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Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

washingtonpost.com

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Re: Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

#41

Post by IgorPartola »

jcampbell1 wrote: post #24
IgorPartola wrote: post #14

The most sensible suggestion I've heard recently was from a co-worker who said it would make sense to not sound out postal workers to every house, but instead to keep all the mail at the Post Office. If you want your mail delivered to your door, then you can pay extra. Otherwise pick it up yourself. This would greatly cut down on the USPS expenses. I also would love a premium service where I get one address (just lik…

The post office already can and does get this efficiency with community mailboxes. My grandmother and I both use a key to get our mail from a large mail drop. She lives in an newly constructed old person neighborhood in rural Florida, and I live in a Manhattan apartment building. My parents get their mail delivered by car to a personal mailbox. I agree with your suggestion, but how do we get existing neighborhoods to…

I like your compromise. It still gives everyone access to door to door delivered mail but also cuts costs significantly. And the best part is that people who live in larger communities get the opportunity to get their mail delivered every day if they so choose.

Re: Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

#42

Post by IgorPartola »

alanh wrote: post #34
IgorPartola wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

UPS provides this: http://www.theupsstore.com/products/pages/maiandpos.aspx You just have to pay for both storage and forwarding.

I’m picturing this being something everyone can do, not a very niche offering. Interesting, though. ★ Edit in response: Only some of the same problems are being solved. If the USPS let everyone choose an ID, it wouldn’t be long before websites let (US) customers enter “tcollins12” instead of “Tom Collins, 145 Main St., Somewhere, ST 12345” during checkout… it wouldn’t be long before your public wishlist said “ship it…

Everyone can do this. You are picturing it being paid for by the tax payers instead of you directly, giving the perception of free. Then again I found their offering to be too expensive and would love to see USPS trying to compete with them.

Re: Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

#43

Post by cullenking »

protomyth wrote: post #23
cullenking wrote: post #19

From talking to my grandmother, apparently people used to love the postoffice. Now, I don't know a single person in my age group (20-30 somethings) that doesn't despise the postoffice. The fact that I can't opt out of garbage being delivered to my door, by an actual person, is pretty infuriating to most. If the post office acted like a "letter carrier" and not a package/spam carrier, I think they could do alright. Le…

The USPS makes money on the spam/junk mail and packages, not on letters. The profit incentive for them is not the same as their customers desires.

I understand the bulk mailers make up a good portion of their income, and effectively subsidize regular mail. However, I don't think it's an acceptable tradeoff. You can makeup for the difference by probably dropping a single day of delivery - my guess is postage wouldn't even have to raise if you dropped to either 4 or 5 days a week.

Re: Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

#44

Post by stretchwithme »

jessriedel wrote: post #8
stretchwithme wrote: post #3

earthclassmail.com is what they should look at. Many things don't need to be delivered. The post office could actually let people see images of mass mailings before they are even printed or let people print them themselves with no delivery. In other words, where electronic mail won't work, USPS could handle parts of the delivery that make sense and how its done shouldn't matter. As far as delivery 6 days a week, I th…

> The post office could actually let people see images of mass mailings before they are even printed or let people print them themselves with no delivery. This makes as much sense as removing commercials from TV shows because people can now go to the network website and watch the commercials there. The problem isn't "how do we continue to provide junk mail cheaply?" it's "how do we continue to provide regular mail ch…

Are you sure junk mail is subsidizing regular mail? This article seems to indicate quite the opposite.

"Of particular concern has been the decline in the lucrative first-class mail, largely consisting of personal letters and cards, bills and payments and similar items. First-class mail volume fell 6.6 percent in 2010, 8.6 percent in 2009, and 4.8 percent in 2008. Traditionally, this mail has produced more than half of total revenue.

Volume for standard mail – advertising and similar business items – improved somewhat, indicating some signs of economic recovery, but generates less income."

From http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/12/post-office-lost-bi...

Re: Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

#45

Post by stretchwithme »

cosmicray wrote: post #25
yummyfajitas wrote: post #20

One fairly simple solution would be to reduce the frequency of mail delivery. Instead of Mon-Sat, we could deliver mail Mon-Wed-Fri or Tues-Thurs-Sat (different days for different zones).

That doesn't reduce the mail volume. Then you would have to store the mail somewhere, and still have the same amount to sort. So on the days when they did deliver, it would take longer to sort it.

The commercial mailings could be given to the post office only on the days they'll be delivered. And this commercial mail is often already sorted

Yes, it doesn't reduce mail volume. That's been collapsing all on its own, as has the effort to sort it.

Re: Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

#46

Post by stretchwithme »

iandanforth wrote: post #36

I wouldn't mind getting mail once a week. The question is, would this work for everyone? Are there items that are time critical (need less than two weeks round trip) AND must be sent physically AND would be prohibitively expensive to send through private mail services? Considering the items I have in my mail pile right now I can't think of any.

most people would probably agree. The exceptions can be handled.

Re: Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

#47

Post by thematt »

smackfu wrote: post #33
AndyKelley wrote: post #15

Why are we trying to save USPS? It offers worse service than any of the private companies, and according to this article, it currently has a net loss of 7 billion dollars. How about we delete it, then git commit -a -m "deleted unused stuff, should improve efficiency"

Because they deliver a letter for 44 cents anywhere in the country, in a few days. Do any of the private companies get within a factor of 10 of that price?

That should tell you something: it's not profitable.

Re: Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

#48

Post by stretchwithme »

ugh wrote: post #12
jessriedel wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people do not have a smart phone, nor are most people capable of paying all their bills online.

Yet.

So we should wait until the last person that still needs physical delivery before making any changes.

That's the problem with enforced monopolies. If we had many competing companies, some can move into the future unrestricted. And those who don't want to change, other companies could continue to charge more for less value. Unlike now, where it takes an act of Congress to change the delivery schedule.

Re: Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

#49

Post by stretchwithme »

jcampbell1 wrote: post #24
IgorPartola wrote: post #14

The most sensible suggestion I've heard recently was from a co-worker who said it would make sense to not sound out postal workers to every house, but instead to keep all the mail at the Post Office. If you want your mail delivered to your door, then you can pay extra. Otherwise pick it up yourself. This would greatly cut down on the USPS expenses. I also would love a premium service where I get one address (just lik…

The post office already can and does get this efficiency with community mailboxes. My grandmother and I both use a key to get our mail from a large mail drop. She lives in an newly constructed old person neighborhood in rural Florida, and I live in a Manhattan apartment building. My parents get their mail delivered by car to a personal mailbox. I agree with your suggestion, but how do we get existing neighborhoods to…

The cost to build it would be recovered in the first few months if people were actually charged for the cost of having a person walk around for a half hour 6 days a week. That's got to cost $200 a month for a small community. Of course, government specializes in hiding the true costs of things, so who knows.

Re: Tech experts, including Google, to discuss future of the USPS

#50

Post by protomyth »

cullenking wrote: post #43
protomyth wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The USPS makes money on the spam/junk mail and packages, not on letters. The profit incentive for them is not the same as their customers desires.

I understand the bulk mailers make up a good portion of their income, and effectively subsidize regular mail. However, I don't think it's an acceptable tradeoff. You can makeup for the difference by probably dropping a single day of delivery - my guess is postage wouldn't even have to raise if you dropped to either 4 or 5 days a week.

They are going with what they know makes them money. They have already cut Saturdays, and I would expect them to cut another day too.
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