USPS raising Priority Mail prices 1/17/16

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arskrg

arskrg

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I understand that they are a huge entity, and this is probably a necessity.
I just wish I had a way to get a partial refund for all the times recently when a package shows up late.
I'm paying more for a specific service, and frequently don't receive what I've paid more for.




"...On average, the Priority Mail prices will be increased by 9.8 percent...
...Retail prices will increase an average of 8.6 percent. Retail Flat Rate Box prices will be:
Small, $6.80; Medium, $13.45; Large, $18.75; and Large APO/FPO/DPO, $16.75..."

Taken from here: http://www.prc.gov/docs/93/93564/Notice CP2016-9.pdf
 
arskrg said:
I understand that they are a huge entity, and this is probably a necessity.
I just wish I had a way to get a partial refund for all the times recently when a package shows up late.
I'm paying more for a specific service, and frequently don't receive what I've paid more for.




"...On average, the Priority Mail prices will be increased by 9.8 percent...
...Retail prices will increase an average of 8.6 percent. Retail Flat Rate Box prices will be:
Small, $6.80; Medium, $13.45; Large, $18.75; and Large APO/FPO/DPO, $16.75..."

Taken from here: http://www.prc.gov/docs/93/93564/Notice CP2016-9.pdf
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Unfortunately they are still the least expensive by a long shot. You would get a refund if you mailed it Priority Express, and it didn't arrive the next day (in most locations). Standard Priority is NOT a guaranteed 2 day service, but for the most part arrive in 2 days. So, your packages are not actually late.

FedEx and UPS are nearly 3X as much, and takes 3-5 business days to arrive, but their tracking system actually works.
 
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jbmonkey said:
^funny.

....probably more cause of high and rising labor costs and benefit costs....
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There is always an excuse when prices rise. Fuel is the most common. Now, when fuel cost drop like they have over the last couple years, do prices go down? Hell no.
 
I guess we can always drive out packages to our destinations. I think they are probably still the cheapest option, flat rate box, insured, still way cheaper than fedex.

They are probably incurring some expense for digital camera systems and storage solutions for photographing every piece of mail we send.
Link to the quickest article I happened across:

Postal Service Confirms Photographing All U.S. Mail
By RON NIXONAUG. 2, 2013
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/03/us/postal-service-confirms-photographing-all-us-mail.html?_r=0
 
I just found out about this at the Post Office this morning. I have shipped Priority many, many times and only had one package that didn't arrive as promised. Somehow it got taken off the truck on delivery day and put back in the local destination Post Office. This was right before Thanksgiving. I called the customer service line and the package showed up two days later. Just a mix-up that was resolved expeditiously.

So my comment on this is that they are a good service organization. Not happy about the price increase, but it is by far the least expensive and your stuff gets there. Of course, pobody's nerfect, including UPS and FedEx.
 
craytab said:
There is always an excuse when prices rise. Fuel is the most common. Now, when fuel cost drop like they have over the last couple years, do prices go down? Hell no.
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USPS is a private entity (mostly.) They nearly went bankrupt a few years ago. They don't really need an excuse to raise prices. This is especially true if they are the cheapest provider (which they are.)
 
bigmark408 said:
The service has always been outstanding for me, I will be happy to pay. 👍🏻
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I'm happy for you.

I've had about a half dozen disappointing experiences in the last year ranging from packages headed from MD to MI that stop for a day or 2 in Louisianna, to my mailman handing me an Amazon package in my driveway on a Saturday afternoon and telling me that there was nothing else, meanwhile my ZT0620 Priority tracking says the knife was delivered at the same time, leaving me to wonder if it was placed in a neighbor's mailbox? Lost somewhere else? Etc.? Only to show up in my mailbox the following Monday.
I have had many other packages arrive right on schedule, when that happens I'd say the extra cost for Priority mail is well worth it.
Those other times, not so much.
 
bigmark408 said:
The service has always been outstanding for me, I will be happy to pay. ����
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Yep, me too.

And hey, if you don't like their service, there's always FedEx/UPS.

Be aware they both have their own shortcomings on occasions, even with the extra cost.

It's life. Things like weather/airport delays happen...
 
arskrg said:
I'm happy for you.

I've had about a half dozen disappointing experiences in the last year ranging from packages headed from MD to MI
that stop for a day or 2 in Louisianna, to my mailman handing me an Amazon package in my driveway on a Saturday afternoon and telling me that there was nothing else, meanwhile my ZT0620 Priority tracking says the knife was delivered at the same time, leaving me to wonder if it was placed in a neighbor's mailbox? Lost somewhere else? Etc.?
Only to show up in my mailbox the following Monday.
I have had many other packages arrive right on schedule, when that happens I'd say the extra cost for Priority mail is well worth it.
Those other times, not so much.
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A couple packages late here and there...they still arrived. I don't think there is a better or cheaper way to do it.
 
USPS Priority has been very good for me both sending and receiving . Prices always go up and rarely down .
 
Every last penny we have will be sqeezed out of us one way or another until there is no more left to take....that's when things will get very interesting.....

If you just think about the $ USPS has saved in fuel costs (one if their top 3 expenses) there is zero justification for a price increase at this time.
 
Maybe they aren't saving crazy amounts of money with fuel being cheaper. With the population growing, more roads, more housing developments, subdivisions, businesses, etc, they need more delivery vehicles, carriers, shipping centers and the such.

I've had excellent luck with USPS. Had a few hiccups but it happens when you think about the amount of mail they handle each day. Had good and bad with UPS and FedEx also.
 
USPS raising Priority Mail prices
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First they need to learn to do their job.
I been waiting for a pocket clip from Cold Steel in California for a week and a half.
It takes three days Cali. to Colorado UPS etc.

I guess the sick turtle they taped my envelope to must have died or got lost in the desert. I just "love" USPS.
 
arskrg said:
I've had about a half dozen disappointing experiences in the last year ranging from packages headed from MD to MI that stop for a day or 2 in Louisianna, to my mailman handing me an Amazon package in my driveway on a Saturday afternoon and telling me that there was nothing else, meanwhile my ZT0620 Priority tracking says the knife was delivered at the same time, leaving me to wonder if it was placed in a neighbor's mailbox? Lost somewhere else? Etc.? Only to show up in my mailbox the following Monday.
I have had many other packages arrive right on schedule, when that happens I'd say the extra cost for Priority mail is well worth it.
Those other times, not so much.
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This has been my experience with USPS in IL also. After all the centers they closed a couple of years ago there are 1 or 2 known sorting centers that your package will swirl around for a couple of days before moving on. I called and complained but no one at those 2 centers will even answer their phone for other postal employees that you FINALLY can get ahold of.. Got a return call in the middle of the night at my office and the message was something to the effect of "Well, you didn't answer your phone so I'm assuming everything was taken care of." Jackers with no personal accountability.. But ya, it's still the cheapest game in town..
 
craytab said:
There is always an excuse when prices rise. Fuel is the most common. Now, when fuel cost drop like they have over the last couple years, do prices go down? Hell no.
Click to expand...

Exactly! My garbage pickup, propane delivery, etc. all added "fuel surcharge" to my bill about 5 years ago when gas was peaked. Gas came down, and the surcharge remains.
 
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