$460 yo-yo?? No foolin.... and the USPS

Awl --

Ackshooly, $459.99,

formatting link
Alum, on a bearing, w/ a titanium rim. goodgawd....

I post this not just for its mildly inneresting metal content, but as a possible source of bidniss for some of the matchining mavens here. Yoyonation is an apparently perty successful entreepreeneerial start-up by some dotcom yoyo geeks, who might could use small-shop services.

Saw them on Pubic Access cable, by way of an edge-wise advertising campaign by the USPS on pubic access (likely bending quite a few rules), and is apparently is tryna give UPS a run for their money. Yoyonation was featured as one their oh-so satisfied customers -- hellified plug for yoyonation, as well. USPS provides boxes, materials, etc gratis, and picks up.

And a good run it appears to be. The USPS will ship, judging from an ebay link for a company the re-conditions kurt vises and uses the USPS, 6" kurt vises for $22, vs UPS's price of double-triple that. I think....

Now that the gummint is bailing 2/3 of our major industries out, perhaps the gummint will try to compete as well. Here, USPS vs UPS. Perhaps in other "naturally" nationalize-able endeavors, such as energy, recycling/scrap, etc.

I think it would be excellent economic policy to have the gummint be one (no frills) *brand* with at least one product in any given area: car insurance, energy utility, cheap car, etc. This should help keep other muthafuckas honest, at least provide some alternative to the conventionally rapacious corporate PV'g we all have become so used to.

Reply to
Proctologically Violated©®
Loading thread data ...

Ha! My wife knows Pat Cuartero, who founded Yoyonation. She got him to give a performance at the school where she teaches. The kids talked about it for days.

He's a former New York financial guy who quit his six-figure job (he's in his 20s) in New Yawk to make yo-yo's. A good guy.

-- Ed Huntress

Reply to
Ed Huntress

age

I LOVE USPS flat-rate shipping options...best one was the time I shipped a flat-rate box priority mail to a guy who wanted some lead type for bullet-making. Stuffed that sucker as full as it would go, filament-taped it six ways from Sunday, and just about died laughing when the lady at the Post Office looked at her scale, after I dead- lifted it up from the floor....

Yes, they did want to know what it was, but it went out at the official flat-rate fee, nonetheless.

Kinda makes up for them ditching the M-bag rate for books and media going overseas. Now THAT was one good deal!

Regards,

Bob

Reply to
Bob

formatting link

Reply to
Bipolar Bear

I've done similar things with steel. The only time I've heard a USPS employee swear was when I handed the mailman a 68 lb flat rate box.

Reply to
Richard J Kinch

The USPS has been trying to compete, and to establish the service as a "brand", starting when they chose that new logo that replaced a somewhat natural rendition of the head of an American bald eagle. Oh, and the music for the commercials.. John Cougar?, I don't remember as it's been quite a while since I've seen one. The Priority Mail, Express and Delivery Confirmation names/features/services are all fairly recent additions, intended to persuade/convince the public that USPS is a fast, efficient, cost competitive service. In general appearances, the PM boxes are attractive, all red, white and blue, which only a commie could hate.

My USPS friend tells me the PO is an independently operating entity, not subsidized by Uncle Sam, in the way that most federal agencies are thought of.

The free PM boxes, envelopes, labels and tape were most likely intended to be worthwhile incentives for customers to use USPS. If I were a merchandiser of small products, I would choose the brightly colored PM boxes for my products, no question about it. The flat rate boxes eliminate the need for weighing, so what could be convenient/easier? (although reducing costs by weighing packages would appeal to some folks, no doubt).

I've discovered that some cheap bastards will use free PM packaging as filler in packages sent by USPS or brown, and also turn the free USPS boxes inside-out and use the box to send stuff by brown, or to avoid the extra $.50 that PM might cost over First Class or Parcel Post. The free PM boxes were clearly printed USPS inside for a while, which could've possibly prevented some of this abuse, but the inside printing was discontinued a while ago.

A customer that ships packages regularly can utilize USPS free software/tools to print shipping labels (including added features such as insurance or signature required) and place package pickup calls online too, I think.

Years ago, they apparently were thinking of the USPS as being primarily for mail (letter, catalog etc), instead of realizing the importance of parcels/packages and larger items, IMO.

The location of my local PO is too fuctup for the public to ever come around to considering it a convenient location for sending packages. There are about a dozen street parking spots on the corner. If you don't get into one of those, you'll end up humping your packages more than a city block, then have to climb 6-or-so steps after entering a door, then thru another door to get to the counter area. Recently, they installed a 24/7 kiosk for sending packages, after the steps, and only one door. One can choose to use a ramp instead of one set up steps, as the one door is also impaired accessible. None of the doors are automatic, BTW.

