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What we collect!
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General Philatelic/Gen. Discussion : The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

 

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cougar
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08 Oct 2019
01:00:39pm

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I harvest all stamps in our company, which amounts to a few hundred definitives and no more than 3 to 5 commemorative stamps a year. We get about 10 pieces of mail a day, but most have no stamp. Out of the vendors many are now trying to get my e-mail address so they can e-mail me the bills saving postage, paper, printing and envelope costs. Needless to say I put my best foot forward to stop their "evolution".

One thing I noticed a few months ago though (not that it has not been happening for years) was how much one of our suppliers was overpaying to mail us the bill. They use a large size cover to put a stack of A4 pages inside, but the cost to get those mailed is currently $1.90.

To make sure I am correct I took the unopened package to Canada Post and they confirmed my findings.

With a Canada Post brochure showing the 2019 Bears Issue on the cover and a hopeful look I entered the premises of that business in town and asked for the person handling their mail.

Turns out, it is different people doing it every time, but they all do it the same way.
Instead of paying the $1.90 they always pay from $4.95 to $5.25.

I looked at the fairly pretty girl they had at the front desk and asked her: "Look, do you see anything wrong with this package and the rate you paid?"

She was visibly struggling for an answer and , I am sure, convincing herself that she did not understand my question because of my accent and for no other reason.

I gave her the Canada Post brochure and said: "You can just put two of these bear stamps on the cover and use the remaining $3 to buy yourself the morning coffee at Tim Hortons; it may leave you a bit for a cookie too. Everyone will be happier; especially me, who normally handles boring mail."


Final result? The outcome I expected. They keep on sending me the same package for $5 with just the ugly Pitney Bowes printed stamp / cancellation.

If you make millions a month, why bother; I guess.
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cougar
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08 Oct 2019
08:29:35pm

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re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

They waste their own money, which is oil and gas dollars. Ultimately, it may affect the prices of gas they offer but even there the impact will be negligible.

All I know is I can probably cut their postage costs in half.

Here, from their last envelope:
Image Not Found


First I thought their machine wasn't set up right, but they said they manually entered the values and were told to put a bit more.

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michael78651
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08 Oct 2019
10:01:55pm
re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

My wife works for two law firms. They have the same attitude, namely, "add a little bit more" on the meter. Seems to be an SOP for some businesses. People do it too, add a second first class stamp to a letter where only one stamp was necessary.

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09 Oct 2019
03:15:14am
re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

When you think about it there is no way to turn off a customer or a potential customer faster than to have something arrive "postage due".....

When my scale starts to blink between .8 ounce and 1 ounce I always add an extra stamp to cover the 2 ounce rate just in case ... pretty cheap insurance to keep a customer happy.

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michael78651
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09 Oct 2019
11:41:38am
re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

And I guess if you got a response from your attorney, and you had to pay postage due, you probably would question how good that attorney was being unable to pay postage!

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cougar
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09 Oct 2019
12:40:24pm

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re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

Webpaper, I am yet to see a "postage due" delivery in Canada. If postage is not enough, the letter is turned back.


There can be another reason why the big companies want to use post - meter machines rather than deal with stamps; this avoids any potential of having postage stamps stolen and used on private mail. But one has to put some trust in his/her employees at one point.

To me a much better approach would have been if the person dealing with the mail affixed nice commemorative postage to the tune of $1.90 and then taken the packages to a Canada Post outlet to get them processed. I imagine on 95% of them the postage would have been sufficient. Pay the remaining postage at the outlet and there you go, you've saved a bunch in exchange for 10 minutes of your time.

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Webpaper
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09 Oct 2019
03:26:52pm
re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

OK - there is a difference in our postal systems. Here in the states "postge due" is alive and well. May have something to do with the photographing of all mail pieces in the system.

And now - if you want to mail anything over 1/2 inch thick or weighing more than 10 ounces and use stamps you have to present the package to a clerk at the retail counter. Dependingon the post office and how busy it is this may take two minutes, it may take 30 minutes on a busy day or around a holiday.... here is the new rule.

