One of the few things that people still use the U.S. Postal Service to do is send greeting cards. Americans receive an average of 20 greeting cards per year, and they have to come from somewhere. So why not save a trip and buy those cards right at your local post office?

Yes, the U.S. Postal Service is testing the sale of greeting cards at 1,500 local post office, and the test begins with a selection of cards from Hallmark.

A Postal Service study confirmed that customers think selling greeting cards at post offices is appropriate and that they would buy them if offered, Bernstock said. The goal is for the cards to help boost postal retail sales by 30 to 40 percent.

A 2006 law allows the Postal Service to sell various mailing and packaging products and other mail-related items, including cards. Officials awarded the one-year deal to Hallmark’s Sunrise Greeting card line, with the option to extend the deal for two more years.

If the greeting card business is successful, the USPS plans to try to introduce more products beyond their current selection of shipping supplies and stamp-related gifts. This could include prepaid cell phones and financial products, which are available in many other countries’ post offices.

The Postal Service’s ‘get well’ plan? Greeting cards. [Federal Eye/The Washington Post]

(Photo: tjean314)

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