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How to track EDDM results route by route
The Post Office confirms your postcards went out. It never tells you who responded. Here is how to measure EDDM properly, which methods work, and how to see which routes paid for themselves.
Why most EDDM campaigns are never measured
EDDM is built for reach, not measurement. You pick carrier routes, drop the bundles at the Post Office and the pieces reach every door. After that, the only signal is the phone ringing. Most owners end up with one number for the whole mailing (“we got some calls”) and no idea whether route C034 did ten times better than route C052.
That matters because routes behave very differently. Age of homes, apartments versus houses, income and how recently a competitor mailed all change the response. If you cannot tell routes apart, your second mailing repeats the mistakes of the first.
Five ways to track EDDM, compared
| Method | Per route? | Cost | Accuracy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ask every caller “how did you hear about us?” | No | Free | Low: people forget or guess |
| One promo code on all pieces | No | Free | Medium for the mailing, zero per route |
| Different promo code per route | Yes | Free, but needs separate print runs | Medium: only counts people who use the code |
| Tracking phone number per route | Yes | Monthly fee per number | High for calls, misses web visits |
| Tracking QR code per route | Yes | Low | High for scans, works with calls and web |
The strongest setup combines a QR code per route with a clear phone number. The QR code measures interest by route automatically; asking callers which postcard they saw covers the rest.
Step by step: tracking EDDM by route
- Pick and list your routes. Use the EDDM route map to select routes and download the route list. Write down the home count for each one: you need it to calculate response rates.
- Create one QR code per route. Each code points to the same landing page but carries its own route label, for example
?route=75201C034. A dynamic code lets you change the page later without reprinting. - Print one batch per route. Most print shops can split a run into versions. Label each bundle with its route so the right codes go to the right Post Office bundle.
- Use a landing page built for the postcard. Repeat the offer, show the phone number large, and add a short form. Do not send scans to your generic homepage.
- Count scans per route for 4 to 6 weeks. Most responses arrive in the first two weeks, with a long tail as postcards sit on fridges.
- Mark booked jobs against routes. When a job comes from a scan or a caller who mentions the postcard, record the route and job value.
- Calculate ROI per route and decide: repeat, test again or drop.
The numbers to track
| Metric | Formula | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Scan rate | Unique scans ÷ pieces mailed | How much attention the route gave the postcard |
| Jobs | Booked jobs traced to the route | Real outcome, not just interest |
| Cost per route | Pieces × cost per piece | What you spent on that route |
| Cost per job | Cost per route ÷ jobs | Your acquisition cost on that route |
| ROI | Job revenue ÷ cost per route | Whether the route paid for itself |
A worked example
A plumbing company mails 3 routes in Dallas 75201 at $0.40 per piece:
| Route | Pieces | Cost | Unique scans | Jobs | Revenue | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C034 | 1,410 | $564 | 31 | 4 | $1,400 | 2.5x |
| C001 | 1,353 | $541 | 12 | 1 | $350 | 0.6x |
| C052 | 1,344 | $538 | 19 | 2 | $700 | 1.3x |
| Total | 4,107 | $1,643 | 62 | 7 | $2,450 | 1.5x |
Illustrative numbers. Taken as a whole the mailing returned 1.5x, which looks fine. Per route, C034 did four times better than C001. The next mailing should go twice to C034, once more to C052 as a test, and skip C001. Without per route tracking, all three would get the same budget again.
Common mistakes
- Judging after one week. Postcards keep working for a month or more. Wait at least 4 weeks before calling a route.
- Counting scans as customers. Scans measure interest. Track booked jobs too, or a route full of curious neighbors will look better than it is.
- Tiny QR codes. On a 6.25 x 11 postcard, make the code at least 1 inch square with a short call to action next to it.
- Sending scans to the homepage. A matching landing page converts far better and makes the route label easy to keep.
- Changing everything at once. If you change the offer and the routes in the same mailing, you cannot tell which change worked.
Frequently asked questions
Does USPS track EDDM delivery?
USPS confirms acceptance when you drop off the mailing, but EDDM pieces are not individually tracked and there is no response data. Measuring responses is up to you.
Can I use one QR code for all routes?
You can, but you will only see the total. To compare routes, each route needs its own code or its own label on the link.
How long should I wait before judging an EDDM route?
At least 4 weeks. Most responses come in the first two weeks, but postcards often get used weeks later.
What is a good EDDM response rate?
It varies by trade, offer and area. Many saturation mailings land around 1 percent or less. What matters most is comparing your own routes against each other over repeated mailings.
Do I need a different postcard design per route?
No. Keep the design identical and change only the QR code or offer code. Most print shops can print versions in the same run.
Last updated October 13, 2026.
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