posted on July 19, 2002 06:38:55 PM
Yesterday I sent this email to the USPS thru their website:
I mail a large number of packages each week and I use Pitney Bowes ClickStamp to print my postage. This helps me because it allows me to simply drop off the packages at my Post Office each day rather than wait in the rather lengthy line. Today, (July 18, 2002) I was told by a clerk at my local Post Office that this will no longer be allowed. I was told that all parcels, even those with ClickStamp postage or Stamps.com postage or Endica postage must be brought to the counter to have a "Zero Cent" stamp placed on them. This means that I will have to go thru the 30 to 40 minute line every time I mail packages. My question is: Is this really the new policy of the USPS?
The response from USPS:
>>Thank you for your internet inquiry. It is true that all packages
weighing more than 1 lb must be taken to a Post Office and mailed
using the retail clerks. Starting Aug 10, 2002 the clerks are
required to add the zero cent from the retail PVI machine verifying
that the item was mailed at the Post Office. Mail without the zero
cent will not go by air, but will go by ground transportation.
These are not Postal regulations, rather they are FAA regulations.
Our packages are sometimes carried on commercial airlines and we
must adhere to the regulations dictated by them. I hope this
information is helpful, if you have any questions or need additional
information please contact our office.<<
I'm hoping they will rethink this. The new policy will not really increase security in any way IMO. It will cause massive congestion at the Post Office and drastically reduce the value of online Postage services such as
Pitney, Stamps, Simply and Endica.
posted on July 19, 2002 08:45:21 PM
It will be interesting to see comments and action from Pitney, Stamps, Simply and Endica as it appears the FAA is about to seriously and adversely affect their business.
posted on July 19, 2002 09:26:57 PM
At my PO which is the only PO for a city of 74,000 and just 12 miles from Denver, they have ALWAYS made me stand in line!
Some clerks have always insisted on zero stamping each of my 40 or so packages. Some just ring stamped them. Others just dumped my bins.
It is the norm to wait 25 minutes or so. Nov & Dec I have waited as long as 2 HOURS. Today, I heard they are talking about cutting back on the hours they are open. Even the window clerks say that if they do that there will be roits in the lobby.
In 2 years I have only walked in and out 3 times - that is only 3 times that I did not have to wait at all.
I use Endica but they have ALWAYS made me wait in line. I asked why several times because of reading post here that some of you can just drop them of or better yet give the packages to your mail delivery guy. HERE our carriers are NOT allowed to take packages. AND I can not put them in a blue collection box even thou it is considered identified mail.
USPS is really getting on my nerves!
I too will be leaving Endica if things at the PO do not change. The service at Endica is the best! Harry has even called my PO in regard to my problems.
Maybe Endica can become a UPS or Fed Ex operation (LOL!). I would hate to see these changes at the PO put Endicia out of business.
posted on July 19, 2002 09:30:14 PM
Here at the main post office in Vegas they require we stand in line regardless as well. I dropped Endicia when I found out it would not keep them from weighing each and every package and checking the postage.
posted on July 19, 2002 11:30:32 PM
Wow, this is huge. Not only will it hurt those businesses, but it will increase the line at the post office for EVERYONE, ultimately hurting the post office because it might convince some businesses to go UPS or FedEx, and have them pickup the packages.
Something I just thought of, if it is an FAA problem, why doesn't the post office just send those items via ground if they do not have the meter? If you are sending parcel post, it is ground anyway.
posted on July 20, 2002 01:20:52 AM
I'm really not happy about this! I have a real nice postman, and I don't even have to go to the post office. If I have to many packages to fit in my mail box, or if the package is to big, he just told me to leave him a note in my mailbox,and he comes to the door to pick them up. He said he can only do this for me since I am a business, and that they do know me. I can't leave it at the door, they have to have me hand it to him...that changed after 9-11. This really is bad news. I can't get to the post office every day, it is to far away.
This way, I can get the packages out right away. And my Post office is closed on Saturday, so I could never send another package on the weekend. What a mess this will be.
