The U.S. Postal Service plans to test-market product sampling beginning next month in the USPS’s first such test.
In Charlotte, NC and Pittsburgh and other markets, the postal service plans to mail out about 200,000 USPS-branded boxes containing assorted beauty, health and snack food items from several different consumer packaged goods companies.
The USPS is working with eight different consumer packaged goods companies, providing 11 different products, says Marc McCrery. USPS executive manager of sampling programs.
The test will run through the end of the summer, at which time the USPS will decide on its next move.
The USPS chose those two markets because they have a high number of young families with children and because they are also often-used as test markets, he says.
“Consumer packaged goods companies are always looking for new ways to build brand awareness for their products,” said Robert F. Bernstock, USPS president, mailing and shipping services, in a statement. “One method they often turn to is providing trial-size samples to consumers. A large and growing industry, product sampling offers the Postal Service the potential for millions of dollars of added revenue.”
