Print Mailing: Definition, Bedeutung & Beispiele im Direktmarketing

What is a Print Mailing? Definition and Distinction

A print mailing is a printed advertising piece that is physically delivered by mail to individually addressed recipients. The term encompasses all forms of postal direct advertising -- from classic advertising letters in envelopes to self-mailers and postcards to elaborate catalog mailings with product samples and inserts. Unlike unaddressed bulk mail (POSTAKTUELL), a print mailing is always addressed by name to the recipient and is sent via Deutsche Post's Dialogpost shipping service.

The distinction from related terms is straightforward: The advertising letter is a specific format within print mailings -- the advertising message is enclosed in an envelope with space for inserts. Dialogpost is Deutsche Post's shipping service for print mailings (from 5,000 pieces nationwide or 200 pieces per postal region). The bulk mail by contrast is unaddressed or partially addressed and reaches households without personal addressing. E-mailing is the digital equivalent -- with significantly lower response rates and stricter consent requirements.

According to the Direct Marketing Monitor (DMM) 2024 by Deutsche Post, German companies spent a total of 5.9 billion euros on print mailings in 2023. 83 percent of recipients look at addressed advertising mailings -- an attention rate that is at least 80 percent across all age groups. 51 percent use the print mailing for an order or purchase, and 60 percent pass mailings along within the household.

Formats Overview: From Advertising Letter to Maxi Postcard

Print mailings come in various formats that differ fundamentally in cost, impact, and use case. The most commonly used format remains the classic advertising letter: a personalized cover letter in an envelope (DIN Lang, C5, or C4), often supplemented by inserts such as coupon cards, product flyers, or product samples. The CMC Dialogpost Study 2020 -- the only study to date that directly compared formats -- found a 25 percent higher conversion rate for the advertising letter compared to self-mailers and maxi postcards. The average order value for advertising letters was 84.20 euros.

The self-mailer is the more affordable alternative: a single printed piece that is sent without an envelope through folding and sealing. The advertising message is immediately visible, production effort is lower. However, the CMC Study 2020 showed that the advertising letter's ROAS was 42 percent higher than the self-mailer's -- the higher unit price of the letter is more than compensated by better performance.

The postcard (standard: 148 x 105 mm, DIN A6) is the simplest and cheapest print mailing format -- ideal for short, memorable messages or as reminders. Even more effective is the maxi postcard (235 x 125 mm): almost 90 percent larger than the standard postcard, but mailable at the same Dialogpost postage of 0.36 euros. Both formats are particularly suitable for trigger-based campaigns such as abandoned cart mailings or birthday greetings, where speed and low unit costs matter.

What Makes Print Mailings So Effective: The Science Behind It

The high effectiveness of print mailings is not only supported by industry studies but is also neuroscientifically explainable. The frequently cited Royal Mail / Millward Brown Study (2009) used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine how the brain responds to physical versus digital advertising. The result: Physical mailings generate more emotional processing than digital advertising, are perceived by the brain as "more real," and activate brain regions associated with spatial-visual integration. This "real" experience leads to better memory retention and more positive brand associations.

The USPS / Temple University Study (2015) confirmed these findings with eye-tracking, biometrics, and fMRI: Consumers spend more time viewing physical advertising than digital. One week later, participants could recall printed ads more quickly -- and this effect applied to all age groups, including millennials -- with younger adults processing physical ads particularly quickly. In psychology, this mechanism is described as the Endowment Effect: merely touching a physical object creates a feeling of ownership and increases perceived value.

For practice, this means: Print mailings work not only in the short term but unfold a measurable long-term effect. CMC studies consistently show that 47 percent of orders come in only from the fifth week after mailing -- the letter remains in the household, is seen again, and triggers purchase decisions even months later. No digital channel achieves comparable dwell time in the recipient's daily life.

Results of CMC Studies 2020 to 2025

The CMC Print Mailing Studies by the Collaborative Marketing Club and Deutsche Post are the most comprehensive empirical data basis for the effectiveness of print mailings in e-commerce. Since 2020, around 40 to 45 online retailers annually test over one million print mailings to existing customers -- with measurable results for conversion rate, ROAS, and cart value.

The studies demonstrate remarkable consistency: the average CVR has been stable between 4.1 and 6.8 percent for existing customers since 2020. ROAS fluctuates more -- from 734 percent (2022) to 1,190 percent (2021) -- depending on industry mix and coupon strategy. The most recent CMC Study 2025 (43 retailers, 1,157,674 mailings) yielded 4.1 percent CVR and 1,011 percent ROAS: every euro invested in advertising generated over 10 euros in revenue. 12 percent of recipients visited the online shop after receiving the mailing, the average cart was 13 percent higher than the previous order.

Particularly revealing are the insights on success factors: High coupon values achieve 61 percent higher CVR than low values (CMC 2022). Percentage coupons perform 23 percent better than euro-value coupons (CMC 2022). Separate coupon cards as inserts increase CVR by up to 33 percent (CMC 2023). And time-unlimited coupons achieve 5.4 percent CVR compared to 3.6 percent for limited offers (CMC 2024). RFM segmentation is crucial: customers with the highest frequency score (5 vs. 1) show a 170 percent higher CVR (CMC 2024).

Costs and Profitability

Print mailings in Germany are sent via Deutsche Post's Dialogpost. Postage costs (as of 2026) are tiered: a postcard costs 0.36 euros, a standard letter (up to 20 g) 0.38 euros, and a large format (up to 1,000 g) between 0.54 and 1.11 euros depending on weight. Additional costs include printing, personalization, assembly, and possibly lettershop services. Typical total costs range from 0.50 to 1.50 euros per piece depending on format and print run.

Dialogpost has minimum quantities: 5,000 mailings nationwide or 200 mailings per postal region. Smaller print runs (500 to 4,999 pieces) are possible via Dialogpost Easy -- with a surcharge of 0.18 euros per mailing. Mailings must have purely advertising content; since January 1, 2020, invoices, contract documents, or other business mail are no longer permitted via Dialogpost.

Compared to digital channels, unit costs appear high -- however, ROAS puts this into perspective: with an average ROAS of 1,011 percent (CMC 2025), every euro invested generates over ten euros in revenue. The cost per order (CPO) for customer acquisition via print mailing is around 40 euros according to CMC Study 2021 -- an economically sensible acquisition channel given typical customer lifetime values in e-commerce.

Legal Advantages: GDPR and Print Mailing

Print mailings enjoy a decisive legal advantage over email advertising: they are permissible under GDPR without prior consent. The legal basis is Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR (legitimate interest), supported by Recital 47, which expressly mentions direct marketing as a legitimate interest. The Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart (OLG Stuttgart) confirmed on February 2, 2024 (Case No. 2 U 63/22) that personalized letter advertising is GDPR-compliant even without consent and without an existing customer relationship.

Email advertising, by contrast, requires express consent under German Unfair Competition Act (UWG) Section 7(2) No. 3 (double opt-in). This difference is significant in practice: while only contacts with valid opt-in can be reached by email, companies can address almost all existing customers and even new customers via print mailing -- as long as the recipient does not object (Art. 21(2) GDPR). Every advertising letter must include a notice of this right to object.

There is no general imprint requirement for print mailings (the Digital Services Act only applies to online media). However, the identity and address of the provider must be stated as soon as the advertising contains sufficiently concrete information about product and price so that the recipient can make a business decision.