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Credit Issuers Mailed a Record 5.2 Billion Pieces in 2004 U.S. households received roughly 68 credit card offers each in 2004, setting an overall record of 5.23 billion offers, according to the Mail Monitor direct mail tracking service Synovate, the market research arm of Aegis Group.

The volume of credit card offers was 22% higher compared to 2003 and it exceeds the previous mail volume record of 5.01 billion offers set in 2001.

"Along with a modestly improving economy, the prospect of future increases in the Prime Rate have caused issuers to flood U.S. mailboxes with offers in order to make the most of the low rate environment while it lasts," said Andrew David, vice president of competitive tracking services for Synovate's financial services practice, in a prepared statement.

The higher level of clutter has caused response rates to drop to an all time low of .4% in 2004, compared to .6% in 2003. Still the shear volume of mailings generates millions of applications each month. Direct mail remains the key response channel, although consumers are increasingly being encouraged to respond by telephone or the Internet, according to Davidson.

Households on average received 5.7 credit card offers per month. The percent of households receiving an offer each month was 71% in 2004, compared to 69% during 2003. Household penetration peaked at 79% in 2001, before a rising risk personal bankruptcies and increasing unemployment caused issuers to cutback on mailings during 2002 and 2003.