Submitted by Michael on Sun, 2007/09/09 - 10:46am.
I love the machines as they are a convenient source of the beloved dollar coins. Drop a twenty in, buy a book of stamps, and it sounds like you've hit the jackpot on a slot machine.
~m.
How does one "phase out" a profitable corporation?
...especially one that employs 700,000 people, and visits every deliverable business and residential address in the US and its territories six days a week.
Submitted by Pam Strickland on Tue, 2007/09/11 - 1:33am.
I don't remember the statistic, but an unbelievable percentage of those people are set to retire in the next few years because they're WW II era vets. It's a long story but my brother ended up as a substitute rural mail carrier for for the last five years after he and his wife moved so she could get a huge promotion. And he's just now ready to get his own route and become a full-time employee. Only he thinks that they don't treat their employees well and wants out, He's started his own home inspection business, which makes more sense because his first love really is building things.
Pam Strickland
"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut
Why are they phasing out vending machines?
According to the article at Knoxnews:
"They’re old, outdated, often broken. And it’s time to follow the digital craze and start buying online."
If the poll stays its present course, it appears no one buys stamps online. Is our government purposely sabotaging the postal service so they can phase it out?
I'd also like to credit the blog The Crone Speaks for mentioning it.
Submitted by Carole Borges on Sun, 2007/09/09 - 7:59am.
I like to choose which stamps I buy. Many stamps are boring and overly patriotic with flags and liberty bells etc. I prefer artwork, pretty nature-oriented stamps, or meaningful ones celebrating things or people I appreciate. I'm not sure about this, but I think the machines have fewer choices. There aren't long lines at the North Knox post office on Broadway very often and the people there are very nice. I don't know why, but going to the post office has always been kind of a community thing for me. I like the interaction. Long lines really bug me though. I usually leave if I see there are more than a few people.
Submitted by Pam Strickland on Sun, 2007/09/09 - 8:10am.
I remember when you could buy stamps from the carrier. Now that was service. it was wonderful because our carrier was also the father of one of my school mates. Community for sure. These days the carrier is not allowed to sell you stamps.
I sometimes buy at the grocery store, but like Carole I prefer picking my stamps because I hate those damned flags. I've accepted the liberty bells when there's no other choice (except the flag). But give me quilts or flowers or baseball or weird architecture. None of which are in the machines.
I only know of two people who buy stamps online, both do it to get the personalized stamps. One has stamps that feature the artwork of another person. The other has stamps that feature her dog.
pgs
Pam Strickland
"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut
I was shipping a package at the post office on Weisgarber one day a few years ago and heard roosters crowing. I asked the clerk and was told they had roosters in the back that had been ordered by mail and were awaiting pickup.
As for the vending machines, before they started accepting pennies, I would always end up with a bunch of one cent stamps that I never used. Oh and as long as there is Ebay the post office will never be phased out.
Submitted by bizgrrl on Sun, 2007/09/09 - 10:55am.
UPS, FedEx
Not quite as cost effective as the USPS.
With the USPS a business can mail 200 marketing pieces, notices, fwup letters, etc. for around $80. If using FedEx I'm pretty sure it would be $1,000 or more.
Submitted by ATSF616 on Sun, 2007/09/09 - 11:45am.
USPS also sells stamps-by-mail for no additional mark-up or fees. Turnaround time is generally three business days. All letter carriers and post offices should have the forms.
USPS also sells stamps-by-mail for no additional mark-up or fees. Turnaround time is generally three business days. All letter carriers and post offices should have the forms.
Twice a year we get the forms left in the mail-box by the letter carrier. I never brought them that way.
Submitted by Terry Troll on Mon, 2007/09/10 - 12:31pm.
You did not have the stand in a short line at the USPS option. That is usually what I do. If I am really in a hurry, my bank ATM sells them with only a small mark-up.
customer service at grocery stores.
customer service at grocery stores
I should have thought this one through a little better.
