveness (8 September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/insights/quarterly-releases/q2-2026-results-political-parties-and-supermarkets-provide-a-boost-to-mail-engagement-and-effectiveness/
- UK direct mail items were interacted with 4.41 times on average in Q2 2026, down 3.2% year on year, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, JICMAIL Q2 2026 Results (full release) (September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/JICMAIL-Q2-2026-Results-for-Website.pdf
- 75% of UK mail items were read, looked at or glanced at in Q2 2026, down from 76% a year earlier, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, JICMAIL Q2 2026 Results (full release) (September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/JICMAIL-Q2-2026-Results-for-Website.pdf
- 9.5% of UK mail items prompted a visit to the sender's website in Q2 2026, up from 9.2% a year earlier, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Q2 2026 Results: Political parties and supermarkets provide a boost to mail engagement and effectiveness (8 September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/insights/quarterly-releases/q2-2026-results-political-parties-and-supermarkets-provide-a-boost-to-mail-engagement-and-effectiveness/
- 5.6% of UK mail items prompted a purchase, payment or donation in Q2 2026, up from 5.3% a year earlier, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, JICMAIL Q2 2026 Results (full release) (September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/JICMAIL-Q2-2026-Results-for-Website.pdf
- 41% of UK mail-driven purchases were made in store in Q2 2026, up from 34% a year earlier, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Q2 2026 Results: Political parties and supermarkets provide a boost to mail engagement and effectiveness (8 September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/insights/quarterly-releases/q2-2026-results-political-parties-and-supermarkets-provide-a-boost-to-mail-engagement-and-effectiveness/
- UK direct mail with a QR code was 60% more likely than the average mail item to prompt a website visit in Q2 2026, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Q2 2026 Results: Political parties and supermarkets provide a boost to mail engagement and effectiveness (8 September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/insights/quarterly-releases/q2-2026-results-political-parties-and-supermarkets-provide-a-boost-to-mail-engagement-and-effectiveness/
- Political party direct mail volumes on the UK JICMAIL panel rose sixfold year on year in Q2 2026, according to JICMAIL. Source: JICMAIL, Q2 2026 Results: Political parties and supermarkets provide a boost to mail engagement and effectiveness (8 September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.jicmail.org.uk/insights/quarterly-releases/q2-2026-results-political-parties-and-supermarkets-provide-a-boost-to-mail-engagement-and-effectiveness/

Table: How UK households engage with each type of mail, JICMAIL panel, Q2 2026

| Mail type | Attention per item | Interactions in 28 days | Days kept in the home | People reached per item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct mail (addressed advertising) | 151 seconds | 4.4 | 7.4 | 1.14 |
| Door drops (unaddressed) | 70 seconds | 3.1 | 6.0 | 1.07 |
| Partially addressed mail | 100 seconds | 4.0 | 6.9 | 1.06 |
| Business mail (bills, statements) | 197 seconds | 4.9 | 8.9 | 1.16 |

Source: JICMAIL Q2 2026 Results (September 2026), panel of about 1,100 UK households. Dated copy of the figures: /data/snapshots/jicmail/jicmail-figures-2026-10-24.csv.

## Direct mail spend and marketer sentiment

Spend data is patchy. The UK has an official-style count from the Advertising Association and WARC. The US has no free total for direct mail spend, so we use postal data and a marketer survey. Canada Post reports its own advertising mail.

UK advertisers spent £966.9 million on direct mail in 2025, flat on the year and 2.1% of all UK ad spend. The outlook improved during 2026. In April, AA/WARC expected direct mail spend to fall 1.8% this year. After spend grew 7.9% in the first quarter, the July forecast was for growth of 2.9%, then no growth in 2027.

Large US mailers say they are leaning in. In Lob's 2026 survey of 250 North American leaders at companies sending over a million pieces a year, mail took 25% of marketing budgets and 9 in 10 had raised investment. Lob sells direct mail software, so its sample is close to the industry. The same survey shows weak measurement. Only 22% tracked QR codes and 87% called printing, shipping and delivery blind spots.

