Mailers Council warns USPS not to harm business partners for the sake of revenue
ARLINGTON, VA, November 3, 2008—Today, Mailers Council Executive Director Robert E. McLean issued the following statement regarding motions filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission to compel the United States Postal Service (USPS) to file a complete list of nonpostal services.
“The United States Postal Service will soon announce its official financial results for the fiscal year that ended on September 30, and the figures are projected to show an alarmingly high deficit in excess of $2 billion dollars. The agency will likely experience additional losses in the coming months because of the nation’s faltering economy and the ongoing diversion of First-Class and other mail to electronic alternatives.
These challenges have forced the Postal Service to seek new revenue sources, including royalties for products branded with the USPS logo. These products include some items that are currently being sold by Postal Service customers. This action by the Postal Service has lead to a series of motions filed this month with the Postal Regulatory Commission by postal customers and by numerous mailing associations.
Therefore, we encourage the Postal Service to publish a complete list of any new products it plans to introduce. But as important, regardless of specific provisions of the Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act, we hope that when planning new products and services, the Postal Service carefully considers whether the potential revenue they attain will be worth the business damage done to their current valued business partners.”