"This month’s update to the rule will enhance the existing safety program by prohibiting packages with stamps as postage that are more than one-half inch thick and/or weigh more than 10 ounces from anonymously being entered into the mail stream through collection boxes or Post Office mail slots. Packages and all other mail pieces of this type will now need to be taken to a retail counter. This change is effective Oct. 1, 2019.

How to mail a package
Consumers who opt to use postage stamps to mail packages, or other items, weighing more than 10 ounces and/or more than one-half inch thick must conduct their transactions at a Post Office retail counter. Consumers can also take advantage of Postal Service self-service kiosks to purchase postage labels and drop those packages into the package slots, not mail slots, at a Post Office. If a restricted package or mail piece is found in a collection box, mail chute or lobby mail slot after Oct. 1 it will be returned to the sender with a Customer Return Label attached explaining the restrictions and reason for return."

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michael78651
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09 Oct 2019
06:02:45pm
re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

Carol, the old rule had the weight limit at 13 ounces, at which point a parcel also had to be sent by a package service other than first class. Do you see this change as possibly changing the maximum weight permitted for a first class parcel to no more than 10 ounces in the upcoming January 2020 rate changes?

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10 Oct 2019
07:54:58am
re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

IT doesn't appear that way - the following is from Ina Steiner's newsletter this morning.

"The Postal Service wrote in its press release, "Although Mailing Services price increases are based on the Consumer Price Index, Shipping Services prices are primarily adjusted according to market conditions. The Governors believe these new rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with needed revenue."

We've gone through the notice and pulled out some quick and dirty points of interest to online sellers.

Priority Mail
Priority Mail prices will increase an average of 4.1 percent.

Retail prices will increase an average of 4.9 percent.

Priority Mail Retail Flat Rate Box prices will be as follows:
- Small, $8.30;
- Medium, $15.05;
- Large, $21.10 and
- Large APO/FPO/DPO, $19.60.

The regular Flat Rate Envelope will be priced at $7.75, with the Legal Size and Padded Flat Rate Envelopes priced at $8.05 and $8.40, respectively.

Commercial Base and Commercial Plus Pricing (purchased online)
The Commercial Base prices will increase 2.8% on average. Commercial Base prices will, on average, reflect a 15.3 percent discount off of Retail prices.

Commercial Plus prices will increase 3.0% on average. Commercial Plus prices will, on average, reflect a 15.2 percent off of Retail prices.

First-Class Package Service (FCPS)
Overall, FCPS prices will increase 2.6 percent, with a 3.9 percent increase for FCPS-Retail and a 2.2 percent increase for FCPS-Commercial.

The USPS made a point of noting that, unlike some other shippers, the Postal Service does not add surcharges for fuel, residential delivery, or regular Saturday or holiday season delivery.

The PRC will review the prices before they are scheduled to take effect Jan. 26, 2020. The complete Postal Service price filings with prices for all products can be found on the PRC site under the Daily Listings section at prc.gov/dockets/daily.

For the Mailing Services filing see Docket No. R2020-1. For the Shipping Services filing see Docket No. CP2020-5.

The price change tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index."

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amsd
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Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads

10 Oct 2019
08:28:25am

Auctions
re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

the restrictions on first class mail bearing postage has been in place for a long time. I have a number of pieces in my collection documenting this.

the old cap was at 13 ounces, but was intended to be aimed at air mail, to avoid catastrophes larger than a mail truck.


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"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"

juicyheads.com/link.php?PLJZJP
        

 

Author/Postings
Members Picture
cougar

08 Oct 2019
01:00:39pm

Approvals

I harvest all stamps in our company, which amounts to a few hundred definitives and no more than 3 to 5 commemorative stamps a year. We get about 10 pieces of mail a day, but most have no stamp. Out of the vendors many are now trying to get my e-mail address so they can e-mail me the bills saving postage, paper, printing and envelope costs. Needless to say I put my best foot forward to stop their "evolution".

