Key stat: Nearly half (46%) of economically strained US adults used a discount or offer from direct mail, according to a September report from Lob.

Beyond the chart:

• Paper coupons still pull their weight beyond the mailbox: 26% of US grocery shoppers relied on them to cut expenses in a recent month, according to Ibotta.
• Meanwhile, deal hunting is going mainstream this holiday season: Nearly three-quarters of US consumers expect to shop Black Friday sales, up from 55% last year, according to Bain.

Use this chart: Drop this chart into your holiday media plan review to make the case for mailed offers to budget-squeezed customers. Show it to finance teams weighing mail budgets. Mailers don't just deliver coupons; they stick around for price checks and later reference before purchase.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• Holiday Shopping 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• Affiliate Marketing 2026 Forecast Report (EMARKETER subscription required)

Methodology: Data is from the September 2026 Lob report titled "State of Direct Mail: Consumer Insights Edition" in partnership with Kirin Analytics and PureSpectrum. 2,000 US adults, nationally representative of age, gender, income, and region, were surveyed online in July 2026.