Accounting For Laws That Apply Differently To The United States Postal Service And Its Private Competitors
Accounting For Laws That Apply Differently To The United States Postal Service And Its Private Competitors
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AMERICA’S spendthrift consumers have long been a driver of global economic growth, merrily emptying their wallets and purses on the back of rising house prices and cheap money. So, many nervous eyes have been watching how consumers would react to falling house prices and the squeeze on credit. Happily for retailers and the wider economy, and despite lower consumer confidence, Americans are spending more than ever—online, at least. Since the beginning of November online spending is up by 18% compared with 2006, according to comScore, an internet-information provider. And on Thursday December 6th shoppers rang up USD 803m, the biggest online spending day yet, contributing to record weekly sales of USD 4.6 billion.
Read MoreRFID is Poised for Change
The prosperous RFID business is on track to grow from about USD 5 billion in 2007 today to over USD 25 billion in 2017. Without collusion, most analysts agree to figures in that region and several of them see huge volumes of extremely low cost tags forming a part of the growth – even hundreds of billions in ten years from now. This seems to sit awkwardly with some press reporting that RFID retail initiatives have stalled. As one of those analysts, let IDTechEx explain.
Basic rules of marketing
Firstly, selling RFID to consumer goods companies mandated by major retailers usually breaks one of the fundamental rules of marketing “Never sell to someone who does not want to buy from you”. Most of the consumer goods companies in the USA see no payback from fitting the passive UHF labels mandated by retailers, indeed, they may have lost a mutual USD 100 million so far trying to do so, despite the RFID suppliers losing a similar sum selling tags and readers to them at a loss. The consumer goods companies are therefore quick to point out the technical problems and they use any other valid reason to delay. The contrast with the booming sectors of RFID (almost all other sectors) is stark.
Read MoreUSPS Board of Governors approves request of USD 117.7 for 2009
The US Postal Service’s Board of Governors approved an appropriation request of USD 117.7 million for fiscal year 2009 yesterday.
Every year, the board makes an appropriation request to Congress. For the fiscal year 2008, the board requested USD 153.4 million. At this time, the House has recommended USD 88.9 million of that amount and the Senate has recommended USD 117.9 million.
For the fiscal year 2009, the board’s request included a reimbursement of USD 69.8 million for services such as free mail for the blind and overseas voting. The USPS is required to provide these services without charge. In fiscal year 2008, the USPS requested a reimbursement of USD 83.5 million in this category.
The request also included USD 29 million for the latest annual installment from the Revenue Forgone Reform Act of 1993. In accordance with this act, the USPS is entitled to be reimbursed for lost revenue as a result of certain services it was required to provide in fiscal years 1991 through 1993. This amount also covers shortfalls in reimbursement related to the cost of processing and delivering certain types of nonprofit mail from 1994 through 1998.
The appropriation request also included reconciliation adjustments for fiscal years 2006 and 2007 of USD 16.1 million and USD 2.8 million, respectively. These amounts are based upon final audited mail volumes. By law, the USPS is authorized to request partial reimbursement for costs related to providing universal service. However, since fiscal year 1993, the USPS has not requested funds for this purpose.
Read MoreUSPS Automated Postal Centers save time (U.S.)
Mail packages and conduct other postal business regardless of Post Office hours using self-service kiosks located in thousands of Post Office lobbies across the country. Just as an ATM is a virtual stand-alone bank, Automated Postal Centers are virtual, stand-alone Post Offices.
APCs are as easy to use as an ATM, but without the fees. APCs accept major credit and debit cards and generate a receipt for payment. All APCs also conduct business in Spanish.
With time always short and schedules overbooked, APCs allow customers the extra convenience of being open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. APCs are located in well lit and secure Post Office lobbies, transactions are private and safe.
A touch screen guides customers through their transactions by providing a series of prompts for each purchase or sale. A retail associate can help answer questions during Post Office hours.
Every APC has a scale to weigh the package. Use the SmartMat on the left side of the station to measure packages. Weight and size help determine the proper amount of postage. Customers also input the destination and how quickly the package should arrive to calculate postage.
APCs allow customers to print shipping labels for the services and pay using a credit or debit card. With the address label and postage secured on the package, it can be placed inside the parcel slot next to the APC. Packages up to 12 inches high by 13 inches deep and 20 inches wide can be accepted.
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