Paper mail, also known as snail mail, is a form of a letter that uses the postal system as a means of delivery.
It is usually slow and takes at least a day for one to receive the contents of the mail. The paper mail system was most popular in the 19th and the 20th century with many countries using this as a means of communication.
Currently, the use of paper has been overtaken by technological advances. The rise of other networks such as electronic mails, social media, fax, and telephones have made communication much more comfortable and instant, therefore making paper mail obsolete.
In relation to this, the production volume of envelopes across Europe is on a decline. Manufacturers, distributors, and dealers are now introducing new and creative products to counter this decline. An example is the online envelope store. Online envelopes is introducing into the market a variety of envelopes, bags, and boxes made of cardboard, paper, and plastic in various shapes, sizes, and color.
The 21st century fully feels the weight of the digital era, where we send and receive emails in an instant. So, is there is still a place for paper mail?
Here are some of the ways that people still use paper to share information.
Confidential Information
It’s a fact that email companies have access to the emails that we send. Nothing that you write on a digital screen is completely secret. Not what you search on Google, social media, blogs, and yes, even emails.
This is one of the main reasons why most high-profile companies trust paper to share confidential information.
In the case of physical mail, it’s easy to detect if the piece of mail has been tampered with, in which case the postal company has a responsibility and could be blamed.
This said a physical piece of mail can still be lost, stolen, or broken during postage, still lose the confidential information.
Love letters
Paper mail is the most intimate way of sharing love messages with another person.
A handwritten or typed written letter is so much more meaningful and powerful than just sending a simple text or email.
A physical piece of mail can be touched and kept forever.
Written letters, gifts cards, and birthday’s cards are among the different ways in which they share the love and keep of a memory of such love.
The online store has an array of envelopes you can choose from depending on the type of mail that you need to send.
They offer containers of different colors that you can choose from depending on the occasion.
Authentication of documents
Sometimes, documents require authentication, which is in a form of signatures or seals.
Digital signatures are susceptible to editing or forgery at times and, therefore, are difficult to authenticate. This is where paper mail comes in handy when documents need to be sent through the postal system.
It makes the verification of the signatures easier and legitimizes the information on the papers.
It’s not only paper mail that has died in the digital times. Fax machines were overtaken by emails and digital scanners which also serve the same purpose.
Hypothetically, it is said that in the next century, we will have a paperless generation. There will be complete digitization and no space for paper.
However, there is a need for keeping documents safe and secure. Cyber attacks often occur in these current times. This result in the loss or compromise of information since sharing is done through a computer network.
What is the future of paper mail? Nobody can tell at this point in time, but for now, all we know is that many postal companies are closing down or digitizing. Its future is technically unspecified.