The USPS Household Diary Study: Mail Use & Attitudes in FY 2010 -- Periodicals

By NuStats on behalf of the United States Postal Service (USPS)

Consumer Attitudes

"Magazines and newspapers arrive in the household mainly because of consumer choice.  Consumers value them and they remain a desirable, viable component in the marketing mix."

Date released:  April 2011

Type of Promotional Material/Activity Tested:  Periodicals (magazines and newspapers) delivered to households by the U.S. Postal Service. The volumes examined here are only a portion of the total periodicals volume, since more than one quarter of periodicals are received by nonhouseholds, such as doctors’ offices or other businesses.

Sample Population:  5,428 U.S. households returned acceptable completed diaries (out of 8,078 households recruited to receive a diary package, representing a completion rate of 67.2%). The sample design involved a systematic sample stratified by urban/rural location and census region, ensuring even coverage across the U.S.  The sample was continuously fielded throughout all 52 weeks of the year.

Methodology:  The Household Diary Study is a continuously fielded study that uses a two-stage survey design:   Stage 1 is an interviewer-mediated household recruitment interview. Stage 2 is a self-completed seven-day household diary of household mail received and sent.

Metrics:  This section of the study examined magazines and newspapers delivered in the mail.  Newspapers or magazines delivered by a local carrier or purchased at a newsstand or store are not included.

Top-Line Results:
 

• In FY 2010, households received 5.5 billion periodicals, compared to 6.0 billion in FY  2009 and 6.4 in FY 2008. 
  
  Historically, total periodicals mail volumes have not kept pace with population growth over time.  Periodicals volumes reached a peak in 1990 at 10.7 billion pieces, but have declined each year since 1997, with the exception of FY 2000. After the recession that started in 2001, periodicals volumes slipped not only because of reduced subscriptions, but also due to the number of publications that ceased operation as sources of advertising revenue dried up. Since then, volumes continued to fall as the Internet became an increasing substitute for hard-copy publications. In 2009 and 2010, the decline was further aggravated by the impact of the severe recession that began in December 2007.
   
• Seventy-eight percent of all periodicals received by households were magazines in 2010. In contrast, in 1987 the share of magazines was 59%.

• Households received an average of 0.7 magazines per week. The most common type of magazine is monthly, accounting for 57% of total magazines. 

• Newspapers received via the mail (not via newspaper carrier) made up 22% of total periodicals volume -- down from a 35% share in 1987. The decline in newspapers delivered by mail carrier mirrors the behavior seen in overall newspaper circulation.
   

• Higher income and more education translates into more magazines and newspapers received.  Households with incomes over $100,000 receive more than twice as many periodicals as households earning less than $35,000.

• Households with two adults receive more periodicals than one-person households (1.1 pieces versus .6 pieces per week). The presence of additional adults beyond two does not translate into more periodicals received.

• Households with Internet access receive more periodicals than those without access.  This is reflective of household characteristics such as income and education. Households with broadband and dial-up access average 1.0 periodicals a week while homes without Internet access average .6 periodicals per week.  The study states that this is largely the result of the correlation between income, education, and Internet access.
   

• The distribution of subscription types has remained relatively stable and is similar to the 1987 level. In 2010, subscription types received:
  
  
  • Paid subscriptions, 45%
  • Free subscriptions (ordered or received as a prerogative of membership in an organization), 6%
  • Gift subscriptions, 4%
  • Free (not ordered), 27%
  • Subscriptions received, but not ordered or paid for, 1%
    Note: percentage does not total 100 due to the exclusion of periodicals sent to non-households and those to which no response was given as to subscription type.

• Most publications are produced by commercial or professional organizations. The 2009 publications by sender:
  
  
  • Sent by commercial organizations, 78%
  • Sent by professional organizations, 10%
  • Sent by religious organizations, 4%
  • Sent by educational organizations, 4%
  • Unions, charities, veterans’ organizations, and others sent the rest.

Take-Away:  This study, performed annually since 1987 by the U.S. Postal Service, provides a consistent look at households' attitudes towards mail received.  Magazines and newspapers arrive in the household mainly because of consumer choice. Consumers value them and they remain a desirable, viable component in the marketing mix.

Complexity rating of original source: 1  (Complex statistical analysis scale:  1= none, 2= moderate, 3 = difficult)

Source: The Household Diary Study: Mail Use & Attitudes in FY 2010