Power Sellers Unite

elgato · Joined: 24 Feb 2005 Posts: 17227 Location: Texas

"If you have hard copy delivery, you might have it six days a week, or three days a week or one day a week," William Burrus, president of the American Postal Workers Union, said in an interview. He added, it may not even be delivered; the recipient may have to go retrieve it.

Could mail one day go the way of many pizza chains, where customers can pick it up or pay extra for home delivery?

Will the mail still arrive six days a week? Will the government still be involved?

more.. link to news article

Earthfragments.com · Posted: Sun Jul 08, 2007 3:55 pm Post subject:

Quote: › docWrite("quote")Could mail one day go the way of many pizza chains, where customers can pick it up or pay extra for home delivery?

That's how it is for me. We don't have mail delivery here on my part of the the mountain, except for UPS, Fedex, and that Yellow Van place which I forgot the name of. All postal mail I gotta get at my PO BOX. With gas prices these days, which are inflated even higher because of the tourists, it hurts my wallet just picking my mail up every day.

thecrabbynook · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 106

I am sure there are a lot of cuts the Post Office can make first to streamline their operation. Most of our carriers won't get out of their trucks to walk up to the door for a signature, registered, drop a package off, etc. The sender has paid for the service and then the recipient ends up going to pick it up at the post office. The post office is extremely poorly run and managed. Offering our postal carriers an extra fee to get out of their truck to pick-up packages left on the porch is absurd for carrier pick-up! Pay them extra to do the job they were hired to do? Is this the reason for the large increase in Priority mail fees?

Many small farm town citizens are required to go to the post office to pick up their mail now.

USPS is a separate government agency and they are sucking the cash cow dry because they are able to get away with it.

"...The USPS does get some taxpayer support. Around $96 million is budgeted annually by Congress for the "Postal Service Fund." These funds are used to compensate USPS for postage-free mailing for all legally blind persons and for mail-in election ballots sent from US citizens living overseas. A portion of the funds also pays USPS for providing address information to state and local child support enforcement agencies, and for keeping some rural posts offices in operation.

Under federal law, only the Postal Service can handle or charge postage for handling letters. Despite this virtual monopoly worth some $45 billion a year, the law does not require that the Postal Service make a profit -- only break even. Still, the US Postal Service has averaged a profit of over $1 billion per year in each of the last five years. Yet, Postal Service officials argue that they must continue to raise postage at regular intervals in order make up for the increased use of email. [See: Postal Service Says It Needs Even More]..."
http://usgovinfo.about.com/blpostalservice.htm

2BOYSandTOYS · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 10095 Location: Kansas

I suspect, the USPS could benefit, like most mature businesses, with an end-to-end process re-engineering. The most inefficient businesses in America are state or federal funded. When the monies continue to flow, there is no reason to examine processes for improvement or cost savings.

Both state and federal agencies waste more $$ than any private or public-trading company. Why - cuz it's our money, not theirs.... :roll: :roll: :roll:

Patty00 · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1018

I don't know how they operate their business or how much fat is involved. I do know they handed us an enormous raise this year and hid behind a simple 2 cent raise in first class mail. Most people don't realize the costs of mailing packages now and the really intricate system of size and measurements they've devised to cost you even more. All I know is bottom line - the normal packages I send out the most used to cost me 77 cents with electronic delivery confirmation - now they cost me 1.48 cents! I've had to pass most of that to my customers. That's a whale of a lot more than a 2 cent raise! I think they seriously need to look inward at where they can cut out the fat and streamline their operation because if this raise didn't pull them into the black then they have big big problems! As for loss of first class mail....yes!...its far easier to pay bills online then to waste money on expensive stamps. They do add up and its something USPS is going to have to deal with.

i_hate_ebay · Joined: 01 Mar 2007 Posts: 84

1.48 cents? bargain!

knappschiles · Joined: 25 May 2005 Posts: 4035 Location: Wi

Like Patty, my normal package went from 0.69 to 1.30 or 0.97 depending on which clerk I get. Even the same clerk will change how they charge it from visit to visit.

At first I had no recourse. But now they have a chart to use and if they actually follow it, my packages do qualify for the 0.97 postage. But some days I have to ASK them to use it.

Carol

Patty00 · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1018

Its evident they weren't trained for this drastic change. I know the clerks at my P.O. were going ballistic the first week and there were long long lines of businesses who were there and totally confused as to how much the shipping costs were on their packages.

The 1.48 I quoted was for a 2 oz 6 X 9" envelop that is padded and over 3/4" thick. From 77 cents with electronic delivery confirmation to 1.48 is almost double for the same package. These people need to get real - the package side cannot just absorb whatever they are losing in first class mail....which seems to be what they are trying to do. They've chopped down my business because mailing larger paintings is now out of the question unless the customer wants to be 50.00 on up for a 3 lb package! I no longer offer paintings over 16 X 20" just to avoid the larger size balloon fee. I feel they're going to end up losing money in the long run because most sellers I've talked to are switching to fedex or ups.

2BOYSandTOYS · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 10095 Location: Kansas

Patty - you raise a great point. Not only will shipments begin to 'go alternate routes', but there is no longer any need to differentiate between PP and PM (IMO). They can tell you one gets there faster than the other - but I've not noticed. In the past, if there was a significant variance, I'd ask the customer which they preferred. Now - I don't bother.

It's a true shame that someone can't take control of the USPS and work on 'cost reduction' vs. increasing prices. I still often see one/two employees who 'look' underworked when I go to one of our PO(s). I no longer go there - just makes my blood boil... :oops: :?

HidyAphrodite's Closet · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 37

My average package is at least 1 lb. or more and the recent USPS increases have made a huge difference in costs for me. Most of the sales I've made since the increase came up short on shipping fees charged as I am still trying to get all of my listings revised though first I have to get a handle on the new fee structure -- no easy matter!

Last week I opened a DHL shipping account and this week sent my first package through them -- I saved $2 and a few pennies! It was a 5 lb. package and the USPS postage for PP would have cost me almost $10 whereas the DHL fee was less than $8 for ground service, delivery time 6 days at most.

Yes, there is a fee for pickup service but I don't mind dropping packages off at a shipping center for that kind of savings. I can still get the postage and labels online. I'm to be invoiced monthly -- I like that, too. And at least in my area, drop off locations are plentiful and convenient.

Patty00 · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 1018

Well, if I want to offer big paintings again I'm going to first have to research alternate shipping costs. I can't do it thru USPS anymore because of the cost of their size differences. They really went overboard this time. I imagine they lost a lot of ebay business for sure and that has to be considerable. There is such a thing as gouging until you bust. I really hope they did just that because I cannot stand outright greed and waste and they seem to have both in abundance.

One thing I know is their employees have no fear of losing their jobs. I remember one elderly clerk who was just darn rude and mean and told everyone he didn't care because "they can't do anything to me". Wow! :-(

2BOYSandTOYS · Joined: 14 Mar 2005 Posts: 10095 Location: Kansas

Patty - that 'attitude' you mention is contagious among state, federal and government employees. Unfortunately, it's also somewhat true....and a shame for those of us who rely on their services for our lives and livelihood.

HAC - I've started a new thread regarding DHL as my Walgreen's are switching from FedEx drop off to DHL. The feedback from 2 folks here so far on DHL has not been wonderful, so I'd love frequent feedback as you continue to explore their service/delivery/rates/etc.

Darn Post Office anyway - making me thing too darn hard!!! :oops: 8)