One thing I noticed a few months ago though (not that it has not been happening for years) was how much one of our suppliers was overpaying to mail us the bill. They use a large size cover to put a stack of A4 pages inside, but the cost to get those mailed is currently $1.90.

To make sure I am correct I took the unopened package to Canada Post and they confirmed my findings.

With a Canada Post brochure showing the 2019 Bears Issue on the cover and a hopeful look I entered the premises of that business in town and asked for the person handling their mail.

Turns out, it is different people doing it every time, but they all do it the same way.
Instead of paying the $1.90 they always pay from $4.95 to $5.25.

I looked at the fairly pretty girl they had at the front desk and asked her: "Look, do you see anything wrong with this package and the rate you paid?"

She was visibly struggling for an answer and , I am sure, convincing herself that she did not understand my question because of my accent and for no other reason.

I gave her the Canada Post brochure and said: "You can just put two of these bear stamps on the cover and use the remaining $3 to buy yourself the morning coffee at Tim Hortons; it may leave you a bit for a cookie too. Everyone will be happier; especially me, who normally handles boring mail."


Final result? The outcome I expected. They keep on sending me the same package for $5 with just the ugly Pitney Bowes printed stamp / cancellation.

If you make millions a month, why bother; I guess.

Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Members Picture
cougar

08 Oct 2019
08:29:35pm

Approvals

re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

They waste their own money, which is oil and gas dollars. Ultimately, it may affect the prices of gas they offer but even there the impact will be negligible.

All I know is I can probably cut their postage costs in half.

Here, from their last envelope:
Image Not Found


First I thought their machine wasn't set up right, but they said they manually entered the values and were told to put a bit more.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
michael78651

08 Oct 2019
10:01:55pm

re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

My wife works for two law firms. They have the same attitude, namely, "add a little bit more" on the meter. Seems to be an SOP for some businesses. People do it too, add a second first class stamp to a letter where only one stamp was necessary.

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.hipstamp.com/sto ...
Members Picture
Webpaper

09 Oct 2019
03:15:14am

re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

When you think about it there is no way to turn off a customer or a potential customer faster than to have something arrive "postage due".....

When my scale starts to blink between .8 ounce and 1 ounce I always add an extra stamp to cover the 2 ounce rate just in case ... pretty cheap insurance to keep a customer happy.

Like 
1 Member
likes this post.
Login to Like.
Members Picture
michael78651

09 Oct 2019
11:41:38am

re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

And I guess if you got a response from your attorney, and you had to pay postage due, you probably would question how good that attorney was being unable to pay postage!

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.hipstamp.com/sto ...
Members Picture
cougar

09 Oct 2019
12:40:24pm

Approvals

re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

Webpaper, I am yet to see a "postage due" delivery in Canada. If postage is not enough, the letter is turned back.


There can be another reason why the big companies want to use post - meter machines rather than deal with stamps; this avoids any potential of having postage stamps stolen and used on private mail. But one has to put some trust in his/her employees at one point.

To me a much better approach would have been if the person dealing with the mail affixed nice commemorative postage to the tune of $1.90 and then taken the packages to a Canada Post outlet to get them processed. I imagine on 95% of them the postage would have been sufficient. Pay the remaining postage at the outlet and there you go, you've saved a bunch in exchange for 10 minutes of your time.

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
Webpaper

09 Oct 2019
03:26:52pm

re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

OK - there is a difference in our postal systems. Here in the states "postge due" is alive and well. May have something to do with the photographing of all mail pieces in the system.

And now - if you want to mail anything over 1/2 inch thick or weighing more than 10 ounces and use stamps you have to present the package to a clerk at the retail counter. Dependingon the post office and how busy it is this may take two minutes, it may take 30 minutes on a busy day or around a holiday.... here is the new rule.

