Friday, July 30, 2010

How about a half-off sale?

One Nebraska Postmaster wrote me about increasing volume.
Here's what she had to say:

"Yes, I think the postage increase is too high. What happened to the supply and demand? We can't make that work with out both of those things out there. We need to create that situation.  Volume is better.


What would happen if the Post Office had a half price sale? Every letter mailed on the 13th of the month could be mailed for half price. That would create some volume. Yes, people would send all the mail on the 13th, but so what. It doesn't hurt us to work a little harder once in a while."

What do you think about this idea? Comment here.

9 comments:

jasmine in Montana said...

How would we manage that in combination with our mandate to break even? Imagine the scheduling complexities! Imagine the financial acrobatics needed to keep it all SOX compliant! I remeber when I was a PTF carrier in a busy city office: we all thought it would be less work to just come in on the holidays than to make up for lost time on the day(s) after a holiday. A half-off sale might work in a small office for non-stamp-stock items, but on a national level I think it would cost more money than the revenue generated.

Anonymous said...

The 1/2 off sale for one day a month sounds good, but think of all aspects of the Postal Service and it doesn't quite work. At the processing facilities the volume would go down for the most of the month, compared to now, and then volume would spike on 1 day. This would save us nothing because overtime would be extremely high on the volume day and then we would have many workers guaranteed 8 hours of work the rest of the month that had little or no work.

grannybunny said...

I don't really think we're looking for a greater volume of items that create a loss.

Anonymous said...

In a small rural office, I struggle for the trickles I get now. You offer a 1/2 day....and my customers would wait for that day to save money. In this office, the volume would remain the same overall, but my revenue would take a hit. No half off sales...that owuld only confuse the people.

Anonymous said...

Not a fan of the 1/2 off on one day a month. Perception would be that if we can do it one day for 1/2 the cost why not every day. Maybe offering 10% discount on postal products (not stamps) when they send 3 or more stamped items would be an idea to generate mail plus push our other products. Granted they may wait to mail their usual 3 items but we are getting them to buy something they might not otherwise consider buying.

Joan said...

Most bills are due either the 1st or the 15th. I can see a big problem in chosing a day that could make the USPS break even. Especially if all POS units nation wide had to be changed for one day of the month. OHH the problems that would make>

Anonymous said...

How about eliminating HALF of the management jobs... that would definately have a cost saving effect.
From where I stand as a carrier, these guys are wasting a lot of time...

Anonymous said...

No, it wouldn't work. The public would think if you can do it on the 13th why not the rest of the month. How about all PTF's being cross trained to do whatever job is needed in the office they are at. No more, I am a carrier I can't be a clerk or vice versa.

Anonymous said...

The whole idea of "cross crafting" needs to be trashed. You are not a carrier, mail hander, or clerk...you are a postal employee. But that's OK...stand by that idea....but take a minute to see how many people have been taken off the rolls this year...who is going to pick up the slack?? Look in the mirror and start thinking what's best for the USPS and not yourself. :(