Adrift in the Sea of Humility
Sounds great .. but with UPS, FedEx, and those nifty emails perhaps we could look at just phasing out the damn Post Office.
I love the machines as they are a convenient source of the beloved dollar coins. Drop a twenty in, buy a book of stamps, and it sounds like you've hit the jackpot on a slot machine.
~m.
How does one "phase out" a profitable corporation?
True happiness is knowing you are a hypocrite. -- Ivor Cutler
How does one "phase out" a profitable corporation?
...especially one that employs 700,000 people, and visits every deliverable business and residential address in the US and its territories six days a week.
I don't remember the statistic, but an unbelievable percentage of those people are set to retire in the next few years because they're WW II era vets. It's a long story but my brother ended up as a substitute rural mail carrier for for the last five years after he and his wife moved so she could get a huge promotion. And he's just now ready to get his own route and become a full-time employee. Only he thinks that they don't treat their employees well and wants out, He's started his own home inspection business, which makes more sense because his first love really is building things.
Pam Strickland
"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut
I always buy them at the counter (Cedar Bluff and Alcoa) and rarely ever encounter long lines.
Why are they phasing out vending machines?
bizgrrl, you must not frequent the Cedar Bluff branch in the afternoon.
Brian A.
I'd rather be cycling.
Why are they phasing out vending machines?
According to the article at Knoxnews:
"They’re old, outdated, often broken. And it’s time to follow the digital craze and start buying online."
If the poll stays its present course, it appears no one buys stamps online. Is our government purposely sabotaging the postal service so they can phase it out?
I'd also like to credit the blog The Crone Speaks for mentioning it.
Adrift in the Sea of Humility
I like to choose which stamps I buy. Many stamps are boring and overly patriotic with flags and liberty bells etc. I prefer artwork, pretty nature-oriented stamps, or meaningful ones celebrating things or people I appreciate. I'm not sure about this, but I think the machines have fewer choices. There aren't long lines at the North Knox post office on Broadway very often and the people there are very nice. I don't know why, but going to the post office has always been kind of a community thing for me. I like the interaction. Long lines really bug me though. I usually leave if I see there are more than a few people.
I remember when you could buy stamps from the carrier. Now that was service. it was wonderful because our carrier was also the father of one of my school mates. Community for sure. These days the carrier is not allowed to sell you stamps.
I sometimes buy at the grocery store, but like Carole I prefer picking my stamps because I hate those damned flags. I've accepted the liberty bells when there's no other choice (except the flag). But give me quilts or flowers or baseball or weird architecture. None of which are in the machines.
I only know of two people who buy stamps online, both do it to get the personalized stamps. One has stamps that feature the artwork of another person. The other has stamps that feature her dog.
pgs
Pam Strickland
"We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." ~Kurt Vonnegut
I was shipping a package at the post office on Weisgarber one day a few years ago and heard roosters crowing. I asked the clerk and was told they had roosters in the back that had been ordered by mail and were awaiting pickup.
As for the vending machines, before they started accepting pennies, I would always end up with a bunch of one cent stamps that I never used. Oh and as long as there is Ebay the post office will never be phased out.
UPS, FedEx
Not quite as cost effective as the USPS.
With the USPS a business can mail 200 marketing pieces, notices, fwup letters, etc. for around $80. If using FedEx I'm pretty sure it would be $1,000 or more.
E-mail is not quite as personal as a letter, IMO.
USPS also sells stamps-by-mail for no additional mark-up or fees. Turnaround time is generally three business days. All letter carriers and post offices should have the forms.
Twice a year we get the forms left in the mail-box by the letter carrier. I never brought them that way.
I usually buy stamps at the Automated Postal Center thingy, unless I have other business at the counter. I assume they are not phasing those out?
No cash required, no change to fool with.
You did not have the stand in a short line at the USPS option. That is usually what I do. If I am really in a hurry, my bank ATM sells them with only a small mark-up.
I know, it was intentional. I wasn't really serious about the long line comment. I was just trying a republican tactic of manipulating the poll.
Adrift in the Sea of Humility
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