Positioning the postal service for the next generation: An Overview of market research

Abstract

Traditionally, postal operators (POs) have considered mail senders, rather than mail recipients, as the primary customers because they pay for the service. In the Digital Age, mail recipients are gaining influence in a two-sided marketplace, as their needs and preferences help drive senders’ choice of physical and digital communications. In order to keep the mail channel as a viable communications medium, the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and POs around the world have to address how best to serve recipients’ needs, while still fulfilling their service obligations. One way to do so is through market research. Findings from the USPS Office of Inspector General’s (OIG’s) growing body of research, in combination with secondary market research, provide valuable insights on the changing preferences of senders and recipients, as well as shed light on the future use and delivery of mail.