Stamps going up

[labman]

Illegal here too. The government carelessly let others take over APRAnet, and now it is killing the Post Office.

Technology often gives a work around to monopolies protected by the government. I bless the day I found out Vonage could free me from the turkey local phone company. My kids don't have anything but cells.

 

[PandaBear]

IMO the biggest problem with 1st class mail is email and online payment. While saving the environment and cost, is making the demand for 1st class mail way lower than before. My 5 bills per months are now 100% online, and I'm only getting ads and coupons, service change notices, and non-routine stuff via snail mail nowadays. That's a 90% reduction in demand compare to 1994.

But they still do daily delivery to the same number of addresses.

Originally Posted By: Tempest
If stamp prices had increased over time at "only" the rate of gas prices, a first-class stamp would only cost only 17 cents today instead of 44 cents. If stamp prices had increased at the same rate as consumer prices in general, stamps today would cost about 25 cents.


The average cost of owning a horse buggy gone up way more than that, so what is your point?

There is a reason why UPS and FedEx are in the package business, and not letter delivery business. Try getting the government out of the mailing business and see how much a UPS ground letter cost, last time I check nothing less than $2 for the ground services, that is slower than the first class snail mail you are getting right now.

You are complaining about the cost of the government monopoly of a subsidized service? Why don't you join in and start Tempest express?

Originally Posted By: Tempest
Let's not forget that the USPS removed clocks from their lobbies to improve perceived wait times....

Want better services? Go to UPS or FedEx, and ask people to send you packages only in UPS or FedEx.

You can buy stamps everywhere else, and they deliver your mail to your box.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
MO the biggest problem with 1st class mail is email and online payment. While saving the environment and cost, is making the demand for 1st class mail way lower than before. My 5 bills per months are now 100% online, and I'm only getting ads and coupons, service change notices, and non-routine stuff via snail mail nowadays. That's a 90% reduction in demand compare to 1994.


Having no statistical reason (data) to think otherwise, I've seen no reduction in the use of USPS. If anything, the internet has caused them to boom, imo. On Mon, Wed, Fri, the office is packed. Virtually a line out the door. It was never that way before the internet revolution. I'd say that the market expanded substantially. I never went to the post office for YEARS ..maybe once per year to get stamps. Never to mail anything. Now, while not regular, it's nothing for me to hit the thing up 20+ times a year.

 

[dhise]

I have noticed over the last year that the amount of junk mail delivered to my house has gone down significantly, hardly any at all. Either that or the mailman is doing me a favor and throwing it out for me!

As far as my business goes, we used to leave a self-addressed, stamped envelope for clients to mail in the payment. We stopped putting stamps on the envelopes some time ago to save money.

 

[moribundman]

The advertisers can't afford having as much junk mail printed. I used to get a stack of junk mail every day. Now I get sometimes none at all for four or five days in a row. This started only very recently --maybe three weeks ago.

 

[Tempest]

Quote:
Mail volume in FY 2008 totaled 202.7 billion pieces, a decline of 9.5 billion pieces, or 4.5 percent, compared to the previous fiscal year.

http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2008/pr08_118.htm

Stamps raising at greater rate than inflation and yet:
Quote:
Even so, the rate increase is unlikely to cover the ongoing losses and the possibility remains that the post office could run out of money before the end of the fiscal year.
The post office could have cited extraordinary circumstances and asked the independent Postal Regulatory Commission for larger increases, but officials worried that would only result in a greater decline in mail volume and worse losses.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/hancock/blog/2009/05/postagestamp_costs_outpace_inf.html

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Gary Allan
Having no statistical reason (data) to think otherwise, I've seen no reduction in the use of USPS. If anything, the internet has caused them to boom, imo. On Mon, Wed, Fri, the office is packed. Virtually a line out the door. It was never that way before the internet revolution. I'd say that the market expanded substantially. I never went to the post office for YEARS ..maybe once per year to get stamps. Never to mail anything. Now, while not regular, it's nothing for me to hit the thing up 20+ times a year.


It was on CBS News, a representative from USPS (don't know which position) told the reporters that the package delivery side of the business is booming, and the first class mail (letter) side of the business is losing money.

Also as you know, they have only fewer employees than Walmart (but more than anyone else), so they are like the big 3 locked into a lot of unneeded manpower.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Tempest
Stamps raising at greater rate than inflation and yet:
Quote:
Even so, the rate increase is unlikely to cover the ongoing losses and the possibility remains that the post office could run out of money before the end of the fiscal year.
The post office could have cited extraordinary circumstances and asked the independent Postal Regulatory Commission for larger increases, but officials worried that would only result in a greater decline in mail volume and worse losses.


College tuition, housing cost, entertainment cost (your LCD TV vs the CRT from 10 years ago, for example), and engine oil price have all rise above inflation in the last 10 years.

Computer, long distance phone, stock trade transaction, etc have all rise below inflation, and some even decline in cost, in the last 10 years.

So what is your point? Nothing is going to be exactly spot on compare to the average. If everything is rising below inflation then the inflation would be lower. Get it?

Also do you really trust the inflation number?

 

[ViragoBry]

I'd be willing to pay more for postage and shipping if the people they have working behind the counter actually gave a sh*t. Worst customer service on the planet, besides Wal Mart.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: ViragoBry
Worst customer service on the planet, besides Wal Mart.


You forgot DMV and USCIS (immigration department). USPS is a 5 star hotel in comparison.

Worst in America maybe, but definitely not on the planet. Ever have to compete with the son of police chief in your own business and have them lock your entire staff up for some bogus charges?