Market Dominant mail classes, including First-Class Mail, Marketing Mail, and Periodicals, are some of the primary services the American public associates with the Postal Service. These classes contain well-known products like letters, postcards, advertising mail, bills, magazines, and newspapers.
While mail has been declining since 2006, mail still accounts for about half of the Postal Service’s revenue and the United States remains the world’s largest market for mail. The Postal Service plays a key role in ensuring the American public receives essential communications and products regardless of their location. However, the decline in mail volume in the last 10 years has been steep; First-Class Mail has declined 30 percent and Marketing Mail has declined 20 percent. This decline has been primarily caused by “electronic diversion,” the replacement of physical mail with electronic alternatives, including the internet, email, and text messages.
