Andy Rooney was singing my song on 60 Minutes last night! He was talking about the troubles the U.S. Postal Service is experiencing. I guess I wasn’t truly aware that taxes don’t contribute to the support of the postal service. It may be a government agency but it is run like a business so has to support itself.
Andy pointed out that in 1900 there were 77,000 post offices around the country while today, with 4 times the number of people, there are only 37,000. I’m not surprised that fewer of us are actually writing letters, with the ease of email taking over, but I have to agree with Andy here when he says, “An e-mail has all the charm of a freight train.”
I have to wonder how much social interaction and just plain good old-fashioned etiquette is suffering when we forget just how special handwritten letters or greeting cards mean to each of us when they show up unexpectedly, delivered by a mailman (or for crying out loud, mailwoman!). Isn’t this a tradition we should fight to continue? Do you enjoy receiving more than just bills and marketing materials in your mailbox?
There are thousands of ways to track the health of the economy but I found this one to be quite interesting. Did you know that you can tell how the economy is doing by tracking the sales of men’s underwear? Yes, it’s true and here is the theory behind this creative analysis.
Underwear is considered a necessity but in tough economic times, buying replacement pairs is optional. Not usually seen, this is one piece of clothing that doesn’t have to be in perfect repair to wear! And so, when funds are tight, new underwear becomes a luxury.
Average sales are reported at 3.4 pairs per year. From 2004 to 2008 sales of single pairs rose from 5% to 8% with multi packs declining, also so indication that consumers are trying to save.
On a good note, Sears is seeing an increase in underwear sales and Target is reporting stronger sales over the past two months, including sales of multi packs! Have you been scrimping on your skivvies?
And what about women’s undergarments? Should Victoria keep her sales a secret?!
I recently received a survey from the U.S. Postal Department asking for my opinion on their plan to do away with Saturday mail delivery. I’m not sure I would miss it as a consumer but bet it would be problematic for many businesses.
The post office contends they have been very aggressive at cutting costs but project financial losses for this year and for several years to come. We all know the price of stamps has increasingly risen, as has the price of mail delivery at any level. Of course, a significant decline in volume would be expected, and without the volume of mail, your operating budget stays the same but with less money coming in. And what about their other money concern that a “major requirement to prefund its retiree’s health benefits” has also contributed to their losses.
As an alternative to even larger price increases, this transition from a six to a five day delivery schedule is being seriously considered. The key components of the five-day plan include:
- No Saturday delivery to homes and businesses.
- No mail collection on Saturday.
- Maintain Saturday delivery for Post Office Box mail.
- Post Offices currently open on Saturday will remain open.
- Maintain delivery of Express Mail on Saturday and Sunday.
- Continue to make available remittance mail, caller service mail and national firm hold out mail at plants on Saturday.
What do you think? How would this plan affect you or your business?
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