Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Gmail account not receiving emails from Write2Them?

Unfortunately, this FAQ jumped to the top of the list because of recent problems with account owners and friends receiving notifications in a timely fashion through their Gmail account. Our automated notifications were previously sent from 'noreply@write2them.com', but are now being sent from 'info@write2them.com'. Gmail, for its own reasons, delivers email that it considers suspicious into your Spam folder (you have to click on More on the left menu panel to display that folder in Gmail).

The recommended way to clear up this problem is to create a Gmail contact for 'info@write2them.com' and name it 'Write2Them' (the name is not important, but the email address is). All subsequent notifications should go directly into your Inbox, but remember that you may need to click the refresh button (circular arrow) to see the new mail arrive in your Inbox while you have Gmail up in your browser.

Any notifications in your Spam folder can be marked as 'not spam' by clicking on the 'x' next to the Spam label to the right of the message subject when you are viewing the message. Those messages will then be moved to your Inbox.

Can I send photos or newspaper clippings?

Yes. We encourage you to send photos and newspaper clippings. Simply attach or copy and paste into your email. Please remember that mailing inappropriate photos could be a violation of U.S. Postal Service regulations, and can get your son or daughter in serious trouble.

Our software converts all non-JPEG images (GIF, PNG, BMP, etc.) to JPEG before letters are formatted. Also, photos larger than 640 pixels (width or height) are resized to 640 pixels, with the same aspect ratio. This allows more photos to fit within the eight-page limit for each letter.

Newspaper articles should be scanned at 100 dpi. For best results, scan up to three newspaper columns across.

Is there a limit on the number of friends and family I can add?

There is currently a limit of 30 email addresses associated with each recipient. The Write2Them fee is for the length of the service term (Subscription Plan) or number of letters mailed (Bundle Plan), not the number of emails received. There is no limit on the number of emails received per day, but there is an eight-page limit (four sheets double-sided)for each mailing. Emails that don’t fit in the eight-page limit roll over until the next day’s mailing. Emails are always sorted by date of receipt, so the ones that roll over will typically print out first the next day.

When do I need to activate the service?

You can create one or more Recipient records as soon as you create your Write2Them account. You can add Friends at any time.

Specify the mailing address as soon as you know it. For new Academy cadets/midshipmen or new Armed Services basic trainees, you won't know the address until a few weeks before your son or daughter enters an Academy, or a few days after they report to basic training.

You only need to pay for the number of weeks or months (whichever costs less) that your son or daughter is in basic training. You can also purchase bundles of 10 mailings, which might be a better option depending on how many people will be sending email (or how often). After basic, they will typically have access to email once again, and you and your family can stop using the Write2Them service. When you activate your service, you can specify the exact start date for the service.

What is the difference between a Subscription and a Bundle?

With a Subscription, you activate our service for the number of weeks or months that your son or daughter will be in basic training. Subscriptions make sense if you plan to have a number of family members and friends sending email frequently. There is no limit on the number of emails you can send, but there is an eight-page limit (four sheets printed double-sided) on each letter mailed. If you need to terminate your service early, you can cancel your subscription and request a refund subject to the terms in our Refund Policy.

A Bundle will be more cost effective if you only plan to send one or two emails a week. It's also more cost-effective for extended use like corresponding with seniors, missionaries, or deployed troops. You can purchase one or more bundles of 10 mailings (letters), and any unused mailings are fully refundable, subject to the terms in our Refund Policy. The same eight-page limit applies to each letter mailed.

What if the recipient's address changes?

As soon as you know of an address change, simply login to your Write2Them account and update the information. The new address will be used when the next mailing is sent out. Military training bases do their best to deliver all mail to servicemen and women. If a letter is returned to us, you will be immediately contacted by a Write2them customer service representative.

How does the service work?

You create a Write2Them account for yourself, enter the information for the person you want to sponsor (the "recipient"), and add the names and emails of the people allowed to send emails to the account. You can create an account at any time, but the service is not activated until you select the length of time and submit payment.

Write2Them assigns a unique personal email address to your sponsored recipient(s) and lets you and the others know that they can send emails.

Each day the emails are printed and mailed out. Emails received over the weekend are mailed out on Monday.

For more detail on how Write2Them works in a military trainee scenario, you can click here.

Do I have to pay as soon as I sign up?

You can create your Write2Them account (with your email address as your login name) whenever you want, and there is no charge for this. You don't need to pay anything until you sponsor a loved one by activating a Recipient record (Subscription Plan or Bundle Plan).

What if my recipient leaves Basic Training before the service term is up? Can I get a refund?

Even when a serviceman or woman leaves Basic Training, this typically takes several weeks during which time they continue to need to support of their loved ones and friends at home.

That said, we are able to offer prorated refunds for Subscription Plan customers (subject to the terms of our Refund Policy), as well as refunds for unused mailings for Bundle Plan customers. Please review our Refund Policy or email support@write2them.com for assistance.

It only costs $0.45 for a stamp – how are you pricing your service?

Your service fees cover a lot more than the cost of postage. Paper, envelopes, toner factor into the cost of our mailings, as well as the operating expenses associated with our web site, email server, and staff.

What happens when the Post Office raises the price of a stamp?

Our pricing may periodically be adjusted to reflect increased operating expenses, including postage costs. However, the price for your service is guaranteed for the number of weeks or months for which you sign up.

What if the letter needs to go to an international address?

Our three-level pricing structure includes mailing addresses in the U.S., Canada/Mexico, and all other international destinations. There is no restriction about where the emails can come from.

Note that letters to troops at overseas (APO/FPO) addresses are covered by U.S. pricing.

What if I want letters sent to both of my parents?

For staying in touch with senior citizens, you may want to address the letters to more than one person. You can simply enter both names in the “first name” field, separated with “&” or “and” (for example, “Fred and Mary” or “Fred & Mary”). The email address and the mailing address for each letter will include both first names.

My parents are divorced. How can I send email to each of them? I have two children going to basic training. How can I send email to each of them?

Since our service is based on mailing a letter to a specific address, you would need one recipient record for each person (and two service fees). Each person would get their own Write2Them email address, and you could either send them separate emails when appropriate, or address an email to both of them when you want to send the same information or photos.

Can I get a refund?

We are able to offer prorated refunds for Subscription Plan customers (subject to the terms of our Refund Policy), as well as refunds for unused mailings for Bundle Plan customers. Please review our Refund Policy or email support@write2them.com for assistance.

I don't have a PayPal account. How can I pay?

For your convenience, you can pay by credit card on PayPal as well as by using your PayPal account. On the PayPal payment form, simply click on the "Don't have a PayPal account?" link and fill in your credit card and billing address information.

What happens to 'undeliverable' mail?

Military bases do their best to deliver all mail to servicemen and women. We use first class postage to mail all Write2Them emails, so the U.S. Postal Service will return all undeliverable mail to us. If a letter is returned to us, you will be contacted by a Write2them customer service representative. Once the mailing address is corrected, we can reset the affected emails so they will be processed in the next mailing.