Stamp Vending Machines

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Stamp vending machine with Coming Back Soon? sign

For decades, the Postal Service offered vending machine service to supplement its retail operations. Vending machines meet the needs of customers who want to purchase stamps without waiting in line.

While the lack of stamp vending machines has resulted in customer frustration and a surprising number of newspaper articles, the problems are particularly acute in economically depressed and more urban areas. Although Automated Postal Centers (APCs) provide many services including the sale of stamps and directly applied postage for First-Class letters, APCs require credit cards, which people in economically depressed areas often do not have. In addition, some customers find APCs to be intimidating to use. Finally, APCs sell only booklets of stamps or individual stamps in denominations of $1 or more, yet many disadvantaged customers may want to buy just one First-Class Mail stamp.

So, do you think stamp vending machines should be brought back?

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So with an apparent need for simple vending machines, what should the Postal Service do? In the past, the Postal Service had problems with the legacy machines it owned. They were costly and difficult to maintain and operate. The answer may be to contract this activity out. Commercial vending machines, like those selling soda and chips, are generally not owned and operated by the organizations on whose property they are located. While Postal Service unions and management associations may have concerns, private operators might be very interested in acquiring stamp vending machine contracts for a percentage of gross sales (or similar) while taking sole responsibility for vending machine maintenance and support.

In addition to the convenience vending machines would offer, they might also help window clerks operate more efficiently. Diverting low-value stamp sales from windows would increase revenue per labor hour and allow the Postal Service window clerks to focus on more important functions. With shorter lines and happier customers, the work environment of a window clerk would likely improve. This idea could be a win-win for all concerned.

This topic is hosted by the OIG’s Risk Analysis Research Center (RARC).

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Permalink | Comments (27) | Jun 28, 2010

 

 

27 Responses to “Stamp Vending Machines”

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  1. 27
    Erik Says:
    August 8th, 2010 at 9:11 pm

    I think they’re great they will speed up the post office. But im sure there will be people who dont like them or can’t figure them out.

  2. 26
    ashley Says:
    August 5th, 2010 at 5:31 pm

    Hi there, I wonder if this will really be a thing for the postal system to work properly. There are a lot of cases when idle minds just think they can get away with postal service using machines. I wish there are a lot of industrious people.

  3. 25
    Bill Compton Says:
    July 19th, 2010 at 10:48 pm

    Do not bring back vending machines.Not worth the cost.The simple solution is to buy a book of 18 forever stamps from the APC,this is not rocket science. The markets and Costco also sell forever stamps. Maybe that will make Jessica happy so she won’t have to bother the rude clerks.

  4. 24
    Vending Machines Says:
    July 15th, 2010 at 2:07 am

    this is great Vending machines that really needs of customers who want to purchase stamps without waiting in line.

  5. 23
    Lucy Komisar Says:
    July 13th, 2010 at 9:15 pm

    I am still fuming at the incompetence I experienced at the hands of the USPS today. I needed an original document from London. The London party paid 6 pounds to send it special air delivery registered. I stay in my home/office all day to make sure I would receive it.

    At about 4 pm, I check my mailbox. There was a note “Sorry we missed you!” Nobody missed me! The carrier was too lazy to ring my bell and take the elevator (not even stairs) up to the 5th floor to get my signature. I immediately called and asked for redelivery today but was told that was impossible.

    Now I have to go to the post office before my morning meeting to retrieve this document.

    No wonder people prefer FedEx. This has happened to me with USPS before. This would never happen with FedEx. This is one of the reasons the USPS is losing business. It deserves to lose such business.

    FYI the tracking # is 5293 0280 8780 5045 and the article number is LY 5550 7957 3GB.

    Is that carrier going to keep his/her job?

  6. 22
    h Says:
    July 6th, 2010 at 9:39 am

    The comment about the dollar coin requirement is correct, but only if on federal property. USPS would need to locate vending machines elsewhere, and of course there are lots of places that would make sense.

  7. 21
    LPO Says:
    July 4th, 2010 at 5:05 pm

    I just love how the OIG filters out completely appropriate comments that they just don’t like most popular

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