[Boatanchors] Re: Postal Rates

[EP Swynar]

Well, all I can say is, "...Welcome to MY world"...!

Canada Post did the very same thing here about 3 years ago, and yes indeed,
it HAS put me out of business --- for good too, probably, unless radio stuff
takes a quantum leap upward in price, justifying the exhorbitant mailing
costs (not very likely).

I think the bottom line here is pure, unadultared, simple greed: outfits
like eBay generated a quantum leap in parcel mailings in Canada --- and I
was told by a post office employee not too many years ago that my specifying
delivery of a package by air was a waste of money, because 90% of the stuff
sent by mail ends up in an airplane anyway...

Well, it looks like the posties saw the rise in mail traffic generated by
e-commerce, decided they were taking themselves to the cleaners delivering
surface parcels by air on the cheap, & elected to cash-in on this "freebie"
by making it "official", i.e. since most everything flies anymore, the
public will pay for the privilege...period.

I've noticed no less than TWO special promotions from eBay in the past
month, or so, soliciting listings from Canadians, so I would take this as
being as sure a sign as any that our increased Candian postal rates are
giving eBay business an absolute bath from north of the border (be watching
for more promos aimed at Americans coming soon, as the reality of the higher
rates set in in your country.)

Serves them right, too, both eBay AND Canada Post: you've got to wonder when
you see a crown corporation & a private enterprise actually sharing ad time
on television, AND on eBay pop-ups...talk about strange bedfellows.

Well, one good thing out of all this will be a resurgence in Hamfest
activity, and (I'm sure) a lowering of prices therein: if a seller throws
you  the proverbial line of, "I could get TWICE that on eBay!" just look him
in the eye & tell him to go right ahead --- and that your original offer
simply had the postage costs removed from the final selling price! That'll
make him think, unless he has an especially strong back & doesn't mind
re-loading the trunk of the car for a return trip home at the end of the
day...

BTW, if you've invested heavily in eBay stock, I'd suggest you begin
diversifying --- soon!

~73~ Eddy VE3CUI - VE3XZ





----- Original Message ----- 
From: <WA5CAB at cs.com>
To: <kd4e at verizon.net>; <FLBOATANCHORS at yahoogroups.com>;
<milsurplus at mailman.qth.net>; <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 7:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Re: Postal Rates


> Actually, UPS didn't even come close to being competitive with Air Parcel
> Post, let alone the old Surface.  But it is certainly going to kill part
of my
> business.
>
> In a message dated 5/14/2007 5:26:44 PM Central Standard Time,
> kd4e at verizon.net writes:
> > Too many employees with too many costly benefits
> > on top of too many costly union perks on top of
> > too many Vietnam-era vets retiring on top of
> > increase fuel costs on top of fierce competition
> > from FedEx and UPS.
> >
> > I wonder how quickly after they "steal" some new
> > business from USPS that FedEx and UPS will raise
> > their rates as well.
> >
> >
>
> Robert & Susan Downs - Houston
> <http://www.wa5cab.com> (Web Store)
> MVPA 9480
> <wa5cab at cs.com> (Primary email)
> <wa5cab at houston.rr.com> (Backup email)
>
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