"This month’s update to the rule will enhance the existing safety program by prohibiting packages with stamps as postage that are more than one-half inch thick and/or weigh more than 10 ounces from anonymously being entered into the mail stream through collection boxes or Post Office mail slots. Packages and all other mail pieces of this type will now need to be taken to a retail counter. This change is effective Oct. 1, 2019.

How to mail a package
Consumers who opt to use postage stamps to mail packages, or other items, weighing more than 10 ounces and/or more than one-half inch thick must conduct their transactions at a Post Office retail counter. Consumers can also take advantage of Postal Service self-service kiosks to purchase postage labels and drop those packages into the package slots, not mail slots, at a Post Office. If a restricted package or mail piece is found in a collection box, mail chute or lobby mail slot after Oct. 1 it will be returned to the sender with a Customer Return Label attached explaining the restrictions and reason for return."

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
michael78651

09 Oct 2019
06:02:45pm

re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

Carol, the old rule had the weight limit at 13 ounces, at which point a parcel also had to be sent by a package service other than first class. Do you see this change as possibly changing the maximum weight permitted for a first class parcel to no more than 10 ounces in the upcoming January 2020 rate changes?

Like
Login to Like
this post

www.hipstamp.com/sto ...
Members Picture
Webpaper

10 Oct 2019
07:54:58am

re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

IT doesn't appear that way - the following is from Ina Steiner's newsletter this morning.

"The Postal Service wrote in its press release, "Although Mailing Services price increases are based on the Consumer Price Index, Shipping Services prices are primarily adjusted according to market conditions. The Governors believe these new rates will keep the Postal Service competitive while providing the agency with needed revenue."

We've gone through the notice and pulled out some quick and dirty points of interest to online sellers.

Priority Mail
Priority Mail prices will increase an average of 4.1 percent.

Retail prices will increase an average of 4.9 percent.

Priority Mail Retail Flat Rate Box prices will be as follows:
- Small, $8.30;
- Medium, $15.05;
- Large, $21.10 and
- Large APO/FPO/DPO, $19.60.

The regular Flat Rate Envelope will be priced at $7.75, with the Legal Size and Padded Flat Rate Envelopes priced at $8.05 and $8.40, respectively.

Commercial Base and Commercial Plus Pricing (purchased online)
The Commercial Base prices will increase 2.8% on average. Commercial Base prices will, on average, reflect a 15.3 percent discount off of Retail prices.

Commercial Plus prices will increase 3.0% on average. Commercial Plus prices will, on average, reflect a 15.2 percent off of Retail prices.

First-Class Package Service (FCPS)
Overall, FCPS prices will increase 2.6 percent, with a 3.9 percent increase for FCPS-Retail and a 2.2 percent increase for FCPS-Commercial.

The USPS made a point of noting that, unlike some other shippers, the Postal Service does not add surcharges for fuel, residential delivery, or regular Saturday or holiday season delivery.

The PRC will review the prices before they are scheduled to take effect Jan. 26, 2020. The complete Postal Service price filings with prices for all products can be found on the PRC site under the Daily Listings section at prc.gov/dockets/daily.

For the Mailing Services filing see Docket No. R2020-1. For the Shipping Services filing see Docket No. CP2020-5.

The price change tables are also available on the Postal Service’s Postal Explorer website at pe.usps.com/PriceChange/Index."

Like
Login to Like
this post
Members Picture
amsd

Editor, Seal News; contributor, JuicyHeads
10 Oct 2019
08:28:25am

Auctions

re: The wasteful businesses and stamp collecting

the restrictions on first class mail bearing postage has been in place for a long time. I have a number of pieces in my collection documenting this.

the old cap was at 13 ounces, but was intended to be aimed at air mail, to avoid catastrophes larger than a mail truck.


Like
Login to Like
this post

"Save the USPS, buy stamps; save the hobby, use commemoratives"

juicyheads.com/link. ...
        

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