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Confusing Message about USPS Package Slowdown

Ina Steiner
USPS
Confusing Message about USPS Package Slowdown

Just as the USPS has slowed down First Class Mail, it also wants to slow down First Class Packages (FCPS). But in a somewhat confusing message today, it said it would delay the planned slowdown but would keep in place its April 2020 Covid-initiated advisory about delays.

“In light of the ongoing environment caused by COVID-19 and the rise of the Delta variant affecting our customers, the implementation date for the revised service standards for First- Class Package Service will be announced after the holiday shipping season,” it said in Friday’s announcement.

That sounds like good news – and it comes after the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC)’s non-binding opinion that raised concerns about the timing and implementation of the plan, as we reported last week.

However, the USPS continued, “In April 2020, the U.S. Postal Service instituted an extra day for Priority, two and three day, and First-Class Package Service standards to account for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. That extra day will remain in place until further notice.”

We reported on the April advisory last year in this EcommerceBytes news story.

If you send packages First Class, it sounds like things may not get any worse (on purpose) until after the holidays. Let us know what you experience as the holiday shopping season gets off to a start this month.

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Ina Steiner
Ina Steiner
Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.

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Ina Steiner is co-founder and Editor of EcommerceBytes and has been reporting on ecommerce since 1999. She's a widely cited authority on marketplace selling and is author of "Turn eBay Data Into Dollars" (McGraw-Hill 2006). Her blog was featured in the book, "Blogging Heroes" (Wiley 2008). She is a member of the Online News Association (Sep 2005 - present) and Investigative Reporters and Editors (Mar 2006 - present). Follow her on Twitter at @ecommercebytes and send news tips to ina@ecommercebytes.com. See disclosure at EcommerceBytes.com/disclosure/.

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2 thoughts on “Confusing Message about USPS Package Slowdown”

  1. So, like Gen. Milly calling to warn China of an impending American attack,
    USPS is warning us of the impending laming of the critical postal system.
    Boiling the frog slowly…..
    Round up the System Entrenched communists and ship ’em out into the ocean.

  2. It is already riddulous. On average shipments I am mailing out within the continental U.S. in USPS supplied Priority Mail triangles are taking 7-14 days to arrive. Add to that, we are up to a 25% package destruction rate – where I have to file a claim and reprint and reship the items. Yes, the items are insured, but insurance does not cover the cost of labor to resend a package.

    As soon as our new boxes arrive, all packages that require shipping in tubes will go UPS. They are cheaper and they usually do not destroy the packages.

    The only business USPS will keep is domestic flats and letters. International goes UPS or FedEx.

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