USPS Finishes FY23 Second Quarter with an Average of 2.5 Days to Deliver

Second Quarter Fiscal 2022 - Financial Results *Net sales of $3.86 billion, down 8% compared to last year. *Comparable sales were down 10% year-over-year. *Online sales declined 6% compared to last year and represented 34% of total net sales. *Store sales declined 10% compared to last year. The company ended the quarter with 3,390 store locations in over 40 countries, of which 2,799 were company operated. *Reported operating loss was $28 million in the quarter; reported operating margin of (0.7%). *Reported net loss of $49 million.

HarperCollins Leadership (HCL), a new imprint launching at HarperCollins next week, is focusing on “content designed for individuals looking for inspiration, insight, and tools to help activate their inherent leadership potential,” according to the publisher. Brian Hampton, who is also publisher and senior v-p of HarperCollins Christian Publishing’s Nelson Books division, will lead the new imprint. Jeff James will serve as v-p of marketing for HCL. The first book to be published under HCL will be Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller, author of the bestselling 2003 memoir Blue Like Jazz (Thomas Nelson) and founder-CEO of the StoryBrand marketing services firm. The book goes on sale October 10. Click Read More below for more of the story.

Email may be more convenient and less expensive for brands, but if you really want your customers to look at a communication, mail is much more effective, according to a new report. A study by automation specialist Quadient has found that almost two-thirds (62%) of UK consumers say they are more likely to open a physical letter than an email, with many citing the fact that letters feel more personal. When asked why a physical letter from a business might be better than email, 39% said letters feel more personalised to them and their needs than bulk email messages, while 42% said there is no risk of hacking, phishing or being infected by viruses. A further 37% said they appreciate the lack of spam messages received through physical mail. “Companies need to think strategically about the different scenarios in which they contact customers and choose the communication channel that best fits the situation.”