Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Strategies & Market Trends : ahhaha's ahs -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ahhaha who wrote (1424)	3/9/2001 3:08:23 PM
From: Ahda	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 24758

Unlike its two primary competitors, United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE:UPS - news) and FedEx Corp. (NYSE:FDX - news), the postal service lacks the flexibility to quickly adjust rates, forcing it to find other ways to respond to a slowing economy. I wonder how flexible UPS is going to be?

To: ahhaha who wrote (1424)	3/9/2001 3:29:05 PM
From: GraceZ	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 24758

What is interesting about the postal service is that as a government service (Is it privatized, I know there was some talk about that?) it is priced so much under it's main competitors. Especially when you consider the price of bulk mail which is far less than what individuals pay for a first class letter. Then consider that businesses like mine use Fedex all the time because we don't or can't trust the postal service for critical documents. Now contrast the $.34 you'd pay to send a first class letter with the $7-13 you pay to send an overnight letter, then factor in that that is a tax deductible expense and my using Fedex costs the government tax revenues. An overnight letter results in $3-5 tax write off. So the government is subsidizing a service that someone else performs because the one they offer can't be trusted. We used to beat up on the post office all the time around here. I've sent more than one complaint letter myself to the local postmaster here in Baltimore. In the last five years the postal service has improved 300%. I feel confident sending most things through the mail, but my clients still insist on Fedex for safety and tracking ability.