Postal rate increase
WACoinGuy
Posts: 1,110
Postage rates are going up January 8. First class mail is going to 39 cents for the first ounce and 24 cents for each additional ounce. Priority mail is going to $4.05 for the first pound. They're also raising other fees such as the certified mail rate ($2.40), delivery confirmation (60 cents), and money orders (95 cents).
Two issues with this -- first, I can see why they have to raise the postage rates with gas prices soaring, but why do they need to raise the rates of services so drastically? Has the cost of doing a delivery confirmation gone up? If anything, I'd think the cost of providing this service has fallen with the advent of self-service postal machines and the Internet. Second, why do they keep making rates such odd amounts? Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'd rather see the first class rate be 40 cents and the priority rate be $4. Keeps everything nice and simple. And they'd probably make more that way too since they end up squeezing an extra cent on the first class rate.
OK, I'm done going postal now. Just had to get that off my chest.
Two issues with this -- first, I can see why they have to raise the postage rates with gas prices soaring, but why do they need to raise the rates of services so drastically? Has the cost of doing a delivery confirmation gone up? If anything, I'd think the cost of providing this service has fallen with the advent of self-service postal machines and the Internet. Second, why do they keep making rates such odd amounts? Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'd rather see the first class rate be 40 cents and the priority rate be $4. Keeps everything nice and simple. And they'd probably make more that way too since they end up squeezing an extra cent on the first class rate.
OK, I'm done going postal now. Just had to get that off my chest.
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Comments
also there is talk in the post office that possibly within the next two years or less there will be no more media --book rate mail) increases?? you aint seen nothing yet
<< <i>I wish they'd just make the damn stamps 50c each and leave us the hell alone for about 25 years. >>
I would totally go for something like that. That's what I have been saying for the last two increases.
<< <i>OK, I'm done going postal now. Just had to get that off my chest. >>
If you want to blame somebody ... blame the US Treasury for the bulk of the rate increase. Because of the idiots in Congress the Postal Service is now required to keep an extra $3 Billion in escrow to cover the military pensions of those veterans now working for the Postal Service. Used to be Treasury would take care of the military pensions and Postal would take care of the Postal portion of the pension ... not anymore.
Happy Rock Wrens
You're having delusions of grandeur again. - Susan Ivanova
Well, if you're gonna have delusions, may as well go for the really satisfying ones. - Marcus Cole
Double junk mail rates and leave all other services the same. It will save landfill space, also, when less junk is mailed.
<< <i>I wish they'd just make the damn stamps 50c each and leave us the hell alone for about 25 years. >>
Well, when I heard this I was thinking 40 cents and leaving us alone for another year or two...
At this point I'd like to just see all the increases as an even multiple of 5 cents. When 40 isn't enough, make it 45 until that's a money-loser, and so on. Though I'd like to see some oversight to make sure that they are making a reasonable effort to control costs.
An increase to fifty-cents and leave you alone? It would never happen. They'd get that huge increase, overspend because of the windfall, and be back next year for another increase.
Cheers,
Bob
BTW...this is OT
that is an interesting picture of you ya got there!
<< <i>It's a conspiracy between the USPS and eBay. Shhhh >>
That would explain the big eBay poster on the wall that I saw at the P.O. today with a giant "it" on it, which probably means we have to say "it™" now.
So based on this rate increase, what percentage of Power Sellers™ will raise the costs of sending a worn 1936 buffalo nickel from $4.99 to $7.99, citing the increased postal rates?
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars • Variety Attribution
<< <i>I believe we still have the lowest rates in the world ! >>
It's that type of thinking that causes prices to rise unchallenged. The fact that something purchased here is more expensive everywhere else in the world rationalizes the increase. When gas creeps up people say, "Well, they've been paying much more than this in Europe", like that makes the increase okay. Industry, in fact, DOES rely heavily upon public apathy to maintain their high increases. They know that, in time, some other crisis or near crisis will avert attention elswhere.
Just my eversohumble opinion.
Cheers,
Bob
if they eliminated bulk rate they would nee3d to rsie first class stamps to over a dollar if not more and then everything else priority registered ins would skyrocket also
usa is still the cheapest by far and safest then any other mail system within the 48 states
than anywhere else in the world
<< <i>I wish they'd just make the damn stamps 50c each and leave us the hell alone for about 25 years. >>
Like not even come to your house to deliver?
Jerry