Other countries show bigger falls. Canada Post's Direct Marketing volume dropped 9.8% in 2025, to about 3.8 billion pieces, after labour disruption stopped Neighbourhood Mail deliveries in the second half of the year. UK addressed letters of all kinds fell 2.0% to 6.5 billion in the year to March 2025. US Marketing Mail alone was 8.7 times that number. For another performance channel with UK and US data, see our [affiliate marketing statistics](https://statisticsglobal.org/affiliate-marketing-statistics/).

- UK advertisers spent £966.9 million on direct mail in 2025, up 0.3% on 2024, according to the Advertising Association and WARC. Source: Advertising Association and WARC, AA/WARC updates Advertising Expenditure Report and records £46.7bn media investment in 2025 (30 April 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://adassoc.org.uk/our-work/aa-warc-updates-advertising-expenditure-report-to-capture-evolving-uk-media-landscape-and-records-46-7bn-media-investment-in-2025/
- Direct mail took 2.1% of total UK advertising spend in 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Advertising Association and WARC data. Source: Advertising Association and WARC, AA/WARC updates Advertising Expenditure Report and records £46.7bn media investment in 2025 (30 April 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://adassoc.org.uk/our-work/aa-warc-updates-advertising-expenditure-report-to-capture-evolving-uk-media-landscape-and-records-46-7bn-media-investment-in-2025/
- UK direct mail advertising spend grew 7.9% year on year in Q1 2026, according to the Advertising Association and WARC. Source: Advertising Association and WARC, UK Advertising Investment Rises 9.3% to £11.7bn in Q1 2026 (30 July 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://adassoc.org.uk/our-work/uk-advertising-investment-rises-9-3-to-11-7bn-in-q1-2026/
- UK direct mail advertising spend is forecast to grow 2.9% in 2026 and 0.0% in 2027, according to the Advertising Association and WARC. Source: Advertising Association and WARC, UK Advertising Investment Rises 9.3% to £11.7bn in Q1 2026 (30 July 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://adassoc.org.uk/our-work/uk-advertising-investment-rises-9-3-to-11-7bn-in-q1-2026/
- The AA/WARC 2026 forecast for UK direct mail spend rose 4.7 points between April and July 2026, from -1.8% to +2.9%, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Advertising Association and WARC data. Source: Advertising Association and WARC, UK Advertising Investment Rises 9.3% to £11.7bn in Q1 2026 (30 July 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://adassoc.org.uk/our-work/uk-advertising-investment-rises-9-3-to-11-7bn-in-q1-2026/
- North American companies sending 1 million+ mail pieces put 25% of marketing budgets into direct mail, in Lob's 2026 survey of 250 leaders. Source: Lob, State of Direct Mail: Business Insights 2026 (2026 (key takeaways post dated 17 February 2026), accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.lob.com/state-of-direct-mail/2026-report
- 9 in 10 North American direct mail leaders said they had increased investment in the channel this year, in Lob's 2026 survey. Source: Lob, State of Direct Mail: Business Insights 2026 (2026 (key takeaways post dated 17 February 2026), accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.lob.com/state-of-direct-mail/2026-report
- 99% of North American direct mail teams used AI or automation in their programmes, in Lob's 2026 survey. Source: Lob, What are the 4 key takeaways from the State of Direct Mail: Business Insights 2026 report? (17 February 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.lob.com/blog/state-of-direct-mail-2026-report-key-takeaways
- 87% of North American direct mail leaders called printing, shipping and delivery major blind spots, in Lob's 2026 survey. Source: Lob, What are the 4 key takeaways from the State of Direct Mail: Business Insights 2026 report? (17 February 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.lob.com/blog/state-of-direct-mail-2026-report-key-takeaways
- Only 22% of North American direct mail leaders tracked QR code responses, in Lob's 2026 survey. Source: Lob, What are the 4 key takeaways from the State of Direct Mail: Business Insights 2026 report? (17 February 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.lob.com/blog/state-of-direct-mail-2026-report-key-takeaways
- Canada Post Direct Marketing volumes fell 9.8% and revenue 4.5% in 2025, according to Canada Post. Source: Canada Post, Canada Post reports $1.57 billion loss before tax for 2025 (20 April 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media/corporate-news/news-release/2026-04-20-canada-post-reports-157-billion-loss-before-tax-for-2025
- Canada Post delivered about 3.8 billion Direct Marketing pieces in 2025, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from Canada Post data. Source: Canada Post, Canada Post reports $1.57 billion loss before tax for 2025 (20 April 2026, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media/corporate-news/news-release/2026-04-20-canada-post-reports-157-billion-loss-before-tax-for-2025
- UK addressed letter volumes fell 2.0% to 6.5 billion in the year to March 2025, according to Ofcom. Source: Ofcom, Post Monitoring Report: postal services in the financial year 2024-25 (3 December 2025, accessed 24 October 2026) https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/postal-services/monitoring-reports/2024-25/post-monitoring-report---postal-services-in-the-financial-year-2024-25.pdf?v=408465
- US Marketing Mail volume in fiscal 2025 was 8.7 times the number of all UK addressed letters in 2024-25, calculated by StatisticsGlobal from USPS and Ofcom data. Source: United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025 (FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026) https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf

