vargas
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posted on November 13, 2000 09:46:54 AM
The Postal Rate Commission has ruled on the P.O. rate hike request:
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/11/13/mail.rates.02.ap/index.html
The article doesn't mention it, but the two-pound Priority Mail rate is going up to $3.95.
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abingdoncomputers
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posted on November 13, 2000 09:55:31 AM
Monday's ruling affects only domestic mail rates. The Postal Service can increase international rates on its own decision, and usually does so shortly after domestic rates are increased. Some observers are expecting substantial increases in the international charges.
More headaches for international sellers.
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rancher24
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posted on November 13, 2000 10:04:53 AM
Greed....Pure Greed.....With the explosion of Internet shopping (all of us lowly little auction sellers included) the PO is rakin' in more $$ than ever before...(information provided by my friendly mail carrier)...shame they feel the need to kill the cash cow!!...JMO
~ Rancher
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mark090
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posted on November 13, 2000 10:51:06 AM
Its not greed...storage space for priority mail costs money. Plus all the people they have to hire to go through the dumpsters searching for the mail after the postperson goes by.
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mballai
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posted on November 13, 2000 11:57:26 AM
They have been profitable for years, this is just another way to stick it to the consumer.
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VeryModern
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posted on November 13, 2000 12:06:24 PM
Ow! Ow! Ow!
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MrJim
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posted on November 13, 2000 12:15:10 PM
The commission also raised the cost of mailing one pound of Priority Mail from $3.20 to $3.50.
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Crystalline_Sliver
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posted on November 13, 2000 01:24:21 PM
Well, they better back up the hike with superior service. And I don't mean the current state it's in today.
:\\\"Crystalline Sliver cannot be the target of spells or abilities.
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chum
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posted on November 13, 2000 05:01:43 PM
Looks like I will get a job, and quit auctions for good. When they raise the cost of a 2lb package by 25% thats crazy. I hate to think about a 3,4, or 5lb package. Customers are better off going to the malls than paying all that shipping.
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Empires
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posted on November 13, 2000 05:14:12 PM
When gas went up independent truckers wanted to strike which would have crippled our nation. They instead were told to simply raise their prices accordingly or find a new job. We raised our shipping prices accordingly as fuel costs continue to rise. It simply is a fact of life at this point. On the bright side the prime rate is going to drop...hopefully we won't have to look at that next.
[ edited by Empires on Nov 13, 2000 05:15 PM ]
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VeryModern
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posted on November 13, 2000 05:17:42 PM
There is no doubt this is going to hurt business. I smell more dot.com death and many small sellers quitting.
What this amounts to is another hungry entity we are supposed to feed.
Ebay theirs, paypal theirs, PO theirs, how much can the buyer/seller absorb?
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Empires
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posted on November 13, 2000 05:25:30 PM
VM I say the same thing everytime I go to the dentist! 
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kiki2
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posted on November 13, 2000 05:26:18 PM
If the prices don't force me to quit then I will be selling strictly books and using book rate. Even though it will be going up as well, its not no $3.95. Totally ridiculous!!
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VeryModern
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posted on November 13, 2000 05:39:52 PM
Empires - do like my husband. Make appointments every 10 weeks or so and cancel when it becomes imminent.
Really though, he says he must go tomorrow or he fears they will stop allowing him to schedule.
btw. regarding dot.com death, I got a mail from a place I have ordered from 1/2 dozen times stating that they are going down, having a clearance sale and will not be selling info. It's kind of sad.
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Empires
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posted on November 13, 2000 05:44:20 PM
VM~ Do we live together? I just cancelled my dentist apointment knowing he want's $200 or my tooth...that's still in my mouth. Of course like a good paying customer..I rescheduled just like your hubby....
The sad part is that we build to tear down, it is human nature.. but the loss of jobs and dreams are what hurt the most.
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VeryModern
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posted on November 13, 2000 06:00:08 PM
Empires - he said he inadvertently hung up on the gal TWICE today when she called to confirm, but she persisted.
He has a day of pure hell planned tomorrow because when he leaves there, it is on to parent teacher conferences.
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CBlev65252
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posted on November 14, 2000 12:06:43 PM
The USPS says they need to raise rates to cover costs. MOST of those costs are advertising (does the post office really need to advertise, or is there someone out there who doesn't know they exist?) and selling merchandise that has nothing to do with postage - t-shirts, mugs, etc. Like I want to own a t-shirt that has the USPS logo boldly transferred onto it.
I say: UNTIL you can deliver all the mail, all of the time, to all of the people; UNTIL all of my mail (not some of my mail) reaches me in a reasonable amount of time; UNTIL the theft, drinking on the job and other irregularities are cleared up, you (USPS) have no business raising rates.
A bit harsh I will agree. However, in the 5 months I have lived at this address I have NOT received one phone bill without calling and getting a duplicate sent, one electric bill without calling and getting a duplicate sent, two packages of items I have bid on, and who knows what else. I think they are all dead at the post office in Cleveland, Ohio. I go to a neighboring city to mail my winning bidders' packages.
