What the heck are we going to do? While I agree that it is easier to do thing electronically, that would be a major change in how TTM's are acquired. Anyone have any thoughts?
If the Post Office goes under next year...
- Thread starter Kirbyfan34
- Start date
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If it goes under, I am done with online card trading. I dont have Paypal and am not getting it.
They complain thier is no money, but charge stupid amounts to mail on dang thing.
They complain thier is no money, but charge stupid amounts to mail on dang thing.
The Post Office is not going under, it is in financial difficulties due in large part to the increases in fuel prices. Three things are likely to happen, a change in services such as 5 day a week service and fewer local offices, a change in postal rates to reflect the operating losses, or a government bailout.
And don't forget that, by law, the Post Office is not allowed to make a large profit. Additionally, Congress mandates that they MUST deliver first-class mail everywhere in the country for the same price. That TTM you send to Alaska costs 44 cents to get there from New York, even though it might cost far more to send the cards that distance.
I know the costs seem high, but the USPS does an amazing job at a ridiculously low cost. Just imagine if first-class mail were done by a private company. Do you really think UPS or Fed Ex will deliver your first-class letter from New York to California for 44 cents?
I know the costs seem high, but the USPS does an amazing job at a ridiculously low cost. Just imagine if first-class mail were done by a private company. Do you really think UPS or Fed Ex will deliver your first-class letter from New York to California for 44 cents?
Well said, for all of the USPS bashing (been guilty of it myself) since I've been trading, I've only had 1 trade I sent not show up that's a pretty good ratio.
Like mentioned before there is just no way the USPS goes down. I deffinately do think the 5 days a week might be a possibilty. I like Saturday delivery alot but I understand if it's not around. USPS is what makes this hobby affordable as far as trading. IF somehow they were to ever go down. Things would take a real hit.
Just spoke to my post office person and he said they bigger post offices in the bigger towns will minimize to 1 maybe 2. I live in Houston/Pasadena Texas area. In the 10+ miles by my house there are 6 in any direction. No way there needs to be 6. There is the big one 2 miles away. They all operate out of that building anyway. We will see. They work for the government too, so they will NOT be out of a job. They pay government their wages. LoL!!
It can be argued that since the PO receives federal money (your taxes and grand children's debt) that even they don't deliver a letter for 44 cents. Now while I'm SURE that FEDEX and UPS would charge significantly more than that, lets not kid ourselves into thinking that just because you paid 44 cents for a stamp that that is your net total expense. It's not.
The USPS problems are really 2 fold. 1. Shrinking demand, due to email, texting, etc. and 2. Increased costs, pensions and health care for retired workers is extremely high.
Honestly, I would hate to lose the ability to TTM and trade but I would survive, it's just my hobby after all. And I imagine that it might even bring back the local card shop or shows to some degree, neither of which I have in my area.
they aren't going under...they already have a plan that is going to be put into action...I saw it on my local news the other day...they are going to shut down the really small post offices and keep the bigger ones...also in certain areas they are going to have post offices placed in shopping malls and bigger grocery stores for convenience as well. They just need to down size since the prices of fuel is what is killing them and the fact that they have so many within a few miles of each other in a lot of places.
You would be wrong, unless specifically bailed out the Post Office is suppose to be non-profit and self supporting. There is no way a private company for profit would find a way to do it cheaper unless they took the extremely profitable portions like package delivery or intercity and metro delivery. even now FedEx will pay the Post Office to deliver to some rural routes so that their trucks and gas don't have to go the rural roads.
I live in Canada, and we already have a few things mentioned in the thread (no mail on Saturdays, post offices in grocery stores for convenience, etc..)... but this is all news to me that it's even being discussed that it would go away completely. What a shocker!
I can't see that happening however... Am I crazy? A world with no Post? It just can't happen. Where would my mail from Canada go? It would get to the border and then they'd say "now what?"... I guess there'd be no more mail to the US, unless you use Purolator or UPS.
