Double-digit package growth predicted during the busy holiday shipping season
WASHINGTON — The Postal Service kicked off the holiday shipping season today by announcing that it will be delivering packages seven days a week in major cities and high volume areas starting Nov. 17 through Christmas Day in response to expected double-digit package volume growth.
“The Postal Service will be out making deliveries every single day during the holiday season, including Christmas Day,” said Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe. “During the holidays, no carrier makes more deliveries to more places than the Postal Service, and this year, we’re raising the bar with enhanced tracking and Sunday delivery.”
The demand for package service has grown as online retailers ship more products to their customers. The Postal Service is adding package delivery on Sundays during the holidays to prepare for the heavy shipping season.
“Every household in America relies on us to get their packages in time for the holidays, and we take great pride in taking on that responsibility,” said Donahoe. “We’re prepared to do whatever it takes to deliver for our customers.”
Double-digit Growth
Due to continued e-commerce growth and improvements to its Priority Mail product line, the Postal Service is expecting double-digit growth in its package business this holiday season, likely in the range of 450 to 470 million packages. That equates to roughly 12 percent growth over the same period last year.
“Football has its season. But the holidays? That’s our season,” said Donahoe. “That’s crunch time for us, and year after year, we step up our game. E-commerce package business continues to be a big player now more than ever, so we’ve enhanced our network to ensure America that we’ll deliver their cards, gifts and letters in time for the holidays.”
While its competitors recently announced price increases, the Postal Service lowered some of its prices for businesses and frequent shippers. The new Priority Mail pricing offers affordable shipping options along with improved tracking and reliability for business customers.
“The Postal Service is a vital business partner for small and large businesses and lowering shipping prices will save them money and improve their bottom line,” said Nagisa Manabe, chief marketing and sales officer. “With our affordable shipping options, we hope to attract new business customers and become their preferred delivery service.”
2014 Christmas Shipping Deadlines
For expected delivery of holiday mail and packages by Christmas, the Postal Service recommends keeping the following mailing and shipping deadlines in mind:
- Dec. 2 – First-Class Mail International/Priority Mail International
- Dec. 10 – Priority Mail Express International
- Dec. 15 – Standard Post
- Dec. 17 – Global Express Guaranteed
- Dec. 20 – First-Class Mail/Priority Mail (domestic)
- Dec. 23 – Priority Mail Express (domestic)
Skip the lines and ship online
Consumers can avoid holiday hassles by visiting usps.com — the Postal Service’s website that will help make mailing and shipping easier. Nearly 75 million customers will skip the trip to the Post Office altogether and take advantage of convenient online shipping this holiday season. Click-N-Ship and other online services allow customers to print shipping labels, order free Priority Mail boxes, purchase postage and even request free next-day Package Pickup.
Launching holiday advertising campaign
The Postal Service is also launching its advertising campaign today with a wide range of media activities, ranging from direct mail to television and print advertisements, to social media and digital promotion.
“Our holiday marketing effort will be built around the idea that the Postal Service has been planning all year for this season and we are prepared to deliver the holidays for America,” said Manabe. “Our advertising goal is to attract new consumer and business customers and provide assurance for our customers that they can depend on our affordable and reliable service to deliver their mail and packages during this season.”
Wow! So much negativity. What every happened to being thankful just a little?
Working on Christmas! What a disgrace. No wonder the NALC membership is dwindling. What a disgrace of a union. Hey regulars keep paying dues and keep getting screwed.
Hey NALC! Working on
Christmas Day!
When are you ever going to unzip your fly and show us you have a pair. What a disgrace of a union, working on Christmas Day!
“Every household in America relies on us to get their packages in time for the holidays, and we take great pride in taking on that responsibility,” said Donahoe. “We’re prepared to do whatever it takes to deliver for our customers.” Then why are we only extending this service to Major cities and high volume areas? Why not deliver all packages 7 days a week during this holiday period?
Gee, I thought we had to drop Saturday delivery, to save money…………………….surely, postal mgmt wasn’t lying………………………right ?
Our plant still has first class packages sitting in wiretainers dated Oct 30 and 31 right on through November 6. Reasoning…APBS operators were needed to run the DBCS machines rather than the APBS. So much for the statement “we can not lose the package business” Maybe we are trying to give it away!!!
You can be certain that the management that came up with and implemented the Amazon deal will be sitting by the fireplace with wine glass in hand. While PTF’s and CCA’s work on Sundays.(after doing a full week)
Remember: Current Management ARE the ones who found it smarter to become a 204B than walk delivering mail or work the window like the rest of us…….
” The Post Office always “Works Workers and Slacks Slackers”
go slow = more dough!
I’m surprised that normal mailers have not sued because of the special free services given to Amazon and subsidized by the rest of us. The USPS bends over for Amazon when the government model should be equal service to everyone. The Post Office according to the constitution, is not in the business of making profits but providing service….at a constant price for all. But what’s new? These days, breaking the constitution and giving billionaires and bankers extra service is the status quo for the new “we’ll bail you out” gubmint.
Is Donahoe going to be working weekends?
Here’s a couple true stories for you concerning how much the USPS values its customers.
First, my brother tried to return a parcel through the return postage system, including a tracking number. It sat in the local post office over two weeks, the clerk and/or postmistress too lazy to enter it into the system and sending it on. This is a very small office where there is no excuse for that kind of indifference. My sister-in-law went to the office to find out why the manufacturer (the parcel being a part that wasn’t correct) didn’t get the parcel back, and the postmistress all but ripped her apart and told her it couldn’t be in the system, even though she (the PM) was the one who sold the tracking label! The company eventually told my brother not to worry about it, that they would send the correct part and not charge him. Their comment? The USPS screws up the RTS mail all the time.
My union, the NALC, sent a letter to me dated Oct. 28 urging me to vote for my incumbent senator in the upcoming election. The letter arrived yesterday on the fifth of November, 1st class.
When my non-postal friends and relatives ask me about stupid fuck-ups like this, how can I answer them other than truthfully? I tell them there are people in the USPS who want to do things right, and the other half couldn’t give a shit less. Management was plainly at fault concerning the return package, but the letter being that late was a combination of everything.
My rural carrier routinely delivers mail to me for the former owners who have been gone over seven years. Even with a warning label and my name in the box the service can be pathetic. Why? Because there is next to no accountability. In my early years you could get disciplined and eventually fired for mishandling mail – now it’s a given, with nothing but running being an acceptable performance for bonus minded management. Not that this is news, but it’s still disgusting.
Let’s see how long the CCAs last………
Note the phrase “expected” increase in volume.
Have no worries; this will be *another* classic mgmt fiasco.
Well, they are already doing this for Amazon.
Finally something that makes sense as the supervisors were always scrambling
around for people to go out and deliver parcels, after we returned to the office and finished our routes.