Cyber Monday was the busiest shopping day last year. Up 29 percent over 2010, Cyber Monday's purchasing surge was no doubt due to a number of deals offered by retailers. And with the deal the U.S. Postal Service is planning for online merchants this holiday season, Cyber Monday 2012 could be even better.

Designed to drive online product purchases by putting mobile-optimized promotional offers, coupons and catalogs into consumers' hands, the U.S. Postal Service's 2012 Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion will offer online merchants an upfront 2 percent postage discount on Standard Mail and First-Class Mail letters, flats and cards (presort and automation) that include a mobile barcode or print/mobile technology - such as a QR code - that can be read or scanned by a mobile device and leads the mail recipient to a mobile-optimized shopping website.  The promotion will run Nov. 7- Nov. 21, 2012.

Mailers may also qualify for an additional 1 percent postage rebate on their discounted mailings if a portion of their product orders are fulfilled via Priority Mail between Nov. 9, 2012, and Dec. 31, 2012. The 2012 Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion is subject to approval by the Postal Regulatory Commission.

"This latest pricing incentive solidifies the Postal Service's leadership role as a catalyst of e-commerce trade between consumers and online merchants," said Gary Reblin, vice president, Domestic Products. "The reliability of mail to serve as the on-ramp for mobile commerce, along with the tremendous growth of mobile devices, gives online merchants a surefire way to generate sales this holiday season.

"By offering a short-term promotion linking mail and mobile devices during the key holiday purchasing timeframe, the Postal Service is providing online merchants with an incentive designed to increase industry adoption of a physical-to-digital marketing approach."

For additional information on the 2012 Holiday Mobile Shopping Promotion, go to RIBBS.  Program registration opens Sept. 15, 2012, and continues through Nov. 21, 2012. Participants must agree to partake in a survey about the promotion.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.