Since February of this year DMNews reporters have been watching the slow take-off of a delivery startup called Zumbox. The company is reimagining direct mail and e-mail by proving every ZIP code with a virtual mailbox – however unlike e-mail, senders will be charged per piece that they mail to consumers.The idea is to strike a utopian balance of trusted, geo-targeting delivery, that is eco-conscious and SPAM-free.
The news today is that the company has secured $8 Million in its first round of funding. Some of the money comes from the company CEO Donn Rappaport, Founder and Chairman of ALC. Other backers include Art Bilger (Managing Member of Shelter Capital Partners, LLC) RickBraddock (Chairman and CEO of Fresh Direct and former Chairman and CEO of Priceline.com),
Michael Eisner (Founder of The Tornante Company and former CEO of The Walt Disney Company) and Bill Guthy (founding principal of Guthy-Renker).
It’s unsurprising that at a time when Do-not-mail still looms and the US Postal Service is losing mailer and consumer confidence – something digital with some of the benefits of mail would catch the imagination of so many direct marketers. We’ll be watching and reporting what happens next
