Junk mail and flyers should be treasured, according to Canada Post.
In an effort to stop Canadians from posting ‘no flyers’ signs, the company has sent out letters across the country this week asking people to accept junk mail – again.
The mail can actually be good for residents and can include valuable catalogues, samples, coupons and notices, said Canada Post.
“Your address is part of Canada Posts’ Consumers’ Choice database as a result of having a ‘no flyer’ notice on your mailbox,” reads a letter to residents from the company, “you are currently not receiving unaddressed mail delivered by Canada Post that your neighbours are receiving. This includes mail that can save you money and keep you connected with your local community.”
To receive this unaddressed mail, the letter says to sign up and enclose a postage paid envelope, then shred and toss out your “no flyers” sign to collect all the benefits.
“Direct mail has evolved considerably, and there are all kinds of offers made through unaddressed ad mail, and some people actually like it,” said Canada post in a report.
But not everybody wants the mail, according to experts.
“The reality is we don’t use the post office anymore,” Ian Lee, a Carleton University business professor told Global news. “In the last five years there’s been a huge impact on volumes of mail at Canada post—each year more people are switching to texting, electronic mail, e-billing, and electronic deposits.”
The move to encourage ad mail comes at a time when the Canadian postal system has noticed declining numbers in direct mailing. Last year they delivered only 4 billion domestic letters, down 1 billion from 6 years before, said a report.
“The post office is down 26 per cent in units of sending first class mail and it’s their bread and butter—it’s literally and physically declining,” said Lee. “This is long term and permanent we are not going back in terms of our usage of mail. We are moving to electronics and they need to reinvent themselves.”
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