posted on May 8, 2001 07:35:01 AM new
Watching CNBC this morning - they broke in to announce the Post Office has announced a $900 Million Dollar rate increase effective July 1 - especially hitting priority mail. This after slamming everyone with that massive increase just 3 months ago in February. Unbelievable.
[ edited by InternetEdge on May 8, 2001 08:12 AM ]
posted on May 8, 2001 09:09:12 AM new
Turns out the CNBC report on priority getting hit especially hard isn't really accurate. The 1st two pounds remain the same - then prices go slightly higher for additional pounds. The biggest impact to me will be the first class rate increase. I went from shipping almost all priority to only about 30% priority with the last price increase in February. Most go first class now. The first ounce stays 34 cents but each additional ounce goes up 2 more cents to 23 cents. Will add about 3 more nickels per package to the nickel and diming to death we are geting from the PO, PayPal, Billpoint and others.
posted on May 8, 2001 10:12:22 AM new
Well, I'm so sick of the post office, anyway! Where we used to live, they were great-really appreciated all my business. At our new town, I get griped at every time I come in.
first they told me to carry everything in the back door, so I didn't back up the line in front. Twice I did that. Both times, they told me no one was working in back, and to carry them back up front-and the last time, I got chewed out for borrowing one of their baskets to carry the stuff in.
So I've been going in front and standing in line-one clerk there told me today to 'call ahead and let them know I was coming'! Then told me to carry them around back! I told her she had just convinced me to get out of this business completely-we're talking about a PO with a half dozen people working in there, not some tiny place with one worker. And maybe 20 packages, all paperwork done and ready to go.
When the postal workers are getting mad because we 'bother' them, I don't think they need to be raising rates!
posted on May 8, 2001 10:30:44 AM new
That is simply outrageous! You should complain to the head of the brand and if that does not work ask for the name of his supervisor and complain to them and right on up the line until you get a satisfactory response. On the one hadn they cry about not making enough money and on the other they try to chase the people speding the most money out of the building!
Fortunately we have not had that problem. I spend about $1000 a month at the post office and take 20-40 packages each time I go (paperwork all filled out). They usually have 4-5 clerks on duty. I know all of them by 1st name and none of them has ever given me a hard time. And this is in a post office branch that is ranked among the 5 most overloaded branches in the U.S. (they are opening another brand 3 miles up the street nin a few months to alleviate some of the load). In short, you are running into a people problem and someone in charge needs to know they have a bunch of jerks manning their customer service windows at your branch.
[ edited by InternetEdge on May 8, 2001 10:31 AM ]
posted on May 8, 2001 02:51:26 PM new
Computerboy, you need to revisit the USPS site because that is not the case. 1 & 2 pound rates didn't change but all other Priority went up in relation to each pound.
Up to 3 pounds add 5 cents, 4 pounds up 10 cents, 5 pounds up 15 cents etc. Over 5 pounds is way up the further you're mailing. I'm east coast but most of my buyers are west coast--Yowza at the new over 5 pound rates. You have to consult the USPS zone chart to determine which rate is correct for over 5 pounds. UPS is likely a much better deal in that case.
posted on May 9, 2001 07:57:31 AM new
Bearmom - I was shocked by the attitude at your PO. What business are they in, anyway? Good grief! Reminds me of yesterday when I was something like 4th in line, minding my own business, and two bitches on lunch break [I assume] were griping about having to stand in line. Well, so do all the immigrants busy buying money orders to send home to Central America, so they can just get over themselves.
I am fortunate in that the clerks I deal with all like me and chat me up and congratulate me when I seem to be doing well [lots of mail!]. I always have lots of mail but the packages are easy because I have my ducks in a row.
I do feel sorry for the clerks who are abused by customers, but I think people like us just give them lots of business. Of course, they get paid either way, so maybe some of them just don't want work.
posted on May 9, 2001 01:01:41 PM new
One of the biggest problems is it seems the Post Office does not train the window staff. A seller for the past three years, we train a new window clerk almost every three months at our small rural post office. Each time the change, each clerk has his or her own quirks. The last one will not allow us to cash Canadian postal money orders - even though they are required to..
When the rate Priority rates jumped in January we took a very close look at shipping. We found that shipping UPS with daily pickup - even when you only ship a few items - paid for itself in no time. If your priority mail expenses are greater than $50.00 a week, look into UPS. When you figure in the cost of insurance and tracking at the two lbs rate for the Post Office - you can ship most placed in the US by UPS for the same cost or just a few cents more. Once you get over 3 lbs - it is almost always cheaper by sending via UPS with pickup at your house. An added perk is you do not have to stand in line. As long as your are over $50.00 the weekly pick service fee is approx $10.00.
When we stopped spending $2000 a month at the local post office and switched to UPS - it was noticed!. Our local rural post master asked if we would mind a phone call from her boss - as when we stopped shipping via US PS -it cut here office numbers by half. I see our phone call with Management fell on deaf ears......
posted on May 24, 2001 12:58:57 PM new
I was lucky, i stopped going to my big city (loaded with overpaid jerks) post office and traveled only an extra 2 miles to a suburb post office, that was 3 years ago, I have been on eBay and yahoo for 4 years and the small 2 clerk p.o. has been a God send, i know both ladies very well, we all now not only know each other we are friends, they know all of us who do eBay (about 7 of us go to this little P.O. that I know of anyway) and life as far as the post office is good for me, other than the price rate increases of course but the clerks have nothing to do with that....they hate it to.
my 1st year on eBay was spent at the large city P.O. and it was Hell on earth (kind of like the way things are now going on eBay and Yahoo auction sites...a real pain!)
posted on May 24, 2001 08:51:50 PM new
The new prices even since Feb. have been killers for low end sales. I'm learning to save tons of little boxes and starting to use 1st class, because the shipping is killing off sales fast.
I don't stand in lines anymore. I just buy my postage ahead of time, and always quote what my shipping cost is, except of course international. So I have all the stamps ready and paste them on and off I go to hand to my postal workers. They LOVE me for it.
Made my life so much easier. I've been in line with a person shipping tons of stuff and no info ready for postal man and it just stops everything in it's tracks.
Actually the post office would be doing all a service if they would keep a person or avenue for the big shippers open, would help us and them all the way around. But we know that will never happen.
Joan
http://www.geocities.com/justjoansetc/
posted on May 25, 2001 12:56:56 PM new
I am a Canadian seller, and need help. The postage rate for a letter from the U.S. to Canada increased from 38 cents to 60 cents at the beginning of the year, then a buyer wrote and told me that it has now gone up to 70 cents, and I am telling everyone that, but someone else has now told me it is still 60cents, I am confused. I need to tell buyers, otherwise half the payments get returned to sender for lack of postage!
posted on May 25, 2001 04:41:54 PM new
Amber
It is .60 for a letter until at least June 30th. I don't know if this is one of the rates that will increase July 1st but it is and will remain .60 from U.S. to Canada for the next 5 weeks.
posted on May 26, 2001 11:30:26 AM new
Rates from the US to Canada were 48 cents for a half ounce, and I believe 55 cents for a 1 ounce. They eliminated the half ounce rate, and raised the 1 ounce to 60 cents. Since letters are basically 1/2 ounce or less, that raised the rates pretty signficantly. (Mexico was worse, that went up from 40 cents to 60 cents)
However, the rate is not set to increase on July 1. However, that is subject to change, and unlike domestic rates which require up to a year and a lot of bureaucracy to change, the US Postal Service can change the international rates anytime they want, with little warning too. Last time around, the international rates went up like crazy! I love the "It's only a penny" line - It's way more expensive to send things overseas.