Until they make/retrofit the POs to be convenient for public use, not many folks are going to think of the PO as an easy solution to sending packages. I think convenient for use would mean pull up, or back up to a curb in front of a store type layout (at grade level), grab the packages and walk a short distance to a door directly adjacent to a counter for weighing, labeling (if not accomplished beforehand), and paying for the service. Then walk away with a receipt like any other retail transaction. Small stuff could be processed at a drive-thru window.

There is interaction/interplay between the USPS and the brown and orange/blue carriers. Brown has a service? where they accept small packages, process them to a regional USPS processing terminal location, then USPS hands the package over to a mail carrier/postperson to hand carry to an address. Senseless over-complication, IMO.

Crucial used this method to send me some DIMMs that never showed up, but they did re-send them, overnight FedEx. And how was that a good business solution, I wondered. The destination, BTW was a business address where brown delivers my other packages to, on a regular basis.

A USPS example I've mentioned before (metalworking), was a dividing head weighing about 80 lbs, sold on eBay, and the buyer wanted an amount quoted for shipping. The USPS amount for 2 packages was significantly lower than brown's amount for 1 package. The buyer didn't mind if I separated the parts of the DH, so it was sent USPS at a savings to the buyer.

I've used USPS money orders for years (estimated hundreds of 'em) without a single incident of a recipient claiming they hadn't been received. The newest MOs have security features similar to currency paper.. blacklight detection, watermarks and security strip. So they're not easily counterfeited and they can be traced ($5 fee) by The Inspectors, and who (what special kind of idiot) would invite trouble from those guys?

One situation resolved itself when an eBay seller was getting pissy about not receiving a money order that I'd sent. I informed him by email that he could stop assuming that I hadn't sent it, and included the MO serial number, amount, date and the address I'd sent it to. His reply was that he had moved last year, and hadn't updated his eBay payment address. The MO was still delivered to him in another city/same state, but took about

11 days.

FWIW, I think the federal govt is already a brand, by way of the labor force within the BOP (bureau of prisons) in many areas of manufacturing.. electronics, bullet-resistant body gear, furniture, and numerous other products. Private US companies say they can't compete with traditionally-domestically-produced goods, and that the playing field isn't level regarding US small business competition. This has been going on for quite some time, as I remember seeing a program about these issues several years ago.

Not just liscense plates anymore. Kids.. stay in school, and don't use those brain-damaging chemicals although they might be imbedded within everyday products or your environment, home etc, but only for a good reason.

Reply to
Wild_Bill

They no longer provide free boxes for Priority Mail; the only free boxes now are for Express Mail. This is as of a year ago at all of my local branches.

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

Does your postmaster have a new boat?

Reply to
Ned Simmons

I don't know, but I'm going to print out a copy of that page and ask him WTH is going on. I used to ship a lot of stuff with those boxes, usually little things for ebay, and was rather dismayed that they started charging for boxes for Priority Mail.

Hmmmmm....

Jon

Reply to
Jon Danniken

I just picked up a handfull a couple days ago. You should speak to your postmaster!

Regards,

Bob

Reply to
Bob

formatting link
rate boxes are free.

Yes they constantly change rates and structures. last year the 8x12 envelope was oversize. It cost more than a dollar more over the weight. Now the kick in the head is lower.

Mart> >

Reply to
Martin H. Eastburn

Good one, Ned. Unless that PO is lost in time, they would likely have laser scanned barcodes on all of the products which would be managed by USPO software, I'd think.

There are ReadyPost products (private retail product, not an actual USPS product) for sale in POs, such as these mailing products:

formatting link
I haven't actually gotten any of the USPS Priority Mail shipping products at retail stores, but I think they're free even if they're picked up at KMart or other stores where I've seen them. I did just see a PM box that I received had the printed text "not for resale" on the flap, so I'm fairly convinced that free would be the case, even from a store.

As far as other merchandise/products for sale in POs, the counter area of the local one is almost like a souvenir junk shop. Teddy bears, Disney stuff, framed Elvis commemorative (somethings), similarly framed Nascar, separate military branch wall-hanging things, keychains, pen/pencil sets, flashy gift bags on-n-on.. all which are actual USPS products for retail sale (year round).

All that crap, and they didn't have the U.S. Marines Toys For Tots collection box there anymore. Maybe there just isn't enough room after the USPS merchandise displays. I wouldn't think that the Toys For Tots program would be a PC, religion or political issue, but in these times, maybe.

Reply to
Wild_Bill

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.