In fiscal year 2009, the U.S. Postal Service spent more than $149 million in manufacturing, shipping, and fulfillment costs for Express Mail® and Priority Mail® packaging supplies. The Postal Service, like FedEx, provides these supplies at no cost to customers and the public.
Loading ...The packaging is Postal Service property and, therefore, should only be used to send Express and Priority mail packages. However, some customers use the boxes, envelopes, and labels for other purposes and in some cases, customers use the packaging to mail items using the Postal Service’s competitors. This adds additional costs to the Postal Service and violates federal law. The question is balancing the desire to control costs with maintaining the convenience that customers desire.
The Postal Service must ensure the supplies it provides are used appropriately, but what’s the best way to do this? Are the savings worth the logistics and costs of monitoring and the inconvenience for customers? How do competitors monitor the use of packaging supplies?
This topic is hosted by the Office of Audit Field Financial – West team.
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While I agree that abuse exists, controlling/policing this issue can cause even worse problems and spend even more money. I can’t help but wonder that when a someone uses a USPS box and then uses FedEx or UPS to ship it that there isn’t some way we could get reimbursed from FedEx or UPS. They are our business partners, and I would think it would be obvious to them when a USPS package is in their mailstream. A business partner should be just that, a partner and work with us to deal with this issue.
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Why make things more complicated, more management and admin….I say focus on cuts and keep it simple!
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When you receive something (via USPS) in a USPS supplied box, is it still illegal to use that box for something else??
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Maybe charging for the materials, or only making them available at USPS locations would stop some of the abuse. Thanks.
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UPS and Fedex you have to have an account to order supplies. When you do order, they review it and check your shipping history. If you’re consistanly ordering supplies and continue to ship nothing air, then they cut you off.
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Hello Snow Joe,
I agree with you .
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