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With a view to introduce products and services to increase the business volumes and revenue, the Department of Posts has launched Direct Post for distribution of advertising material by the Post Offices. This would facilitate the growth of commerce, too in the country. Direct Post is the un-addressed component of Direct Mail, and would comprise of un-addressed postal articles like letters, cards, brochures, questionnaires, pamphlets, samples, promotional items like CDs/floppies and Cassettes etc., coupons, posters, mailers or any other form of printed communication that is not prohibited by the Indian Post Office Act 1898 or Indian Post Office Rules 1933. The Direct post articles can be sent only within India.
Direct Post would allow businesses to send their un-addressed mailers, pamphlets, brochures, and other advertising material like CDs/floppies, cassettes, samples etc. to prospective customers at very low rates of Rs. 1.50 for local articles, and Rs. 2 for anywhere in India. The senders would have to tender a minimum of 1000 articles and a 5% discount would be available for mailings of over 50,000 articles. The advertising agencies will also be entitled to a 5% commission on mailings of over 50,000 articles.
Prospective users who intend to avail the services of "Direct Post" can contact Chief Postmaster Generals of their respective States for further enquiry or else e-mail to: business@indiapost.gov.in for assistance.
Direct Mail, which is a means of distributing advertising materials directly to prospective customers, increases exponentially with economic growth. Therefore, Direct mail has shown a remarkable growth in the advanced countries. The Indian economy is poised to maintain GDP growth rate at over 6%, and of services sector at over 9%. This increased economic activity requires existence of a cost effective and efficient delivery mechanism for Direct Advertising. It is in this backdrop and to make use of this business opportunity for the benefit of Department of Posts, as also to make the extensive network of Post Offices available for the growing Direct Mail advertising industry of India, Shri Dayanidhi Maran, Minister of Communications & Information Technology has brought in the Direct Post with immediate effect. The introduction of Direct Post will not only help the businesses in accessing the prospective customers all over India in a cost effective manner, but would also help the Department of Posts increase its market share of the burgeoning business-to-business and business-to-customer segments of corporate communications sector.
RM/AMA- 080605 Direct Post
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