Ecommerce direct mail is a physical postcard or letter sent to your online customers to prompt a repeat order, launch a product or bring back lapsed buyers. It adds a channel that does not depend on inboxes or ad platforms.
Overview
Online brands already hold the addresses of everyone they have shipped to, which makes addressed mail a natural extension of email and retargeting. A postcard lands in the home, often sits on a table for days, and can carry a QR code straight to a product page.
Because you control the landing page and discount codes, ecommerce mail is unusually easy to measure. Use one code or URL per mailing and compare against customers you did not mail.
When to use it
How to start, step by step
- Choose the segment. Pull customers by last order date, product bought or order count from your store.
- Check marketing consent. Only include customers you are allowed to contact for marketing, and suppress opt-outs.
- Design for one action. A strong product image, one line of copy, a code and a QR code to the right page.
- Track with codes and URLs. Use a unique discount code per campaign so orders can be matched in your store reports.
- Repeat what works. Turn a successful mailing into a regular trigger, such as a card at a set time after purchase.
Which format to choose
| Use | Format | Why | From, per item |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reorder reminder at scale | Postcard — A6 | Lowest cost per item for large lists. | £2.15 |
| Product launch | Postcard — A5 portrait | Larger image area for the product. | £2.20 |
| VIP customer gift note | Postcard — A5 enveloped | Envelope makes it feel like a personal gift. | £2.20 |
Prices come from the live AutoLetters price list. They include printing and UK postage, are the same at any quantity, and have no VAT added because AutoLetters is not VAT registered.
Worked example
Illustrative scenario, not a customer case study. An online coffee brand posts 5,000 A6 postcards to customers due for a reorder. The card has a QR code to the reorder page and a campaign-specific discount code.
5,000 × Postcard — A6 at £2.15 each = £10,750.00, printed and posted.
Response depends on your list, offer and timing, so we do not quote response rates. Measure your own with a unique code or web address.
Mistakes to avoid
- Sending the same discount to everyone, including customers who would have reordered anyway.
- QR codes printed too small or placed in the trim area.
- Landing pages that do not match the postcard's offer.
- Forgetting to suppress customers who recently ordered.
Preparing artwork that prints correctly
Every format has a trim size, a bleed area and a safe zone. Extend background colours and images into the bleed so no white edge appears after cutting, and keep text, logos and QR codes inside the safe zone. Use images at 300 DPI at printed size, and leave the address area clear, because the printer adds the recipient's address there. Each product page lists the exact supplier measurements, and Lenny checks uploaded artwork against them before you approve it.
Building a list you can use
You can send to a list you already hold or to an audience of UK addresses built around a postcode. If you use your own list, include only people you have a lawful basis to contact by post, remove anyone who has asked not to hear from you, and keep a record of where the data came from. The Information Commissioner's Office publishes guidance on direct marketing under UK GDPR. Check that every address is complete and current: incomplete addresses cost money and do not arrive.
Measuring the result
Decide how you will count responses before you send. A unique discount code, a short web address, a dedicated phone number or a simple “how did you hear about us?” question all work. Divide the campaign cost by the number of responses to get a cost per response, then compare it with your other marketing. Where you can, hold back a small group from the mailing, so you can see how many of them would have responded anyway.
How AutoLetters handles it
Lenny, the AutoLetters AI campaign specialist, helps you choose a format, drafts the wording and artwork to the printer's exact measurements, and helps build the audience: either UK addresses around a postcode or a list you already hold. You review a print-accurate preview, then approve the exact print file. Nothing is printed or posted until you approve it.
AutoLetters sends addressed mail to UK addresses only and does not offer unaddressed door drops. Postal delivery timings are not guaranteed.
Questions
Can I send internationally?
No. AutoLetters sends addressed mail to UK addresses only.
Is there a minimum order?
There is one price per item at any quantity, so you can test with a small batch first.
Plan your campaign with Lenny
Describe what you want to promote and who should receive it. Planning is free and needs no account.
Plan with Lenny See pricing