Direct mail delivers proven results, but are you getting the best possible performance from your campaigns? Many marketers skip testing because they assume it’s too complex or too expensive. But here’s the truth: You don’t need a massive budget or sophisticated tools to run smart, insightful direct mail tests. In fact, small, strategic tweaks can lead to big boosts in response rates, ROI, and campaign learnings. Here’s how to make direct mail testing simple, practical, and worth your time.

Brands are replacing plastic packaging to keep pace with new sustainability laws. As material changes to packaging become mandatory, producers must figure out how to do so while remaining on-brand. Luckily, newly published research from Quad reveals that sustainable packaging changes can not only increase successful recycling outcomes, but also positively shape consumers’ brand perception. “The study shows sustainable alternatives can be both compliant and a positive brand experience,” said Dr. Zhao, Associate Research Director at Quad’s AMI. “The research is particularly important as the rollout of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws put packaging producers another step closer to a future where they bear greater responsibility for what happens to packaging at the end of its useful life. For brands navigating these laws, especially e-commerce brands whose packaging doubles as a first physical brand experience, being able to test new packaging before it goes into market is a huge competitive advantage.”

Amazon passed the U.S. Postal Service as the largest domestic parcel carrier in 2025, anchoring a broader market shift away from traditional couriers, as it in-sourced a large amount of last-mile delivery work previously handled by UPS, according to data published Monday by ShipMatrix Inc. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) handled 6.7 billion parcels last year, up 9.8% year over year, compared to an 8.3% decline for the U.S. Postal Service to 6.6 billion pieces. UPS (NYSE: UPS) also experienced an 8.3% volume decline at 4.4 billion deliveries. FedEx (NYSE: FDX) delivered 3.6 billion parcels in 2025, up 5.9%. Amazon’s parcel growth isn’t just fueled by its own online orders, but new contracts from third parties that don’t sell on the retailer’s platform.