Pity The Envelope

Oct 30, 2001 -- The use of e-mail, electronic billing, postcards and see-through envelopes appears to be increasing, because of the anthrax scare.

According to Business Week's Nov. 5 issue, Princeton eCom Corp. said sign-ups for electronic mortgage payments have increased more than 20% in recent weeks, although it attributes that to other factors beside anthrax.

One direct mail outfit is advising clients to "put more identification on their outside envelopes, [and] move from envelopes to postcards."

Hallmark is listening. It will soon print postcards for Christmas.

While transparent envelopes are in demand (MasterCard ordered 14 million of them for an upcoming promotion), handwritten fonts on mass solicitations are disappearing. Further, any mail promotion that includes something bumpy inside the envelope is sure to scare consumers.

Yahoo is advising its merchants on shipping and packaging and some e-tailers are considering drastic changes, such as dropping the post office entirely and go with UPS, according to iMarketing News. (Find out more about Yahoo's advice .)

E-mail, it seems, will continue to be one of the most effective ways to reach customers and Web site visitors. The Direct Marketing Association said yesterday in its fifth annual publication of "The DMA State of the E-Commerce Industry Report 2001," that 59 percent of respondents reported increased sales using e-mail. (See Use of E-Mail Increases Sales.)

Questions or comments? feedback@i-genuity.com

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About The Author

Mary A. Sicard is president of i-Genuity, the Click-Here Strategy and Services firm in Augusta, Georgia.

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