Could be just keeping up with the costs of inflation or a simple case of supply and demand.
Supply and demand would be raising the price to cool demand. In this case they raise the price to offset people using stamps less. Which causes even less people to use stamps.
Yes, it's because Congress decided in 2006 to make the USPS pre-fund their retiree benefits (unlike any other public or private entity in the US.) Some may say that this change was specifically designed to make the USPS less competitive than their for-profit counterparts. Some say it was designed to undercut the USPS's employees, the vast number of which are unionized. What everyone can agree on is that it was devastating to the USPS financial model, for no particular gain/positive impact on retirees.
The USPS doesn’t have a pension fund. It’s TSP ( Thrift Savings Plan) is just a basic 401k. No employee hired after 1983 is a pensioner.
At my local post office there are still long lines many times during the day.I have been going to my local post office daily to get my mail for decades now. I recently have seen the reduction in people mailing packages or even having PO Boxes. I also have seen a poorer attitide service level by the post office staff, too. And the parking lot have fewer cars every time I come to the Post Office.
I have been attibuting this to our new postmaster. Most of the regular counter staff transfered to other post offices after her arrival. The replacement staff is marginally skilled ... to where the postmaster has to work the counter with her chosen and younger staff.
But the real harm ... fewer businesses are coming in to this post office. I guess I will have to drive down the road and look up a clerk who used to work at my post office. She transfer out due to the new postmaster management and attitude.
Is it my local postmaster or the overall reduction in usage of the US Postal Service?
That is because they have closed branches. The problem is that most people are just going in to ship packages and it takes forever. Did you know you can actually ship a package using PayPal, without someone actually having to buy something from you through PayPal? No lines and you get a discount on the shipping cost. You just need a printer to print the label. You can also do the same thing on USPS.com, just no discount.At my local post office there are still long lines many times during the day.
To be fair, you can buy the same forever stamps at the post office for the same price...Buy Forever Stamps at Costco, and the current price won’t matter.
Dave
To be fair, you can buy the same forever stamps at the post office for the same price...
Nope, no branches closed in our city.That is because they have closed branches. The problem is that most people are just going in to ship packages and it takes forever. Did you know you can actually ship a package using PayPal, without someone actually having to buy something from you through PayPal? No lines and you get a discount on the shipping cost. You just need a printer to print the label. You can also do the same thing on USPS.com, just no discount.
USPS stays busy delivering catalogs that we no longer want. Every so often I try https://www.catalogchoice.org/ to get rid of them, but they keep on coming. Viking Cruise Lines is the worst. We get junk mail from them every week.
I had to pay return shipping on an item I was returning to the manufacturer for a refund last year, and it cost me more in postage than the item itself cost. That was a wakeup call!
Dave
The USPS doesn’t have a pension fund. It’s TSP ( Thrift Savings Plan) is just a basic 401k. No employee hired after 1983 is a pensioner.