Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

[bruceb58]

So I get this card in my mail yesterdaythat I have something at the post office that needs postage. So I drive the 5 miles to the post office this morning and wait 15 minutes in line to pay the $0.83 postage on a bubble envelope that I have my vacation rental people return keys to me with. Apparently, the thickness of the envelope was slightly above the 1/4" allowable which doubles the postage. I have been using the same type bubble envelope for 12 years and this has never been a problem. They now have reduced their $5 Billion dollar debt a bit. Of course who knows how much time they wasted filling out the card and having the clerk help me this morning. Any wonder they are hurting?

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

I've been doing a lot of ebaying lately selling off my model train collection. I gotta say, the post office's integration with ebay/Paypal has been fantastic. If when I list an item, I package, measure, and weigh it, prospective buyers can enter their zip code and find out actual shipping cost to their location. Works great because they know I'm not profiting on shipping, and I know I'm not charging too little and end up getting screwed. When the auction ends, I print out a paid shipping label, tape it on the box and drop it off at the PO without having to wait in line. Can't beat it. The prices are unbelievably reasonable as well. So as behind the times as they are in some areas, they've got some great tech in others. I think Saturday delivery will probably go by the wayside as will the little PO's in every little 'burg and borough. All in all, (at the risk of being political) there's a lot dumber things for our gov't to subsidize than the PO.

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

any truth to the postal workers union commercials claiming the USPS is NOT losing money but is losing money on paper because of the prefund requirement for their pension?

 

[bassman284]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

I've read reports that the prefunding is costing about 5.5 billion a year. If you Google "usps pension prefund" you can get more detailed info.

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

I've read reports that the prefunding is costing about 5.5 billion a year. If you Google "usps pension prefund" you can get more detailed info.

Wonder if the prefunding is a good thing or not. It's the only government pension that's prefunded. Ours sure isn't. With a little luck it'll be there when I retire

 

[QC]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

Just a gentle reminder to keep this about facts and it won't turn political. So far, so good. Thanks

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

I've been doing a lot of ebaying lately selling off my model train collection. I gotta say, the post office's integration with ebay/Paypal has been fantastic.

I do have to say that this is pretty darn good. I used to sell a lot on ebay and the biggest pain was when I shipped 50 things every Sunday evening when all my auctions ended.

The bummer about what I went through was not the $0.83 but the major time waste for all concerned considering the amount they needed from me.

 

[QC]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

How do you fix that though? Whether or not it is the USPS Office or Joe's Parcel Service (JPS) I think you have to do something. Seems like there are two choices:

1) Keep allowing underpayment of postage (bad)
2) Get it straight so future shipments are right (less bad)

#2 is defintiely inefficient, btu only if you assume that this .83 cents is all that is ever recovered. Haven't they just got .83 on all your subsequent shipments? Still only 83 pennies, but what if it was 8.30? Still not worth yours and their time if they only get it back once, but see my point? If your logic is correct then why ever police insufficient postage?

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

I do have to say that this is pretty darn good. I used to sell a lot on ebay and the biggest pain was when I shipped 50 things every Sunday evening when all my auctions ended.

The bummer about what I went through was not the $0.83 but the major time waste for all concerned considering the amount they needed from me.

I don't sell a lot anymore, but I've always preferred purchases be shipped USPS. I've only had one item of hundreds "lost" and it turned up 3 months later, boy that "tracking" log sure was interesting.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

How do you fix that though? Whether or not it is the USPS Office or Joe's Parcel Service (JPS) I think you have to do something. Seems like there are two choices:

1) Keep allowing underpayment of postage (bad)
2) Get it straight so future shipments are right (less bad)

#2 is defintiely inefficient, btu only if you assume that this .83 cents is all that is ever recovered. Haven't they just got .83 on all your subsequent shipments? Still only 83 pennies, but what if it was 8.30? Still not worth yours and their time if they only get it back once, but see my point? If your logic is correct then why ever police insufficient postage?

