Friday, September 07, 2007
Postal Service Is Going Bananas
The US postal rates have gone up. Now a first class mail costs 41 cents instead of 39 cents. They have made a change, hoping to mollify the public on this rate hike. They have issued the "forever" stamp with a Liberty Bell on it that will be good for first class postage forever; for example, if in 2012 the rate is 47 cents, the original stamp, costing 41 cents, will still be good without having to add a 6 cent stamp. Then they confused things by issuing 41 cent stamps that were not forever; apparently only the original ding-dong stamps were forever.
Not as well publicized is their other changes. Charges for extra ounces in a letter have gone down from 24 cents to 17 cents. This means 1-2 ounces are actually cheaper than before, at 58 cents instead of 63 cents. But then they threw something else to confuse things a bit and throw huge price increases in patron's faces. If a letter is not the right size, according to their confusing criteria, the charge for first-class postage for the first ounce is 80 cents. Further, they call such a package "flat", even though an overly thick envelope will also take that charge. Apparently they are going to charge two first-class postages for such envelopes, which include 9x12 manila envelopes. Apparently to prevent people from breaking up envelopes into two or more envelopes, they priced the extra charge at just less than a first ounce charge - 39 cents instead of 41 cents.
Recently I had to mail a package that contained a CD and was padded. It was thus "irregular" and I was afraid that it would take the 80-cent charge. It weighed between 1 and 2 ounces. Sure enough, when I went to the post office, it was charged at 97 cents; in other words, 80 + 17 cents. Therefore I wanted a cache of 80-cent stamps so if I have to do this in the future, I could do it at my house and not go to the post office and wait in a line (there was a line of about 10 at that post office). They told me that they did not have 80-cent stamps. It seems to me that if a major type of postage rated an 80-cent charge, that 80-cent stamps should be available. But they weren't. So I asked for 39-cent stamps, to combine with 41-cent stamps to make 80 cents. They kept talking as if I wanted it for this particular package. They kept asking for the item that I wanted postage for. I had to repeat over and over again that there was presently no such item. It was for future uses that I wanted it, so I did not have to go to the Post Office and wait in line to mail such an envelope.
The woman serving me said she would go back and get me some 39-cent stamps. While she was there, the other woman there kept asking if I wanted 58-cent stamps. Whaaa?? I never said that I wanted that amount. Further, 58 cents was a charge on a normal envelope, not an "irregular" one, that happened to weigh between 1 and 2 ounces. After about 3 minutes, the original woman came back with some 39-cent stamps and some 58-cent stamps. I told her I didn't want the 58-cent stamps and did not request them. I had to insist on this to get her to sell me the twenty 39-cent stamps. Why they kept insisting I buy 58-cent stamps really beats me. It seems the Postal Service has gone crazy.
There needs to be some changes in the Postal Service. They need to clarify their terms, and they need agents that will fulfill customer orders and not try to inject their own agendas into it.
Not as well publicized is their other changes. Charges for extra ounces in a letter have gone down from 24 cents to 17 cents. This means 1-2 ounces are actually cheaper than before, at 58 cents instead of 63 cents. But then they threw something else to confuse things a bit and throw huge price increases in patron's faces. If a letter is not the right size, according to their confusing criteria, the charge for first-class postage for the first ounce is 80 cents. Further, they call such a package "flat", even though an overly thick envelope will also take that charge. Apparently they are going to charge two first-class postages for such envelopes, which include 9x12 manila envelopes. Apparently to prevent people from breaking up envelopes into two or more envelopes, they priced the extra charge at just less than a first ounce charge - 39 cents instead of 41 cents.
Recently I had to mail a package that contained a CD and was padded. It was thus "irregular" and I was afraid that it would take the 80-cent charge. It weighed between 1 and 2 ounces. Sure enough, when I went to the post office, it was charged at 97 cents; in other words, 80 + 17 cents. Therefore I wanted a cache of 80-cent stamps so if I have to do this in the future, I could do it at my house and not go to the post office and wait in a line (there was a line of about 10 at that post office). They told me that they did not have 80-cent stamps. It seems to me that if a major type of postage rated an 80-cent charge, that 80-cent stamps should be available. But they weren't. So I asked for 39-cent stamps, to combine with 41-cent stamps to make 80 cents. They kept talking as if I wanted it for this particular package. They kept asking for the item that I wanted postage for. I had to repeat over and over again that there was presently no such item. It was for future uses that I wanted it, so I did not have to go to the Post Office and wait in line to mail such an envelope.
The woman serving me said she would go back and get me some 39-cent stamps. While she was there, the other woman there kept asking if I wanted 58-cent stamps. Whaaa?? I never said that I wanted that amount. Further, 58 cents was a charge on a normal envelope, not an "irregular" one, that happened to weigh between 1 and 2 ounces. After about 3 minutes, the original woman came back with some 39-cent stamps and some 58-cent stamps. I told her I didn't want the 58-cent stamps and did not request them. I had to insist on this to get her to sell me the twenty 39-cent stamps. Why they kept insisting I buy 58-cent stamps really beats me. It seems the Postal Service has gone crazy.
There needs to be some changes in the Postal Service. They need to clarify their terms, and they need agents that will fulfill customer orders and not try to inject their own agendas into it.
