Comments on: Save the U.S. Postal Service (and Rate Increase)

By: Dee

Dee — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:34:13 +0000

Hi Wendy — I left the IRS to work at the post office years ago when it was part of the federal government. I worked in the mark-up unit, which is the department that keys address changes with those yellow stickers. Anyway, we had quotas to fulfill and were hardworkers just like the other clerks and mail carriers. However, it was routine for highly paid supervisors to sit at desks and read the daily newspaper and other magazines from beginning to end. Like any other government entity, when there is no owner or boss watching the bottom line, there is a lot of waste! I personally do not understand the supposed “losses” when there are many stamp collectors who purchase stamps for viewing only just like the Franklin Mint coins. Rather than stop mail service or increase prices, I’m sure they could find some fat to trim.

By: Missive Maven

Missive Maven — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:06:58 +0000

Wow, I had no idea about the measuring of mail volume this time a year. Ack, this is when I have the LEAST time to send letters! I'll do my best. Missive Maven’s last blog post..Donovan's gorgeous Paper Doll letter

By: Christine

Christine — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 21:02:20 +0000

As a pt rural mail carrier we keep hearing about the decreasing mail volume. I personally do not see it as my route mainly Mennonites who rely on the USPS for their many little businesses and letters from family spread around the country.

Cartoony, esp. Disney stuff sells well for the PO much to my dismay also. I personally think Disney makes enough money w/o the postal service.

Our little PO held a “write a letter” month with little response .

Between Feb. 14 and March 14 please mail mail mail! It is the month of mail count which evaluates the USPS performance! Do NOT rubber band any letters together as that counts as one letter even if it is 50. The more you mail this month the better for the whole system!

By: Sunbeam Soapbox » I am obsessed with letters.

Sunbeam Soapbox » I am obsessed with letters. — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 20:53:20 +0000

[...] Actual ideas for the post office to utilize to optimize its business. Activism! And letters! It’s, like, a blogger after my own heart! [...]

By: Carla

Carla — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:02:03 +0000

Those are great ideas! Hopefully someone at the Postal Service will listen to you/us! My only idea so far has been to write more letters and encourage others to write more letters! Carla’s last blog post..Mail Art

By: Wendy

Wendy — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 17:41:03 +0000

Hey, I ran across something else that would make a good idea…

In another country they have a letter writing contest

That’s a nice bit of marketing as well!

By: PostMuse

PostMuse — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:36:12 +0000

One of the ideas I submitted years ago was an art contest to create postcards of the US UNESCO World Heritage sites. There would be 5 winning designs for each site and they would be sold in a package, or you could buy the entire set for all the sites (currently at 20, so that would be 100 postcards). The top winner for each site would also have their design made into a postage stamp.

The current postcards offered by the USPS are nice, but so very cartoon-y. It would be nice to showcase our country with photos and less cartoon-y art.

And all this would so capture the attention of collectors, not just in the US, but worldwide.

By: VintageGent

VintageGent — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 14:12:04 +0000

Well…popular commemorative stamps usually boost sales. I think the Elvis stamp was a blockbuster seller and I know there were others like Star Wars stamps. I know no one living can be on a stamp, but “characters” can be.

What about a “best of SuperBowl commercials” series? Or 80s toys?

There are obscure and tiny island nations that make big money off of their stamps that have certain subject matters and oddly enough the USPS actually prints them for them. Have you been to Vanuatu, or Turks and Caicos? No? But you probably bought their Madonna, Barack Obama, and Cars of the World Stamps if you are a stamp collector.