True. It is going to make me change what postage I put on it every time from now on.

When I did my original post it was more of a venting that I wasted 30 minutes of my life. The amount of postage I put on there was more than it actually needed for the weight. The padded envelope is the same length and width as a letter. It just has a tiny bulge where the ring for the keys sticks up that they didn't like this time. This was the first time out of over 200 shipments that I have done this way.

I actually like the USPS, don't get me wrong. Somethings just don't make sense sometimes.

 

[DJ]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

Come on folks?

Where can you send an envelope, with whatever you want to say, for less than $.50 (US). And! Have it 100% private? Certainly NOT email!

NO complaints with USPS whatsoever!!!!!!

I do eBay'ing too. I send a lot of items via USPS. Their "one box" idea is brilliant. They offer three boxes, regardless of weight-one set price. Love it. It's dirt cheap, compared to UPS or Fed Ex. They figured out that the truck is going there-anyway. Why not fill it? Brilliant. The other two already knew that.

Even if they DOUBLED their rates, USPS would still be a bargain.

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

Come on folks?
They figured out that the truck is going there-anyway. Why not fill it? Brilliant. The other two already knew that.

Even if they DOUBLED their rates, USPS would still be a bargain.

more like the fedex airplane is going there anyway. IIRC they contract out their priority mail to fedex.

 

[skargo]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

How is our PERSONAL email not 100% private? And the USPS mail isn't 100% private, there are cases of postal workers stealing and opening mail. Not 100% private, that's for sure

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

How is our PERSONAL email not 100% private? And the USPS mail isn't 100% private, there are cases of postal workers stealing and opening mail. Not 100% private, that's for sure

Curious...who are you responding to?

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

Curious...who are you responding to?

Probably DJ.

and personal email isn't very secure... to comment on his reply.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

bruce..... I feel your pain but you are dealing with an organization that earns money in small increments under a dollar. I guess I would have to side with the Post Office on this one. If a cashier shorted you a quarter you would ask for it. It is what happens.

However........... it is nice to read a simple rant like this....... it is certainly better then a foreclosure thread or a death in our iboats family


As far as privacy goes regardless of email, snail mail or even water cooler talks........ we are all subjected to human honesty and we just have to trust people more. Trust is earned and integrity is practiced............ we just have to regain our faith.

Funny thing but considering the amount of bills I get and checks I send out (and have sent over the years) I would put the reliability of the mail system pretty darn good.

How do I manage to misplace a 1/2" wrench that I was using 5 minutes ago when I never even left the garage.......... the post office seems smarter than me!

 

[mscher]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

Any wonder they are hurting?

Seems a bit more complex, at least to me.

USPS has been under barrage for years, from competitors like Fedex, UPS and email messaging.

The Internet and huge postage/printing costs, have all but killed, the bulk mail-order, catalog business, a mainstay for USPS revenue.

For the same reasons, subscriptions to magazines and other printed periodicals, have declined.

It's a whole diferent world for USPS.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

Seems a bit more complex, at least to me.

I know...way more complex! They have too many employees for the amount of mail they now deliver coupled with higher health care costs and pension obligations.

Like Bob said...mine was just a simple rant.

 

[Philip_G]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

\

The Internet and huge postage/printing costs, have all but killed, the bulk mail-order, catalog business, a mainstay for USPS revenue.

I'm betting (but have no facts to back it up) that the same internet has increased the number of packages drastically.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Postal Service Lost 5 Billion Dollars...minus $0.83

I'm betting (but have no facts to back it up) that the same internet has increased the number of packages drastically.

I receive practically no paper bills anymore and I send no checks. Magazines are almost a thing of the past. My bet is that the packages(which get sent a lot by UPS and FedEx too) can't make up for it.

The only things I get in the mail anymore (besides my rental keys ) are credit card applications and supermarket ads. I could go on vacation for a month and my mailbox wouldn't even get full.