Community cards and shared EDDM

What is a community card?

A community card is a shared local advertising postcard. Each business buys a defined placement, and one operator coordinates the card’s sales, artwork, approvals, printing and mailing. A 9x12 card is named for its dimensions; community cards can use other sizes, including 6x11.

“Co-op postcard,” “cooperative postcard advertising” and “shared postcard” describe that arrangement. Broader shared-mail products can use different formats. Always establish whether the proposal is for a single postcard, a multi-piece envelope or something else.

What is shared EDDM?

Shared EDDM is a multi-advertiser mailpiece delivered through USPS Every Door Direct Mail. The cost-sharing arrangement is between the operator and the advertisers. EDDM is the delivery method, and can also deliver a single business’s own piece.

There is no extra USPS discount just because twelve advertisers share a card. The operator buys printing and postage for one piece per selected delivery; the advertisers pay for their placements on that piece. USPS does not sell the ad spots or guarantee their results.

Why it exists

A business mailing its own piece funds that entire mailing. On a shared card, several businesses contribute revenue toward the operator’s costs. Each placement is included in the same print run and reaches the selected deliveries.

The trade-off is attention: the advertiser shares the card with other offers. A good layout and relevant neighbors may help make it useful, but this does not establish that a recipient will read, keep or act on it.

How a co-op mailer actually works

1. The operator defines the mailing. Routes, delivery count, format and timing.
2. Advertisers buy placements. The agreement specifies size, price, included services, category terms and number of mailings.
3. The operator prepares the ads. Advertisers review and approve them; an advertiser can also supply existing artwork.
4. The operator arranges printing and mailing. An outside printer or mailing provider can handle physical production and preparation.
5. The advertiser reviews the outcome. Compare the agreed delivery evidence, tracked activity and your own customer records before deciding on another drop.

What a spot costs

The median advertised price in the 9x12 Tools survey was $477 per mailing across 76 operator sites and 81 markets. The lower and upper quartiles were $250 and $810.

That is a snapshot of asking prices on one platform. It does not tell you what sold or what a particular placement is worth. Read the methodology and limitations alongside the number.

Compare proposals using the same household count, ad area, mailing frequency, artwork service and category terms. Divide the quoted spot price by deliveries for cost per household, or multiply that figure by 1,000 for cost per thousand. This is a reach calculation, not a prediction of customer acquisition cost.

What to ask before you buy a spot

• Which routes and how many deliveries? Ask for the actual selection, including whether it covers residential addresses only or also businesses.
• What exactly is my placement? Confirm dimensions, position, number of mailings and whether design is included.
• What does exclusivity mean? Define any protected category in writing.
• When do I approve it, and when does it mail? Ask how changes and delays work.
• What if the campaign cannot proceed? Clarify cancellation, rescheduling and refund terms before payment.
• What evidence will I receive? Ask for the finished piece and mailing documentation, then agree how to review activity and results.

What to get right if you are the operator

Sell only the reach and placement you can deliver. Check category fit before promising exclusivity. Keep the price, paid status, artwork approval and mailing commitment connected so a last-minute change is recorded everywhere it matters.

In 9x12 Tools, choosing and saving EDDM routes generates a scored prospect list. The campaign generates its website preview, and paid publishing and checkout connect advertiser payments to the spots being sold. The operator still makes the sales, prepares the ads and arranges printing and mailing.

Co-op mail vs the alternatives

Question	Shared postcard	Solo EDDM piece	Addressed direct mail
Who shares the advertising space?	Several businesses	One business	Depends on the campaign
How is the audience selected?	EDDM routes in this example	EDDM routes	An address list
What does the advertiser buy?	A placement and agreed mailing(s)	The whole piece and mailing	The defined campaign
What must be verified?	Placement, reach, terms and delivery	Full budget and delivery	List quality, preparation and postage

Qualifying 6x11 and 9x12 pieces sent through the same EDDM Retail service have identical per-piece postage. USPS is the source for mailing requirements; format, paper and quantity affect the printer’s quote.

Running one yourself

Start with the 9x12 method for the economics, then plan the first campaign. If this would fit around another job, the side hustle guide separates the tasks from unsupported income and workload promises.

Sources and scope

• USPS: Every Door Direct Mail — Primary source for Retail postage, mailing limits, route selection and preparation. Checked September 13, 2026; verify again before ordering a mailing.
• 9x12 Tools Community Card Pricing Survey (2026) — Our published snapshot of advertised prices on 76 operator sites across 81 markets. It does not measure completed sales, profit or success rates; the underlying records are not public.
• Printing and postage: the worked cost example — The site's published printing and postage inputs, with printer references. These are budgeting examples, not a current quote or a complete operating budget.

Published by 9x12 Tools, which sells software for community card operators. Read our sources and corrections policy.