"There can't be a crisis today. My schedule is already full"
posted on July 20, 2002 06:53:51 AM
my small town PO told me I had to stand in line that was OCT last year, Yes it will hurt business, they said due to 9-11, anthrax, pipe bombs, they need to see the face of the person maiing, OK like they would remember who sent what! But think about the crazies out there, mailing all that crap, I fly alot, I like the fact there is extra security with the packages (does the security work, I don't know but we have to start somewhere) I was told pre stamped mail I could just walk to the front of the line and drop off the packages and leave. My mail man is no longer able to take even one package for me.
Ask your PO if you can just drop off on the counters and skip the lines, also what about the small mailbox companies that take mail for USPS, would they charge you just to drop off?
I understand the hassle this will cause you all, dont' get me wrong, but really who is going to ship much anymore with there rate hike anyway? fed ex- ups etc...
posted on July 20, 2002 07:35:27 AM
My post office is so small they don't even have the machine that prints postage labels. Are they going to get the machines into the smaller offices or what?
posted on July 20, 2002 09:48:51 AM
I use UPS for most of my packages but I do use endicia for a few packages and just put them in my mail box, mail carrier will take them.
If USPS will start their new policy by Aug 10 then I will just use UPS for all packages and drop Endicia.
posted on July 20, 2002 07:41:30 PM
I know there are some catalogue operations that use the PO ( Chadwick's does for sure). I can see them having someone in the shipping department load up the mail for the day and stand in line at the PO.
What about those that pay the $10.25 for mail pick up at their house or business. If the PO going to elementate that service?
posted on July 20, 2002 08:51:13 PM
I would really like to see Endicia's President, forgot his name, HarryWhitehouse??? get on here about now.
He has come on here a lot before.
I wonder what he would say about all this.
The only reason we signed up with Endicia and are paying the fee's for it, is because the ease of 'just dropping them off' .
Now if I have to wait in line, why pay the fee's, when I have to be at the P.O. I might as well have the clerk, weigh and affix postage to them instead of me.
posted on July 20, 2002 09:08:03 PM
NearTheSea - I emailed Harry a link to this thread yesterday. I can only assume he is getting the facts or is on vacation since he is really good about responding on these type of issues.
I too am waiting to hear what he has to say.
I can not imagine how bad this will hurt his business.
posted on July 20, 2002 09:10:13 PM
I think all of those stamp services are in for a big fall. The CEO's are probably too busy selling their stock to come here.
posted on July 21, 2002 12:06:03 AM
I thought they had something like this in mind when they made it so that the clerks have to scan EDC barcodes to enter them into the system.
This pretty much makes their own online postage a waste. There's no point in it because it doesn't really save any time now.
Finer Fashions on Ebay, top designers, latest styles. http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/feistyone/
posted on July 21, 2002 12:24:35 AM
Well I for one just started using Endicia and I love it, and regardless of whether there is standing in line or not, ours are never long, and the more accurate records which Endicia provides, and the insurance via U-Pic – plus the easy DC on the packages is certainly worth the little charge…..we will stay with Endicia – and U-Pic. The time using these sites saves, in hand written insurance slips, etc., is worth the USPS hassle.
Since we started using Endicia and U-Pic, we are getting our packages out about 2 days faster and that is important. We only ship 1 to 2 lb. packages USPS, the rest go UPS, who picks them up daily from us.
I totally understand the need to check packages through, with all the nuts and possible terrorists which could ship explosive via mail. This is just life in our times.
[ edited by JWPC on Jul 21, 2002 12:26 AM ]
posted on July 21, 2002 11:08:02 AM
Endicia hasn't heard about these new regulations, and I just Emailed a link to this thread to some high level USPS HQ folks. Hopefully I'll hear from them tomorrow.
