What Is USPS Informed Delivery®?
A complete guide to USPS Informed Delivery—what it is, how it works for consumers, and how business mailers can leverage it for double-exposure direct mail campaigns.
The Simple Definition
USPS Informed Delivery® is a free, opt-in notification service offered by the United States Postal Service. After enrolling, eligible customers receive a Daily Digest email—or a mobile app push notification—each morning showing digital previews of the letter-sized mail and packages expected to arrive that day at their registered address.
For consumers, it's a convenience tool: you can see what's in your mailbox before you ever walk to the curb. For direct mail marketers, it's a powerful channel upgrade. Businesses running an interactive campaign alongside their mailing can replace the standard grayscale mailpiece scan with a full-color image and a clickable ride-along ad that links to any URL.
The service is available to residential addresses, eligible business addresses, and PO Box™ holders across the United States.
Who Subscribes to Informed Delivery?
As of 2025, more than 62 million households are enrolled in Informed Delivery nationwide. That's a substantial slice of all US households and the number continues to grow as USPS expands availability and awareness.
Subscribers skew slightly toward homeowners, higher-income households, and people who frequently receive packages—demographics that tend to be highly responsive to direct mail campaigns. The service is free to sign up, requires only a USPS.com account, and takes under five minutes to activate.
What Does a Subscriber Actually See?
Each morning, subscribers receive an email titled "Your Daily Digest" from USPS. Inside, they see:
Grayscale Mail Scans (standard mail)
For most mail, USPS shows a grayscale image of the address side of each letter-sized piece. This is the default experience when no interactive campaign is running.
Full-Color Representative Image (with Informed Delivery campaign)
When a business has submitted an Informed Delivery campaign, the grayscale scan is replaced with a full-color version of the mailpiece—making your brand pop in the daily digest email.
Ride-Along Image (clickable banner ad)
Below or alongside the mail image, your clickable ride-along image appears. This is a small banner ad that links directly to your website, landing page, or offer URL when tapped or clicked.
Package Tracking
Subscribers also see status updates for USPS packages expected that day, with tracking links and estimated delivery windows.
Three Ways Subscribers Access Informed Delivery
Daily Digest Email
Sent each morning to the subscriber's registered email address. Includes all mailpieces and packages expected that day.
Online Dashboard
Available at USPS.com—subscribers can log in anytime to view current and past mailpiece images, package tracking, and notification settings.
Mobile App
Available on iOS and Android. Push notifications can be configured for immediate alerts when mail is scanned—no waiting for the morning email.
How Do Businesses Use Informed Delivery?
As a direct mail advertiser working with Catdi Printing, you have access to the Informed Delivery interactive campaign feature. Here's how businesses use it:
- Replace the grayscale scan: Submit a full-color version of your mail piece design so subscribers see your brand at full quality in their morning email.
- Add a clickable ride-along banner: Place a small digital ad (the ride-along image) below the mailpiece image that links to a landing page, website, or promotional offer.
- Track digital engagement: Receive post-campaign analytics on how many subscribers opened the email, saw your image, and clicked your ride-along link.
- Combine with EDDM: Informed Delivery works with EDDM mailings too—add a digital touchpoint to neighborhood saturation campaigns sent through Catdi Printing's EDDM service.
Ready to run your first Informed Delivery campaign?
Catdi Printing handles the USPS portal submission, digital asset preparation, and campaign reporting. All you need is a mailing and a destination URL.
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