Table: Direct mail and letter mail trends by country, latest full year

| Country | Measure | Latest value | Change vs previous year | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | USPS Marketing Mail pieces | 56.77 billion | -1.3% | Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 |
| United States | USPS Marketing Mail revenue | $15.78 billion | +2.2% | Oct 2024 to Sep 2025 |
| United Kingdom | Direct mail advertising spend | £966.9 million | +0.3% | 2025 |
| United Kingdom | All addressed letters (not only advertising) | 6.5 billion | -2.0% | Apr 2024 to Mar 2025 |
| Canada | Canada Post Direct Marketing pieces | About 3.8 billion (our estimate) | -9.8% | 2025 |
| Canada | Canada Post Direct Marketing revenue | Not given in dollars | -4.5% | 2025 |

Sources: USPS RPW report FY2025; Advertising Association and WARC (April 2026); Ofcom Post Monitoring Report 2024-25; Canada Post 2025 results release. Canada volume estimated by StatisticsGlobal from the published 417 million (9.8%) fall.

## How these sources measure direct mail

Each source counts something different. Read them side by side and keep each one's scope in mind.

USPS counts every piece and dollar through its Revenue, Pieces and Weight system. Marketing Mail is a postage class, not a definition of advertising. Revenue is postage paid to USPS, not total campaign cost, which also includes design, print and data. Our price-per-piece figures are simple averages across very different products and are not adjusted for inflation.

JICMAIL has two data sets. The Response Rate Tracker pools 4,939 campaigns submitted by 15 organisations, measured with matchback, unique codes and test-and-control groups. Contributors choose what to submit, so results may lean towards better campaigns. JICMAIL does not publish a definition of ROI. The household panel is self-reported in a diary app by about 1,100 UK households. JICMAIL is not in the Wayback Machine, so we keep a dated copy of every figure we use at /data/snapshots/jicmail/.

AA/WARC figures are UK media spend after discounts. Direct mail is the only medium that includes production costs. Lob's survey is run by a direct mail vendor and covers only large North American mailers. Canada Post gives only percentage changes for Direct Marketing, so our volume estimate is rounded. Ofcom's letter count covers all addressed letters, not only advertising.


## Frequently asked questions

### How much direct mail does USPS deliver each year?

USPS delivered 56.77 billion pieces of Marketing Mail in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025). That was 52.2% of all mail it handled.

### Is direct mail volume going down?

Yes, slowly. US Marketing Mail fell 1.3% in fiscal 2025 and 29.1% over ten years. The first nine months of fiscal 2026 were down 3.2%, although the April to June 2026 quarter grew 4.3%.

### What is a good direct mail response rate?

In UK campaign data from JICMAIL, the average was 6.3% for mail to existing customers and 1% for mail to prospects, from 2023 to 2025. Door drops averaged 0.3%. Free, checkable US averages are not available.

