Less than 30 percent of mail uses stamps, postal service says

Are stamps falling out of favor?

Just as physical mail has been in decline with the rise of electronic communication, so too are stamps starting to disappear.

A report from the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General said that "permit imprint" mail makes up for 71 percent of all mail volume and 50 percent of revenue. That means that less than 30 percent of all mail is using traditional stamps or meters.

For permit imprint, only the mail class and company name appear on the envelope. The postage amount usually isn't displayed. Businesses must set up special accounts with the Postal Service in order to use permit imprint, meaning it's mostly being used for mass-mailings from corporations and other organizations.