Direct mail: apply postage to a mailing piece through the use of a U.S. Postal Service authorized meter (or meter strip) that stamps an image onto the envelope identifying the mailer and the amount of postage due. It is faster and more efficient to machine-meter large volumes of mail than to apply a postage stamp to each piece. The Postal Service charges postage based on the number of meter impressions made, according to a count recorded by the meter machine. A USPS auditor is sent periodically to personally inspect the meters and ensure that the usage quantities reported by the mailer are accurate. See also inserter; lettershop; meter strip.
Market research: device used to measure a behavior, such as television viewing, of research participants. See also diary technique; people meter.
