Dumb Idea

The US Postal Service is trying to figure out how they are going to keep their pants.  Right now, they are $7 Billion (emphasis on the B) in the hole. 

Check this out.

I have a dumb idea for them.  Instead of trying to compete with other businesses by selling greeting cards and other products, why not stick to what they've done for over two hundred years: deliver the mail. 

A.  The "profitable" services--packages that the sender wants to have reach the receiver before the receiver passes on typically get sent via another carrier.  You see, if you send a box via the US Postal Service, you honestly have no idea when it will get there.  So, if you care at all, you send it UPS or FedEx.

B.  Figure out what it costs to deliver the mail, and charge that.  It just may be that instead of paying 44 cents to mail a bill you may have to pay $4.  That's okay.  You know why?  Because the US Postal Service has legal protections to keep them from competition.  If the USPS charges $4 to mail a one-ounce letter, the other carriers are required by law to charge at least $7.  They have a protected market, plus, you have to pay your bill whether it costs 44 cents for $4.

You see, this is what every other business does.  The only time they don't charge more than what it costs for a product or service is when it's a "loss leader"--something that they can advertise to get you in the door, so that you'll buy something else while you are there.  First Class mail cannot be a loss leader--it's their bread and butter.

They could drop weekend delivery (at least without charging a serious surcharge) like the other carriers have, too.  Everybody knows that's a viable option, and it would save the Postal Service $3.5 Billion (again, with a B) per year by itself.  If only the stupid congress would allow it.