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.
Loading ...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).
49 Comments
Leave a Reply
I just love how the OIG filters out completely appropriate comments that they just don’t like most popular
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
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.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Dollar coins should someday replace the paper dollar bill and save taxpayers $700 million. We are about the only country left in the world with a one dollar bill or equivalent. The paper bill lasts about 13 months before wearing out. The dollar coin can last for 30 years. Our lack of political courage or lack of attention to waste is costing us way too much. Using the dollar coin means fewer coins in your pocket or purse. Don’t forget, it takes the place of two quarters, two dimes, five nickels, and five cents-14 coins in all!
Like or Dislike:
2 
0
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?
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
this is great Vending machines that really needs of customers who want to purchase stamps without waiting in line.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
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.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
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.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
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.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
humans aren’t use now. i think this machine had not need
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
the machines were a fine idea. Everything involved in the implementation sucked. for instance, the janitor installed the machine that was in our lobby. It should have never been put into service for security reasons. I believe it was never inspected by the inspection service or someone else as ok(from a theft standpoint) It was held to the wall by a 2X4 with 2 lag screws.Even after the ist break-in attempt ,it was put back in place with the 2X4 and 2 lag screws. So it was broken into a second time. It was not cleaned properly and funds taken from it were not accounted for properly.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Hey,
I am a San Francisco Bay Area filmmaker, and am curious about the USPS stamp machines. We have a script that was written about one and we didn’t realize that they had taken them all out.
Does anybody know a place where there still may be one, or where I can find one?
Thanks!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
You can only find a stamp vending machine in convenience stores and they are privately operated for profit selling stamps for more than face value.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
There are none left. USPS will, however, be reinstituting them, but I don’t know when.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Yes, I know where you can get a stamp vending machine like you would see at a convenience store. It mounts on the wall.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
this should of been done a while ago, i even stressed the importance of having this be marketable and associated with so many people, instead of controlling it within a certain timeframe.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
That or better advertise things like printed postage. Ticket venues have had tremendous success with this technology and it’s better for the environment all around.
James
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Bring them back. I hate standing in line for such a simple thing and then getting treated rudely by Post office workers when I don’t want one hundred dollars worth of stamps..
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
Yeah, but vending machines MUST be on a premise,
where a security camera MUST be observing, and
the firewall MUST be off installation campus!!!
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The removal of vending machines was a big mistake because the reasoning to remove them was faulty. Management said they break down too often so instead of finding a machine that did not break down, they removed all the machines. Excellent machines that seldom breakdown are easily available. Hundred of millions of dollars of snacks and drinks are sold through machines this way. Plus, management removed machines from all post offices instead of just the post offices with low sales. That’s right, profitable high selling machines were taken out. The USPS’ own study said stamp vending sales were very profitable in in 76% of the locations. I would fire the management personnel that used this line of illogical reasoning. Dollar coins make the use of vending machines very convenient. Bring vending machines back in the locations that have the traffic to support them
Like or Dislike:
1 
0
yes every poat office should have vending machine becouse sometime customers just want to buy one or two stamps only nobody wants to stand in a line just to buy a stamp.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
And where does one find the nearest APC since I don’t know of one in my area and don’t have the time to waste standing in a line at the post office that moves at a snail’s pace to buy air mail stamps???
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
You can find an APC using the Postal Service’s Post Office Locator at http://usps.whitepages.com/post_office.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
The Sierra Madre, California 91024 post office removed the coin-based machines and installed credit card-based APC. I liked it a lot. But a couple of weeks ago they removed the APC and they say they are not going to replace it. Why?
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I checked. It was removed because it didn’t generate inimum revenue required.
Like or Dislike:
0 
0
I think that the stamp vending machines should be brought back if they are in the budget…it doesn’t sound like they are. I am all for convenience and speedy lines, but I would rather see the money go towards more postal workers keeping their jobs.
That’s just my 2 cents…
Like or Dislike:
0 
0