ode to the post office

when I first moved to japan in 2003, the u.s. post office charged 80 cents for international airmail first class (65 cents for an international postcard). comparably, the rate for the same service from japanpost was 80 yen (or 70 yen for a postcard). now by 2012, the rate for first class airmail postage in the u.s. has increased several times to its current rate of $1.05 (international postcards have been the same as first class for some time now, so also $1.05 to mail a postcard). meanwhile, japanpost still charges 80 yen (70 yen for a postcard). can this be explained? yes, it actually can.

for years, the post office has been complaining of lost revenues due to the internet, even though that sounds quite short-sighted to me. the internet should have been like a dinner bell ringing. instead, the post office cannot make ends meet. they cry uncle and beg for bailout from the government. it sounds like the usps has a sense of entitlement to claim that they should be able to make money on something just because it has always been that way. but that’s not the way business works. when companies don’t change with the times, they go out of business. while the u.s. post office has left an indelible impression of daily american life for over 100 years now, it is nonetheless replaceable. when the post office goes away, life might be difficult for a month or so, but people will adjust.

a quick glance at the two country's systems, shows a revealing contrast. japanpost has a grip on the pulse of japan. while they may lose some money in letter postage, they also have pushed many more packages through, as well as offering banking, wire transfers, insurance and other necessary services. in contrast, the u.s. post office only sells stamps and a few generic packaging supplies. and those stamps rates keep raising while more locations disappear and other consumer friendly services disappear, such as international surface mail. in other words, they are providing less service and charging more money. that is not a typical blueprint for success. especially considering that even if people loved the nostalgia enough to pay higher prices, it would be kind of hard if the local post office is not open or if it is 50 or more miles away. and why would someone send a package airmail via usps, when the same package can still be sent by ground mail using fedex or ups for cheaper and just as easily?

so, the way i see it, the u.s. post office problems are not due to changing times as much as they are due to the post office not having changed with the times. the post office needs to cure whatever mismanagement problems are obviously troubling it, and learn 21st century business. more locations + lower prices is the kind of formula that keeps walmart an industry leader, not lss locations + higher prices. doing things the old fashioned way is romantic and nostalgic, and it will also read nicely on the headstone and historical biographies.

it has been a yearly tradition for me to mail new years cards to japan and other places. however, with a postage rate of $1.05 for each postcard (as of january 23), it actually costs me less to buy the card stock and print the post cards than to mail them! i can’t afford that. i have been a diligent letter writer and have also maintainted a post office box through all these times that people continued to send emails, but it is getting too much. 15 years of having a p.o. box and i am looking for an alternative. when people like me are pulling away, the fate seems sealed. usps had better act quick, or else it is but a matter of certain death. i’ll try not to miss it.