Unlock 5% Mail Savings with USPS’ 2026 Tactile, Sensory & Interactive Promotion
Effective October 15, 2025 – June 30, 2026
Save 5% on eligible First-Class Mail® and USPS Marketing Mail®
A Fresh Way to Make Direct Mail Come Alive
USPS is bringing creativity back to the mailbox with the 2026 Tactile, Sensory & Interactive (TSI) Promotion, rewarding mailers who engage their audience’s senses through innovative design. From metallic inks and embossed papers to pop-up folds and scent coatings, the campaign encourages businesses to blend physical mail with sensory experiences — and earn a 5% postage discount in the process
At a time when digital fatigue is real, interactive print can grab attention in a way screens can’t. This promotion gives organizations a chance to reimagine how customers touch, see, and even smell their brand while lowering campaign costs.
Who Qualifies?
The promotion applies to:
- First-Class Mail® letters, cards, and flats
- USPS Marketing Mail® and Nonprofit Marketing Mail® letters and flats
Ineligible categories include Periodicals, Bound Printed Matter, and Media Mail
Promotion Timeline
Phase | Dates |
Registration Opens | October 15, 2025 |
Promotion Period | January 1 – June 30, 2026 |
All mailings must be tendered and finalized within the promotion window to receive the 5% discount. Mailers can register and manage submissions via the Mailing Promotions Portal.
“The Tactile, Sensory and Interactive Mailpiece Engagement Promotion encourages mailers to enhance customer engagement through innovative print techniques that excite the senses.” — USPS® 2026 Promotions Guide
Eligible Creative Treatments
The TSI Promotion encourages you to “enhance engagement through touch, sight, and interactivity.” Examples include:
- Specialty Inks
Metallic, thermochromic, photochromic, scented, or conductive inks that visibly enhance a mailpiece and draw attention to your message.
- Sensory Treatments
Papers or coatings that add texture, scent, or sound—think embossed finishes, leather-touch coatings, or microencapsulated “scratch-and-sniff” fragrances
- Interactive Elements
Three-dimensional mailpieces, pop-ups, infinite folds, peel-and-reveal layers, or zip strips that invite recipients to physically engage with your message.
Each element must be visible, distinguishable, and tied to your marketing message—not simply decorative or hidden inside an envelope.
Add-On Incentives: Up to 7% Total Savings
Mailers can layer up to two Add-Ons on top of the 5% TSI discount:
- Informed Delivery® Add-On (+1%)
Extend your campaign digitally by pairing physical mail with interactive email previews and clickable links sent to USPS subscribers.
- Sustainability Add-On (+1%)
Showcase that your mail is printed on certified sustainable paper from sources like the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).
Together, that’s a potential 7% total discount for eligible mailings
Why It Matters
For organizations that rely on print and mail to communicate—such as payroll processors, tax operations, and benefits administrators—this promotion delivers a twofold benefit:
- Reduce cost per piece by 5–7% on large-scale mailings.
- Increase response and retention through tangible, memorable experiences that digital channels can’t replicate.
In other words, it’s a perfect alignment of operational efficiency and creative engagement—two pillars of modern business optimization.
Quantifying the Opportunity
While 5% might not sound transformative at first glance, it’s a game-changer at scale. For high-volume mailers spending millions annually on postage, this promotion can unlock six- and seven-figure savings—all while elevating campaign performance through tactile design.
Example Savings Scenarios
| Annual Postage Spend | 5% USPS Discount | Potential Savings |
| $2,000,000 | $100,000 | $100K saved through creative mail |
| $10,000,000 | $500,000 | Half a million back to your budget |
| $20,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $1M+ in direct savings |
| $50,000,000 | $2,500,000 | Multi-million reduction in postage costs |
And when layered with Add-Ons like Informed Delivery® or Sustainability, total savings can reach up to 7%—turning a $20M postage budget into a $1.4M reduction.
For context, organizations mailing 1.5–2 million pieces per month (typical of large payroll, benefits, or insurance operations) often see postage account for 20–30% of total print and mail spend.
How to Get Started
- Register via the Business Customer Gateway.
- Submit a Service Request with a PDF of your mailpiece for pre-approval.
- Mail your sample to the USPS Promotions Office for verification.
- Claim your 5% discount by selecting the “SS – Tactile, Sensory, Interactive” characteristic code in PostalOne!® or PostalWizard.
Make sure your designs are approved and compliant before mailing—USPS audits mailpieces and may reverse discounts for non-qualifying submissions
Alleon’s Take
At Alleon Group, we help clients leverage every available opportunity to optimize print and mail operations—from strategic sourcing and vendor management to USPS promotions like this one. Whether you’re running transactional mail, statement campaigns, or benefit communications, integrating tactile and sensory elements can elevate brand impact while driving down costs.