### What is the ROI of direct mail?

JICMAIL's UK campaign data shows an average return of £8.80 per £1 for warm direct mail and £2.10 for cold direct mail from 2023 to 2025. Door drops returned £5.28 in 2025.

### How much does direct mail cost per piece in the US?

USPS earned an average of 27.8 cents in postage per Marketing Mail piece in fiscal 2025, up 3.5% on the year. In the April to June 2026 quarter the average was 29.2 cents. Print and design costs come on top.

### How much do UK advertisers spend on direct mail?

£966.9 million in 2025, according to the Advertising Association and WARC. That is 2.1% of UK ad spend. Spend grew 7.9% in Q1 2026 and is forecast to grow 2.9% in 2026.

## Sources

1. United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2025, FY2025 report, accessed 24 October 2026. https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2025.pdf
2. JICMAIL, Response Rate Tracker: Full Year 2025 Update (Master Results 2026), June 2026, accessed 24 October 2026. https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Response-Rate-Tracker-Master-Results-2026.pdf
3. JICMAIL, JICMAIL Q2 2026 Results (full release), September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026. https://www.jicmail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/JICMAIL-Q2-2026-Results-for-Website.pdf
4. United States Postal Service, Revenue, Pieces and Weight by Classes of Mail and Special Services, FY2015, FY2015 report, accessed 24 October 2026. https://about.usps.com/what/financials/revenue-pieces-weight-reports/fy2015.pdf
5. United States Postal Service, Quarterly Statistics Report, FY2020 Quarter 4, FY2020 Q4, accessed 24 October 2026. https://about.usps.com/what/financials/quarterly-statistics-reports/fy2020-q4.pdf
6. United States Postal Service, U.S. Postal Service Reports Third Quarter Fiscal Year 2026 Results, 7 August 2026, accessed 24 October 2026. https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2026/0807-usps-reports-third-quarter-fiscal-year-2026-results.pdf
7. United States Postal Service, Quarterly Statistics Report, FY2026 Quarter 3, FY2026 Q3 report (April to June 2026), accessed 24 October 2026. https://about.usps.com/what/financials/quarterly-statistics-reports/fy2026-q3.pdf
8. JICMAIL, Q2 2026 Results: Political parties and supermarkets provide a boost to mail engagement and effectiveness, 8 September 2026, accessed 24 October 2026. https://www.jicmail.org.uk/insights/quarterly-releases/q2-2026-results-political-parties-and-supermarkets-provide-a-boost-to-mail-engagement-and-effectiveness/
9. Advertising Association and WARC, AA/WARC updates Advertising Expenditure Report and records £46.7bn media investment in 2025, 30 April 2026, accessed 24 October 2026. https://adassoc.org.uk/our-work/aa-warc-updates-advertising-expenditure-report-to-capture-evolving-uk-media-landscape-and-records-46-7bn-media-investment-in-2025/
10. Advertising Association and WARC, UK Advertising Investment Rises 9.3% to £11.7bn in Q1 2026, 30 July 2026, accessed 24 October 2026. https://adassoc.org.uk/our-work/uk-advertising-investment-rises-9-3-to-11-7bn-in-q1-2026/
11. Lob, State of Direct Mail: Business Insights 2026, 2026 (key takeaways post dated 17 February 2026), accessed 24 October 2026. https://www.lob.com/state-of-direct-mail/2026-report
12. Lob, What are the 4 key takeaways from the State of Direct Mail: Business Insights 2026 report?, 17 February 2026, accessed 24 October 2026. https://www.lob.com/blog/state-of-direct-mail-2026-report-key-takeaways
13. Canada Post, Canada Post reports $1.57 billion loss before tax for 2025, 20 April 2026, accessed 24 October 2026. https://www.canadapost-postescanada.ca/cpc/en/our-company/news-and-media/corporate-news/news-release/2026-04-20-canada-post-reports-157-billion-loss-before-tax-for-2025
14. Ofcom, Post Monitoring Report: postal services in the financial year 2024-25, 3 December 2025, accessed 24 October 2026. https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/postal-services/monitoring-reports/2024-25/post-monitoring-report---postal-services-in-the-financial-year-2024-25.pdf?v=408465