Mailers Complain About Slow USPS Service

[Kristijntje]

The U.S. Postal Service’s efforts to modernize and cut costs apparently are resulting in sluggish catalog deliveries this spring. And although some mailers say that mail to the West Coast, New Mexico, and Texas has suffered the most, “you can’t really define exactly what areas are being affected,” says Gary LaBarre, distribution manager for Maple Grove, MN-based printing and production services provider Banta Catalog Group. “It’s like trying to hit a moving target.”

LaBarre adds, “There have been rumblings from the West Coast that carriers are delivering mail as late as 11 p.m. In general, it’s difficult to get a straight answer.” ...

full article: http://multichannelmerchant.com/news/slo..._03292006/

[stardust]

The PO first got in trouble when UPS and FedEx became serious contenders for package deliveries.  Then the FAX machine was invented, which cut into document mailings, and long distance phone rates took such a nose dive that folks no longer wrote letters and thank you notes -- they just called.  The world was changing drastically, so they kept raising their prices higher and higher and higher, and folks mailed less and less and less. 

Then came the internet.

Even the phone companies are now complaining about lost revenue because of the internet and cell phones.  Land line long distance calling is almost unheard of any more.  The consumer, of course, is the one who pays via increased fees because of lost revenue to the various companies. 

The companies who really have experienced a boon due to internet buying/shipping are UPS and FedEx.  It's my understanding that FedEx handles all X-country package movement for the PO anyway, which is why we have to go by zones, now.  So, the PO has to charge above FedEx prices to make a few cents off every package. 

The PO finally got smart and erected a bunch of PO Express locations to handle the foot traffic.  Made going to the PO a pleasant experience, instead of being like a typical MVD experience.  Next thing you know, they'll start closing those, all in the name of *efficiency*, (government oxymoron and catch22), and we'll all be standing in line for hours again and waiting a week for a letter and/or package to go across state line..  >

[Anita]

There USED to be a FedEx box in front of my PO.  It came in handy quite a few times.  It was removed several months ago.  :'( I keep forgetting to ask why. 

[stardust]

Our neighborhood just loves our PO Express.  It's inside our Smith's grocery store, and all the employees are super great and fun, and everyone knows everyone... open 7 to 7, 7 days a week, pickup twice daily at 1pm and 7pm.  It's just 2 blocks up the street to the north (I can walk).  If I then go East 1/2 block, I arrive at the UPS store where I have my *internet box*.  I can also drop off my FedEx packages there if I want to, but I never seem to get them there before the once-a-day pickup.  I've got it made... even Wells Fargo is inside Smiths, so it's all very convenient -- cash my PO money orders at the back of the store,  deposit it in my account at the front of the store, and grab a banana inbetween.  ;D