# Add-Ons

## Informed Delivery

### **What is the Informed Delivery add-on?**

Informed Delivery by USPS enhances the traditional mail experience by providing subscribers with a **daily email preview** of their incoming mail. The email also includes a **ride-along image**: a small, full-color, interactive image that links to a target URL. This additional content reinforces your mailpiece’s messaging and call-to-action while providing a digital touchpoint for engagement.

As of March 2025, 72.9 million mail recipients are subscribed to USPS’s Informed Delivery program.

**In order to qualify for the Informed Delivery Add-On, your mailpiece must be approved for an&#x20;*****active*****&#x20;base promotion on the date of mailing.**

Here’s everything you need to know to qualify for an additional **1% discount**.

**How can I sign up for Informed Delivery through Lob?**&#x20;

### Opt-in to the promotion

To get started, log into the Lob Promotions Portal:&#x20;

<https://dashboard.lob.com/promotions/available-promotions>

### 1. Select the available promotion

<figure><img src="https://1775164782-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FiXDYGxBp6aAwhpEhTMNC%2Fuploads%2Flvp7AIo0t42QyqEoe29f%2FScreenshot%202025-12-18%20at%202.37.29%E2%80%AFPM.png?alt=media&#x26;token=28d737a6-fc65-43d3-ac47-86d34743c3d6" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

### 2. Send an Informed Delivery Campaign

You can send an Informed Delivery campaign via **API** or **Campaigns** in Lob.

<mark style="color:$info;">Option 1: Send via API</mark>

1. **POST campaign data:**\
   Use the Lob API to send the <mark style="color:red;">`informed_delivery_campaign`</mark> and retrieve a <mark style="color:red;">`campaign_id`</mark>.
2. **Include required fields:**
   1. [Ride-along image](https://help.lob.com/print-and-mail/designing-mail-creatives/maximizing-engagement/informed-delivery%23what-makes-a-great-ride-along-image)
   2. Promotional URL
   3. Campaign size
3. **Optional fields:**
   1. Brand name: Defaults to the company name in Lob unless specified.
   2. Representative image: A sample image of the mailpiece. This should reflect all mailers in the campaign and **must not include PII**. If omitted, USPS will display a scan of the mailpiece instead.
4. **Validate campaign:**\
   After a successful POST, receive the <mark style="color:red;">`campaign_id`</mark> and confirm qualification for existing promotions.
5. **Send mail:**\
   Include the <mark style="color:red;">`informed_delivery_campaign_id`</mark> in your submission to Lob as usual.

<mark style="color:$info;">Option 2: Send via Lob Campaigns</mark>

1. **Set up campaign:**\
   Begin your campaign setup in Lob Campaigns.
2. **Enable Informed Delivery:**
   1. When prompted, select the option to use **Informed Delivery**.
   2. Choose from available approved promotions obtained in Step 1.
3. **Enter campaign details:**
   1. Promotional URL
   2. Upload the Ride-Along Image.&#x20;
4. **Ride-Along Image specifications:**
   1. Format: JPG
   2. Dimensions: 500x780 pixels
   3. Max file size: 200KB
5. Optional fields:
   1. **Brand name:** Appears in the Informed Delivery email sent to subscribers. Defaults to your company name in Lob unless customized.
   2. **Representative image:** A sample of your mailpiece (similar rules as for API campaigns apply).
6. **Launch campaign:**\
   Complete your setup and submit. Lob ensures that the mailpiece adheres to USPS’s Informed Delivery standards.

### Sustainability:

**What is the USPS Sustainability Add-On?**\
The USPS Sustainability Add-On rewards businesses that use environmentally friendly materials in their print production by offering an additional **1% discount** on all eligible mailpieces. This add-on promotes eco-conscious practices and helps businesses reduce their environmental impact.

**How can I take advantage of the USPS Sustainability Add-On through Lob?**\
As long as you opt into the Sustainability Add-On in the USPS Promotions Portal, any mailpiece tied to a USPS promotion will automatically receive the 1% Sustainability add-on.&#x20;


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://help.lob.com/print-and-mail/building-a-mail-strategy/usps-promotions-through-lob/add-ons.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.
