The internet brings convenience and an easy way to pay bills, communicate with friends and even to send greeting cards for special occasions. This means less licking of postage stamps and less running off to the post box to see if you have mail. Have you ever stopped to think what this means for postal services?
The US Postal Service is hitting net loss of $1.9 billion because of the huge decline in first class mail, which was the biggest earner for the agency. The internet is now taking care of that category as bills are sent online and payments are made in the same way. "We're quite obviously in a deep financial hole," Joseph Corbett, USPS chief financial officer and executive vice president, told reporters in a press briefing.
But there is a section of the Postal Service that is doing quite well, also thanks to the internet. The shipping and packaging business is still thriving as more and more consumers discover online shopping and need their goods delivered as soon as possible - so that they can shop again!
Spare a thought for the US Postal Service next time you click, and remember that they go out of their way to deliver greeting cards even if it does not have the correct postage – especially over the Festive Season.
