Call this my GOING POSTAL blogger. January 3, 2009 posting. (Rates were increased since on January 18, 2009).
Use your BACK button to get back to wherever you came from when you are done reading.
Okay, folks. This is ridiculous and it costs YOU!
Last May 2008, the postal
'service' raised their rates. It was the second raise in two years. The
TV "news" mentions of it were that it was
"only a penny" on First Class. Well, they neglected to mention HUGE hikes
in Priority Mail (your packages) at that time also. Some of the zip code zones that I ship to
had $2.00 - $5.00 increases for a small
package under five pounds! THAT means online merchants were forced to
start charging YOU this much more if you were in one of those zones...and all
went up some. They even bumped up the insurance price and the delivery
confirmations were raised 10 cents each. For the last TWO YEARS, they have
RAISED postal prices while LOWERING their services.
If you do not ship everyday like I do, you may not realize how the Postal Service is GOUGING YOU.
If you do not ship everyday like I do, you may not realize how the Postal Service is beginning to collect your personal buying information by driving merchants to their 'cheaper' services by raising the rates so much. Here is how.
Let me try to break it down for you because it gets a little complicated.
My way, the old fashioned way.
1. I buy stamps and put them on your package. I must pay full retail for
postage just as you do.
2. I manually make out the green Delivery Confirmation sticker for your
package and email the number to you. I must pay full retail for
the Delivery Confirmation to do this. When I do it this way, my post office
HAS TO scan the package proving I shipped it and allowing you to track it.
This allows YOU to see online when I actually SHIP the package. This
allows you to see online, where your package goes from one sorting station to
another and when it is finally delivered to its destination.
3. NOTE, However, when I do this, the post office REFUSES to pick up my packages
FORCING me to make a 35 mile round trip to ship your package. (Hence, I
increased my handling fee 50 cents last year - from $1 per package to $1.50 per
package.) The local postmaster told me it is part of their
'anti-terrorism' law.
Their new government way.
1. Now, if I were to use the Postal online service(s) such as Click & Ship, I
get postage price discounted, the Delivery Confirmation for free and the mail truck
WILL pick up my packages so no more trips to the post office. The
Postal authorities even
have the audacity to promote this method saying my customers will
not know of these discounts & freebies and I can keep the difference from the retail pricing of postage and
delivery confirmation!
Sounds like a great deal for me, hmm?
No, not really. And certainly NOT for you either!
2. If I were to use the Postal online service(s) such as Click &
Ship, the post service REFUSES to scan the Delivery Confirmation
so you and I have NO proof
I ACTUALLY shipped your package or when or where. Eh, what happened to the
'service' in Postal Service??
3. If I were to use the Postal online service(s) such as Click & Ship, the
government then has my mailing list, that is, what YOU buying online - or at
from what types of companies...so then if they want, they know essentially what
you are buying.
This doe not likely matter to me. I basically sell toys/hobby items.
However, it MAY matter to you and even if not, it is but one more
camel's nose under the privacy/freedom tent wall. Do you want that?
Now that I have laid the some rate hike
history at your feet,
you will be pleased to know
that as of January 18, 2009
(Like TWO WEEKS from today) THEY ARE RAISING RATES
AGAIN!
DONE DEAL, this posting now updated 02/12/2009.
And several postmasters have told me that they intent to raise your rates every
year for the next FIVE years!
(well, now four years since they are doing it to this year already.)
http://www.usps.com/prices/pricechanges.htm?from=home_ftpromo&page=newshippingprices
READ ALL ABOUT IT ON THEIR WEBSITE.
RATES to INCREASE.
Flat Rate Envelope from base of $4.80 to $4.95.
Small Box (one pound I assume) from base of $4.80 to $4.95.
Regular Flat Rate Box from base of $9.80 to $10.35.
Large Flat Rate Box from base of $12.95 to $13.95.
When I get more info, I will post it.
PLEASE, if you do not like being squeezed at every END you have,
contact your
postmaster AND the Post Master General AND
your CONGRESSMEN. Thank you for
reading.
Any errors in reporting will be corrected upon discovery
and are certainly not intentional. Page last updated 1/3/09
02/12/09