No More Cheap Shipping for Chinese Sellers

Post by wbl » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 3:49 PM UTC

LeifCarrotson wrote: post #64

iNate2000 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aren't ocean vessels one of the most efficient forms of transportation in existence?

In terms of dollars per unit weight moved, yes. They are not only moving massive amounts of cargo with low drag, they're also relatively lightweight compared to the product being moved. Also, there's no maintenance cost to keeping a flat path across the Pacific like there is in keeping roads free of potholes. In terms of environmental damage, not at all. Container ships burn some of the nastiest, most sulphrous and d…

Post by thfuran » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 3:49 PM UTC

decoyworker wrote: post #79

thfuran wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

For what purpose?

Not sure. I'ts an unfinished thought but something I've toyed with in my mind. Mostly because I prefer local and the movement of goods is unnecessary a lot of the time. Environmental reasons for the most part- moving unnecessary junk around the world is still excessive even if it's done efficiently.

Post by lumberingjack » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 3:50 PM UTC

keiferski wrote: post #34

iNate2000 wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aren't ocean vessels one of the most efficient forms of transportation in existence?

The shipping industry is responsible for a significant proportion of the global climate change problem. More than three percent of global carbon dioxide emissions can be attributed to ocean-going ships. This is an amount comparable to major carbon-emitting countries -- and the industry continues to grow rapidly. In fact, if global shipping were a country, it would be the sixth largest producer of greenhouse gas emiss…

Post by krisgee » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 3:51 PM UTC

dmix wrote: post #43

magduf wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Huh? I'm not sure what this has to do with taxes or government spending. The USPS doesn't get tax money; it's financed by its customers, like any other business, it just happens to be wholly owned by the federal government. Postal rates are high because they're forced by the UPU agreement to deliver Chinese mail for almost nothing, so they pass the costs on to US customers.

What is the UPU and how'd they get this power?

Post by Consultant32452 » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 3:51 PM UTC

ikeboy wrote: post #35

Consultant32452 wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The USPS has to ask permission from regulators to raise prices, unlike their more private counterparts.

And that is evaluated on a per market basis. The assertion that losing money on some services causes them to raise prices elsewhere is baseless. Even if there was a mechanism the numbers don't work - there's orders of magnitude more packages sent within the US than into the US from UPU.