• Germany edition
Business & Money
Photo: DPA

Deutsche Post to offer cheaper 'hybrid mail' service this spring

Published: 15 Jan 10 11:36 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/money/20100115-24597.html

Germany's national postal service Deutsche Post has finalised the details of its new “hybrid mail” service. The combination of e-mail with traditional "snail mail" will be €0.09 cheaper per letter, the company said on Friday.

Customers will be able to send a letter online and Deutsche Post will print and deliver it at the office nearest to its destination. While normal letters cost €0.55, hybrid letters will be just €0.46 because they are cheaper to deliver.

Pending price approval by the federal regulators, the service will be available in early spring.

Deutsche Post has so far tailored the service to suit the mass mailings of government administrative offices, insurance companies and banks since they would benefit from the savings.

It is the first step in the postal service’s goal of providing enhanced online services, included data-protected letter delivery, set to launch this summer.

DPA/The Local (news@thelocal.de)

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Fark It! Digg This  Share everywhere
Send to a friend Printable version Twitter This

Your comments about this article:

#1
15:57 January 15, 2010 by berlinski
For the few people I send an actual letter to rather than an email, I think I wouldn't be bothered with this service. In fact, in Germany where flat-rate telephoning is now common, why would I even need to consider this? Surely it is mainly banks and large business that benefit from this and probably spammers also.
Report abuse »
#2
20:38 January 15, 2010 by Cincinnatus
A very clever idea. The only problem is that it was tried in the U.S. more than three years ago, and it never caught on among first class mail customers. On the other hand, it may be very popular among bulk mailers, who can save themselves a lot of money. How ironic, taxpayers bearing the extra cost of sending themselves JUNK MAIL. Delightful.
Report abuse »
#3
23:17 January 16, 2010 by munmun
Nothing new..Indian Postal Service has this service already since 2004 http://www.indiapost.gov.in/ -> epost

In a mass market economy as India with high internet traffic and 1,55,000 Post Offices, I have not heard it to be hugely sucessful in the last six years....let there be some German innovation to it this spring !
Report abuse »
#4
22:11 January 20, 2010 by wood artist
jmjdk, the point is that maybe you don't have to drive two trucks!

wa
Report abuse »
ADD YOUR COMMENT   (YOU MUST LOG IN OR REGISTER TO MAKE A COMMENT)
Business & Money headlines
Photo: DPA

Exports top €1 trillion despite euro crisis

German exports topped €1 trillion for the first time in 2011, but fell at year-end as the eurozone debt crisis hit demand for goods made in Germany, official data showed on Wednesday. READ (4 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

GM threatens major job cuts at Opel

German carmaker Opel was left to prepare for the worst on Tuesday as its US parent company General Motors announced “horrendous” fourth quarter losses and warned of factory closures at its ailing European unit. READ (6 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Court caps Jewish ghetto pension claims

Some 22,000 Jewish people confined to ghettos under the Nazis during World War II are entitled to smaller pension payments than they initially claimed, a German federal court ruled Tuesday. READ (3 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Industrial orders rise amid eurozone gloom

Germany, the eurozone's biggest economy, saw the release of further favourable economic data on Monday with industrial orders in December partly reversing steep falls seen the previous month. READ »

Photo: DPA

Former spy boss moves to Deutsche Bank

Ernst Uhrlau, former head of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency the BND, has been on the payroll of Germany’s biggest bank since the start of February, just two months after his retirement. READ (2 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

China offers Merkel some comfort for Europe

China's Premier Wen Jiabao said a stable Europe was key to stability at home, in comments published Sunday, at the end of a week that saw Germany's chancellor visit Beijing. READ (8 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

China doesn't want to 'buy Europe'

As German Chancellor Angela Merkel wrapped up her visit to China on Friday, the Asian giant’s leaders promised they had no intention to "buy Europe," amid concerns over growing Chinese investment in debt-stricken eurozone economies. READ (6 COMMENTS) »

Photo: DPA

Deutsche Bank profits fall as debt crisis bites

Deutsche Bank, Germany's biggest bank reported Thursday a bigger-than-expected drop in earnings at the end of last year as the eurozone sovereign debt crisis hurt business. READ »

Photo: DPA

Euro crisis, earthquakes slam Munich Re profits

Munich Re, the world's biggest reinsurer, said Thursday that profits plummeted last year due to heavy losses from both the eurozone debt crisis and a string of natural catastrophes. READ »

Photo: DPA

Will Bionade fizz go flat after Dr Oetker takeover?

Trendy German soft drink maker Bionade could lose its cult cachet after being bought out by un-hip food giant Dr Oetker, a firm best known for cake mixes and frozen pizzas. READ (1 COMMENT) »

More Business & Money
More popular articles »

See all ads | Join the Marketplace

Jobs in Germany, in English

1192 jobs available
838 new jobs this week
171 new jobs today

ALL JOBS »

Latest Business & Money news from Sweden
News from the Goethe-Institut
News from DeutschlandOnline

Noticeboard
SHOW ALL NOTICES »
Toytown Germany
Germany's English-speaking crowd
Toytown Germany
FULL INDEX »
English-speaking educators (native level)

Hotel reservations in Berlin
Visiting Berlin anytime soon? Book your hotel in Berlin here.
Rental apartments in Berlin
For home-from-home holiday accommodation, search for a Berlin apartment to rent.
Trade CFDs with InterTrader.com
Start trading shares, equities, forex, etc. No commission on equities; Low min. margins. Apply for a CFDs account now!