USPS Predicts 1 Billion Fewer Pieces of Mail This Holiday Season

by: Snapped

Lots of folks ‘shopped early’ this year, taking advantage of both way lower prices during pandemic related slow buy periods, and the fact those stim checks are now exhausted.  

Also, USPS increases and lags have decreased USPS desirability in the competitive market, even if prices are not a factor.  Interesting note - UPS hands off a significant % of their last mile to the USPS.   Because they can’t do it for the price they charge.  USPS ‘projections’ don’t account for those since they are ‘outside’ the network, and thus unpredictable by the USPS.

Those out there seeking postal demise would do well to remember all that.  Loss leaders don’t last.  

by: The End

"USPS Predicts 1 Billion Fewer Pieces of Mail This Holiday Season"
Well, a package just over 4 lbs to Washington state costs a little over $74.
So, I'm pretty sure their "Choke" strategy is working......

by: terry55

Post master General is getting his way, destroying the USPS, my sales have dropped 50% since Oct's rate increase. Every rate increase sales dropped, if in deed they adding $15 to packages over 30", just from the boards on ebay, there will be 30-50% drop in USPS packages.  

by: airbrake

The mail has already started to slow up. Half of the 40 packages I sent out last week 1st. Class, Priority, missed their delivery date by 1 - 2 days. Weather has been exceptionally good as of late so that had nothing to do with it. I am in the approximate middle of the country and items were going to all coasts and four corners so I can really see what the picture is as they track.

Anything going East, Northeast, Midwest, Upper Midwest has slowed. Anything going to West Coast, Ca., Ore., Wash State seems to be okay so far, probably because of Lost Wages flights. The airlines have already announced they over sold for the entire holiday season by 17% so the first thing thrown off airplane overloads is the mail. The one exception I see is anything going West to Central California is going by truck through Salt lake City. Just wait until the weather turns with a majority of the mail moving on trucks.

Thanksgiving in the coming week should be a good picture window of coming events. New Jersey & New York sorts has never really gotten over Ida.

As far as less mail being handled this year over last year, again the Post Office shows their inability to forecast properly. I say it's going to be more than last year. What's everybody going to do, walk their cards, letters and packages to the recipients? Covid is raising its ugly head again, so the press and Government say. FedEx is already having problems and UPS is starting to have problems with on time delivery.

by: iheartjacksparrow

What does DeJoy expect when the rates keep increasing and the service keeps decreasing? I just wish someone would start a service similar to the First Class Package service. Amazon would be the logical choice since they have not only their own vans but use the Piggy Cars.

by: eBaySince2006

It's the higher costs. 25% our packagies (usually 3 lbs and over) used to ship with USPS now they ship with FedEx or UPS due to USPS price increases  

by: COVID-19

Gee, this couldn't possible have anything to do with the price increase AND a slowing down of service, could it? So shocking.

This is all good news for the USPS workers though. Less work for them to do. Less packages for them to abuse.

by: terry55

COVID-19
I know my mail lady is loving it, she use to come by and pick up my packages around 3-4Pm for the last year and half, mid way thru her route, since about mid Oct when ebay messed up the site, rates jumped and amazon started delivering , she's back on her regular time, 11am-noon, home by 3pm

by: leavingNY

After what happened last year to sellers, especially small sellers with HUGE delays and hassles from buyers that come with it. To insulting sellers by holiday surge pricing that started earlier this year, so the USPS can capitalize on it, is the reason why the USPS strategy failed in trying to shake us down this year and giving us lousey service with higher prices on top of it. AND it doesn't stop there. The USPS is raising their prices AGAIN in January when we were misled that they would not. Making the flat rate boxes smaller is NOT a good way to do business either. For years I have items that fit exactly inside the older boxes, now they won't. Its like the USPS is discouraging business now.  

by: Stone Cutter

Postal price increases have nothing to do with less packages being delivered...NOTHING at all.

1) Consumers shopped early because of Covid and are concerned about a short supply of products. This information has come from the banking industry.
2) Inflation is putting the breaks on many shoppers as "sticker shock" is an issue. Already reported is that those deep discounts by retailers are not so deep this year.

Inflation, inflation, inflation....Those with money continue to spend. Those living on the edge are pulling back. So the question...Who is your customer...rich or poor? If my customers have to spend an extra $2 bucks to ship a product, my customers don't care.

by: Stone Cutter

First class mail is dead. I spend $13.00 to ship a piece of jewelry (which includes insurance), and I've never had a complaint about USPS...their service has been awesome! USPS gives me an estimate of a 3 day delivery but consistently delivers in 2 days. USPS can no longer afford to mail deliveries for cheap. You gotta pay to play! Sellers can no longer afford to sell cheaply priced products...period. Cards, letters to grandmas are all concepts of the past.  Reality check!

by: Disgusted

Higher prices and slower service.  What do they think would be the result?

by: Chicago48

I think these are the reasons why: 1) For a priority mail cost, UPS/Fedex/Smartpost have comparable rates and deliver just as fast.  2) Delivery costs are causing shoppers to "hesitate" when buying; I know it does me.  3)  More shoppers are shipping to the store, which is free.  Usually the company (Home depot) already has the product in a nearby warehouse or another store and can deliver to that neighborhood store.

by: epuise

I sell antiques & collectibles...
There is a MAX people will pay... e.g. $125 for a Lamp.
People do not ADD shipping to the $125.
They want to SPEND $125.
When postage was $25, before fees, the lamp fetched $100.
Now that postage is $50 plus...
Combined w/ labor, materials, returns...
The lamp is no longer WORTH selling online.
Sellers like me are ONLY doing Local Pickup now.

by: BargainzBabylon

Comparing anything to the pandemic year is silly.  OF COURSE there will be less mail...people can shop in person this time.  Stores are hopping.  This is a nothing burder.