The new postal rates are stupid, confusing, and going to drive businesses nuts.

[garybeck]

For the first time, the U.S. Postal Service will be charging by the shape of the mail

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) -- The postal rate increase that kicks in Monday is shaping up to be a big headache for many businesses.

Many companies say they are confused and frustrated as they try to adjust to the new rules, and some say mailings could be severely curtailed due to higher postage costs.

The new regulations mean larger envelopes and packages will automatically cost more than smaller mail. Currently, postage is determined by weight, unless it's an especially large or odd-shaped package that warrants special handling.

For first-class, letter envelopes, the allowed thickness is a quarter inch. If you go over a quarter inch, you run into more costly large envelope or parcel rates.

(and if you go to a "large envelope" you have to pay more too... http://www.usps.com/ratecase/)

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/05/13/mail.shape.ap/index.html

[hobbit709]

1. More "privatization"

This is designed to turn the Post Office into another GOP run business and make more money for UPS, Fedex and others.

[InvisibleTouch]

2. This will suck for us Ebay sellers.

Until now, all we had to do was know the weight of the package and a few size-guidelines for the really large boxes. Sounds like it will be much more complicated now! I can't spend my days figuring out what something will cost to mail, nor can I afford to lose money on the postage. I might just look into UPS a little more closely.

[uppityperson]

3. Those free square card/envelopes in bulk junk mail cost more. Here's link, inso

Dimensional Standards for Letters

Letter-size mail is:

a. Not less than 5 inches long, 3-1/2 inches high, and 0.007-inch thick.

b. Not more than 11-1/2 inches long, or more than 6-1/8 inches high, or more than 1/4-inch thick.

c. Not more than 3.5 ounces.

d. Rectangular, with four square corners and parallel opposite sides. Letter-size, card-type mailpieces made of cardstock may have finished corners that do not exceed a radius of 0.125 inch (1/8 inch).

.2 Nonmachinable Criteria

A letter-size piece is nonmachinable (see 6.4) if it has one or more of the following characteristics (see 601.1.4 to determine the length, height, top, and bottom of a mailpiece):

a. Has an aspect ratio (length divided by height) of less than 1.3 or more than 2.5.

b. Is polybagged, polywrapped, or enclosed in any plastic material.

c. Has clasps, strings, buttons, or similar closure devices.

d. Contains items such as pens, pencils, or loose keys or coins that cause the thickness of the mailpiece to be uneven (see 601.11.18, Odd-Shaped Items in Paper Envelopes).

e. Is too rigid (does not bend easily when subjected to a transport belt tension of 40 pounds around an 11-inch diameter turn).

f. For pieces more than 4-1/4 inches high or 6 inches long, the thickness is less than 0.009 inch.

g. Has a delivery address parallel to the shorter dimension of the mailpiece.

h. Is a self-mailer with a folded edge perpendicular to the address if the piece is not folded and secured according to 201.3.13.1.

i. Booklet-type pieces with the bound edge (spine) along the shorter dimension of the piece or at the top, unless prepared according to 201.3.13.

http://pe.usps.com/RateCase2007/DMM300_HTML/101.htm

[w4rma]

4. It is my understanding that the Postal Service doesn't need this extra money to stay open. (nt)

[garybeck]

5. ON SECOND THOUGHT, WHO GIVES A CRAP ABOUT THIS?

I just read that post about about the huge sea of plastic in the Pacific Ocean.

I don't give a crap if businesses, or I for that matter, have to measure my envelopes or pay more to send them, although I do maintain it is stupid and going to cause a lot of confusion.

but really...
what are we going to do about MOTHER EARTH?

[AndreaCG]

6. Shit, I shouldn't have been lazy

And gone to the main post office to mail my script.

OTOH, it would have been 2 or 4 in carfare, as opposed to the regular post office within walking distance.

[jobycom]

7. As bad as the Postal Service has gotten around Austin lately

I doubt it will matter what the prices are. It used to be that "The check was lost in the mail" was automatically assumed to be a lie, but in the last couple of years it has become a very believable excuse. We've been receiving checks with some regularity with postmarks from six weeks earlier. We've had checks disappear in the mail and reappear with a different payee typed onto them. One such check is currently being used (on a closed account) to run a lottery scam in California. We've received checks shredded by machinery, and we've been accused by vendors of not mailing checks, only to have them arrive two months later, torn in half.

I don't know if this is happening elsewhere, but here in Austin it's getting ridiculous. All this while the Post Office branches are cutting back the number of people working the counters, and pushing their online and fax stamp ordering services--which are also notoriously unreliable.

Not long ago the PO was the most efficient organization connected with government. Now it's run like FEMA.