General Question

elbanditoroso's avatar

Where have all the postcards gone?

Asked by elbanditoroso (33577points) September 8th, 2022

I subscribe to a number of (paper) magazines, delivered by the US Post Office.

Up until recently, I would expect a couple of loose postcard subscription offers to fall out of every issue. And in some cases (the Economist being one), stapled-in postcards that you would tear out if you wanted to use one. (I generally used them as bookmarks).

The last month or so, I’ve noticed that magazines aren’t coming with postcards inside – loose or stapled.

Why is that? Is there a law prohibiting it? Was the cost-per-card not worth the return?

I never understood why they included postcards for people who already were subscribers, anyway.

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13 Answers

janbb's avatar

I still get them in The Week which is the only mag I subscribe to.

LadyMarissa's avatar

The cost per card is NOT worth the return & they are looking to cut corners wherever they can, so post cards are pretty much gone!!! In most instances, you can go to their website & do the same thing as a postcard being returned does & it’s an automated with the staff that they already have, so NO extra employees needed for the mail room!!!

jca2's avatar

Maybe the post office and mail delivery people complained because those loose cards would always fall out (and at the book store too), and that meant someone had to bend down incessantly to pick them up.

Blackwater_Park's avatar

I have not had any type of magazine subscription in at least a decade. I do remember how much I hated all those cards though. It was ridiculous how many there were.

chyna's avatar

I really disliked the ones with perfume samples. There would be 3 or 4 with different scents competing with each other.
I no longer get magazines, so I didn’t realize they stopped this practice.

HP's avatar

The postcards have gone the way of most of the magazines themselves, along with newspapers, lamplighters, whale bone corsets, hitching posts, buggey whips, penny candy, ash trays, manners, common sense, etc.

Forever_Free's avatar

I still get them in the hard copy magazines that I get delivered or purchase.
I recently resubscribed to Psychology Today on that little card.

Forever_Free's avatar

@HP Magazines have not gone away. Nor have Book Stores, Grocery Stores, Drug Stores, that sell them.

HP's avatar

@Forever Free thanks for the tip.

Pandora's avatar

I’m still getting them. Usually from my dentist.

Call_Me_Jay's avatar

The New Yorker still includes them.

Trivia: They are called blow-ins

JLeslie's avatar

I would assume the companies decided they weren’t getting bang for their buck.

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