Two brands with long gift-giving histories — the U.S. Postal Service and Toys R Us — are partnering to provide holiday cheer for children in this year’s iteration of USPS Operation Santa.

For 2024, USPS announced the debut of an online ecommerce catalog for the fulfillment of gifts. The endeavor is called Santa’s Gift Shoppe, an online option developed exclusively for USPS Operation Santa letter adopters, powered by Toys R Us, just in time for the start of the program’s first day of letter adoption, which was Nov. 18.

481 retailers in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 1000 Database use USPS for fulfillment. The database ranks the largest North American e-retailers by online sales.

Retailers in the Top 1000 who use USPS for fulfillment

History of Operation Santa at USPS

While the partnership with Toys R Us is new, Operation Santa has a long and storied history as part of the holiday in the United States. The effort traces its roots to 1912, when the U.S. postmaster general started tasking postal workers with answering some of the many letters to Santa that children would send.

The new online catalog boasts a selection of toys and gifts from Toys R Us, allowing letter adopters to find a gift for each letter writer, integrating shipping options from the Postal Service, such as USPS Ground Advantage. In doing so, USPS hopes to ensure pricing and arrival times for the holidays for those adopters.

“USPS Operation Santa has connected communities through holiday goodwill for over a century,” said Sheila Holman, marketing vice president at USPS. “This year, through our collaboration with Toys R Us, we’re thrilled to bring an easier way for generous people to make a difference. With the launch of this new e-commerce platform, we’re making it simpler than ever to help fulfill wishes and spread holiday joy.”

Importance of the USPS Operation Santa deal for Toys R Us

The announcement marks the latest step in Toys R Us’s journey back from the brink. When Toys R Us closed all of its U.S. stores in 2018 and filed for bankruptcy, many experts thought that was the end of the line. But the brand has shown resilience, returning under the umbrella brand Tru Kids and launching partnerships and pop-ups with retailers like Macy’s and Kohl’s. The company even announced plans to open some new physical stores once again.

Mike Drake, who previously oversaw action figures during his six years with Toys R Us and went on to become director of special projects at Mezco Toyz, sees advantages in the new approach but remains skeptical.

“A partnership with USPS is almost always a great idea, but without buying deep into brands and having the purchasing powers of 700+ stores behind it, the new Toys R Us is but a shadow of its former self,” Drake told Digital Commerce 360.

Still, the timing for the holiday season marks a change for Toys R Us to connect with a new generation. Baruch Labunksi, ecommerce expert and founder of the SEO firm Rank Secure, thinks the move makes sense for the brand.

“There is no better time to bring new attention to this brand than during the holidays,” Labunski said. “The company could have staying power if it can partner with USPS for faster delivery the rest of the year and especially if it can offer toys that are in high demand or new to the market.”

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