My understanding is that prior to 911, USPS shipped packages the following way:
Truck 33%
Commericial Air 33%
FedEx (contract) 33%
After 911, I'm told the mix is:
Truck 50%
FedEx 50%
So I'm not sure why FAA is involved since no packages are traveling via commercial airlines.
posted on July 21, 2002 01:49:38 PM
Sounds very odd that the head of an online postage company hasn't heard of all this commotion by now. That does not inspire confidence at all. When in doubt, feign ignorance.
In all fairness to Endica and the other online postage companines there has been no official press release regarding the policy on either the USPS website or the FAA website. At least not one that I can find. I would think that the online postage companies would have inside sources at the Post Office who would give them a heads up when something like this is coming down. It may be that the Post Office knowing that the policy would be controversial is trying to sneak it thru. There's less than 3 weeks before the policy kicks in and this is the first anyone has heard of this policy.
posted on July 21, 2002 03:35:57 PM
All across the country sellers are getting a story from the postal clerks and supervisors about having to present all packages in person and this CEO is saying it's all news to him?
This is like the Enron trials where one company officer after another said they had no idea there was any wrong doing at their company. This gets old. These people know exactly what's going on and use the old ignorance response as a cover.
The next step may be an instant ceasing of operations due to impending bankruptcy and no refunds for unused postage. You don't think it couldn't happen?
Perhaps you can find me another thread - earlier than this one - which states with such specificity that a $0.00 cent meter mark must be placed on packages at the retail USPS counter and stating that the date of implementation is August 10th.
Also, my comment regarding FedEx was simply stating that USPS packages > 1 lb have been flying on FedEx planes before and after 911 with the current USPS package acceptance & security policies in place. I believe there was recognition by FAA and USPS that the risk potential for a freight aircraft with 3 or 4 professional crew members was quite different than the risk potential for a 747 with 300+ passengers. I believe for that reason, packages > 1 lb have not been allowed on commercial passenger aircraft essentially since 911 whereas FedEx has been moving 50% of the USPS Priority Mail package volume.
Now this new policy may be an attempt to return packages > 1 lb to passenger planes. But we have not been advised of that either officially or unofficially.
posted on July 22, 2002 03:37:56 AMHarry: ignore that Oliver Stone Wannabe Troll! Logically, this "rule" will probably turn out to be another urban legend or internet hoax! I can't imagine the PO abandoning its lucrative pick-up service, as this so-called new rule would dictate!
I've used Endicia for the past 2 years & I'm a true cheerleader for this service! With so few good internet companies still out there, Endicia really stands out with its great software & superior CS!
THANK YOU Endicia for making my eBay life a lot easier and more profitable!
posted on July 22, 2002 07:01:04 AM
Thanks Harry for coming on here and talking about this (and thank you richierich for contacting him )
What I got thinking about this, since 9-11, Priority has been going on with no extra security measures (such as the 0 mark at the PO) and why now, and why if it was such a security risk, are they making if mandatory Aug 10, why not NOW, if they really do think it a security issue.
We got talking about this, and just a thought here about all this. Lessee, USPS have raised their rates drastically. Now this new online postage mark... (where all along they've been going out fine, and 9-11 was 10 months ago) we just *thought* that *maybe* (I just said *maybe*) USPS's way of trying to make more off postage.... see, you have to wait in line with packages that already have postage on them, from one place or the other, and *maybe* they are taking these each and re weighing, and say 'Gotcha! You need $xx. or just $.xx amount more on your package' ????? just a thought.
I can see how Endicia didn't hear about this.... I looked over USPS site and didn't see a thing about it. Even under all their new press releases, and you really would think they would put it in their press releases.
QUESTION: doesn't USPS have an online postage of their own that you can sign up with and do the postage at home? I thought they did, but I don't know what the name of it is. And wouldn't this be shooting themselves in the foot with this new policy (course they have a habit of doing just that all the time )
posted on July 22, 2002 10:43:20 AM
Does anyone have an official cite for this?
And, thanks Harry for all your help. I love Endicia and if these regulations are going to be implemented, I will still use Endicia. The convenience and recordkeeping can't be beat. Yours is one of the best companies I've ever dealt with.