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vargas
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posted on November 14, 2000 12:54:49 PM
I found a little more info on the postal rate recommendation by the Postal Rate Commission.
The 5-pound Priority Mail rate will go from $6.50 to $7.55.
Money Orders will fall from 80 cents to 75 cents.
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chinaguys
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posted on November 14, 2000 01:55:33 PM
Don't forget the insurance rate has been raised as well to $1.35 for the first $50. This brings the 2-lb. rate with insurance up from the current $4.05 to the new $5.20. Since I sell almost exclusively breakables, I always require insurance on my shipments.
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Empires
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posted on November 14, 2000 02:44:26 PM
This information may help as well regarding rate increases etc.
http://www.framed.usps.com/clr/fr829.pdf
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Borillar
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posted on November 14, 2000 08:18:01 PM
I was watching C-SPAN this last Spring when the post office had their rate hike hearing. I was interested to note that one person on the commission asked them if the reason for the rate hike was because they were hurting for money. The question was answered with a direct NO. In fact, they went on, that they had millions of $$ in surplus. They were asking for the Rate Hike just because they were allowed to ask for it. The commission promptly announced the next day that the US Post Office needed a rate Hike and that they had approved of it. Wish I could go to Washington and ask for a permanent moritorium on paying federal taxes . . . maybe they'd give it to me just because I could ask for it. What do you think?
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packer
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posted on November 14, 2000 10:06:43 PM
Even though I'm the PMR at our little post office here, it looks like I'll be going down the road to our UPS office and check out there rates for 1 to 6 pound packages. I always ship UPS if it weighs 7 pounds or more because its cheaper. Maybe I can get a deal on bulk mailings.
Its certainly worth checking into.
$1.05 raise on a 5 pound package is totally out of line.
.
edited for packer by packer!!
.
Having a BAD HAIR DAY! ... 
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chinaguys
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posted on November 15, 2000 03:19:53 AM
UPS rate can be very good, especially if you have daily pickup service. The pickup service costs $7 a week if you have $50 or more shipping each week or $10.50 if it's less. You also need to get a printer from them at $2.00 a week (to make those UPS labels) or have a laser printe already.
Rates for UPS vary based on location (8 zones across the country, not including AK and HI)
1 lb ranges $4.02 to $4.73
2 lbs $4.08 to $5.35
3 lbs $4.17 to $5.81
4 lbs $4.58 to $6.12
5 lbs $4.42 to $6.43
including insurance up to $100. (35 cents for every $100 thereafter)
$1.50 surcharge for delivery to certain rural ZIP codes.
I live in the Midwest and zone 4 covers much of the country from plains to New England and much of the South. The rates for that are:
1 lb 4.35
2 lbs 4.61
3 lbs 4.81
4 lbs 5.02
5 lbs 5.20
Rates can be calculated at
http://www.ups.com/using/services/rave/rate.html
use the Daily Pick-Up Service option versus the Customer Counter (the rate for dropping the package off). The savings are usually around 25%
I imagine UPS will be raising its rates again in January but it won't be as bad as the USPS rate hike.
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belalug3
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posted on November 15, 2000 05:05:37 AM
Can you imagine selling a video for $3.50 and having to charge $3.50 shipping? I think there's going to be rampant use (misuse?) of the "inside-out Priority box covered with brown paper ship fourth class" method (See other thread on this issue). Hopefully fourth class/standard mail wasn't also hiked.
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vargas
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posted on November 15, 2000 05:12:25 AM
Be aware that any rate hike figures published before the PRC ruled on November 13 are outdated.
The PRC gave the PO less than it asked for in some categories and MORE than it asked for in others.
The Nov. 13 ruling is at
http://www.prc.gov
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zeenza
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posted on November 15, 2000 05:44:51 AM
FACTOID:The USPS takes to the air with a staggering 15,000 flights everday delivering our mail.
As to the reason for the hike.. I heard gas is going up. Does that count airplane gas? And what about plane maintenance?
And another thing...those awful postal shootings are no longer happening. Why? Cause the guys are busy. The pays good. And there is probably enough overtime for all who want it. Heck, there's just no time to get disgruntled.
So forget about the money.
Pat yourselves on the back people...We are saving lives!
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Borillar
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posted on November 15, 2000 12:18:32 PM
For me, it's not the question of whether the money is now being used to cover a good cause, such as raised gasoline prices or not. The issue is that this raise was given before OPEC played their trump card on the American people and that it was given simply because they could ak for one, not because they needed it.
Alternatively, I'd like to see if these new appropriations are actually going for "incresed fule costs" or into USPS's piggy bank.
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Brooklynguy-07
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posted on November 15, 2000 01:43:10 PM
This makes me sick!!
[ edited by BROOKLYNGUY on Nov 15, 2000 01:44 PM ]
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