I can't see that happening however... Am I crazy? A world with no Post? It just can't happen. Where would my mail from Canada go? It would get to the border and then they'd say "now what?"... I guess there'd be no more mail to the US, unless you use Purolator or UPS.
Federal delivery of mail is in the Constitution, so it won't go away, but it can be hampered by constraints put upon it by Congressional action, or inaction causing it to do what it is legally able to do internally.
James, I don't quite undersatand, are you agreeing here.
We agree on this, and don't see where you delineated that from my message.
A private company would do it only if they made a profit, and since the USPS can't deliver a letter from NY to AZ for 44 cents cost there is essentially no way a private company could either. So our upfront cost, what we pay at the cash register would go up, and our hidden costs, taxes etc., would go down.
I preface by reinforcing that I'm definitely not trying to be political. This is one of the places I go to get away from such things! =) The USPS is critical to our shared TTM hobby, so I respectfully reply.
The USPS is no longer a government agency. It's a weird half-and-half. It's an independent company that must follow the mandates of Congress. If they want to raise the price of stamps...they must ask Congress. Want to go to 5-day-a-week delivery? "Congress, may I?" They can't even sell coffee in the post offices if they wanted to make a few extra (Star)bucks. But they don't get any tax revenue. Not anymore.
http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-facts/welcome.htm
(And even if they did get some tax revenue, the return on investment would be ridiculously high. It's like school funding. I would MUCH rather pay a dollar to educate a child than ten to put an adult in prison and all of the other assorted costs.)
But I defensively repeat...I consider all of you my friends and I save my many political arguments for elsewhere. =)
O
oldmarine0311
Guest
Yea 16 Po's in Eastern Oregon are going to be shut down now instaead of 17 miles to the PO i will only have to go 56 miles to the closest PO. sounds like a fine fix to me. but if i were in portland i would only have to go a few blocks to a PO. people dont realize out here in the hinterland the milage population difference is totally topsy turvey. we may and do have fewer people but when small towns loose their po's like thoes that are planned to happen then the whole town will witer and die. but that will save money lol yea right instead of me going to the po to get my mail 2 or 3 times a week i will now get it delivered to me from 56 miles away at least 5X a week that sure is a cost saving move if you ask me.
dave
my post office is closing so i need to travel to get to another, but not nearly that far...I have to travel 5 miles instead of a few blocks...or i could travel 12 miles to the main post office in scranton
I could not imagine visiting a postal branch if they closed numerous spots in my area. Even now, it is excruciating to go to the PO and wait in a never ending line. There is rarely a trip to a PO where I don't have to wait way too long. It doesn't matter what day or what time, the line stretches out the door! With that type of line and volume, you'd think the PO was doing OK.
It seems that most of the few cashiers with open windows work at a painfully slow and apathetic rate. I use those postal machines when ever possible, but it always seems like there is something keeping me from it, such as special services it can't handle (media rate, flat rate priority, etc).
It seems that most of the few cashiers with open windows work at a painfully slow and apathetic rate. I use those postal machines when ever possible, but it always seems like there is something keeping me from it, such as special services it can't handle (media rate, flat rate priority, etc).
They won't go under...will cut saturday mail....up the price on first class from 44 cent to 50 cent (six months from now)....most of the 12,000 jobs losted will be employees who can retire and the post office won't replace their jobs. Best regards, David
In saying you're wrong, it relates to the fact that postal rates are not subsidized by taxes. In regards to a private company being able to compete, there are many that could turn a profit at under $0.44 only by taking intracity business and perhaps those that go to major hubs, which is a reason why you don't ever want to be for private competition because while the winners are metro areas, the losers are all of us supporting the more costly remaining system that has lower volume and which delivers long distance and rural for the same $0.44 fee.
If anything, the PO will get a government bailout to keep going to aid in their currently self-supporting system. Believe me, if our overspending government will pay to save everything else in the country, they'll pay to save mail service. But I think first they'd drop to a 3-5 day delivery week before ever dropping service.
