USPS.gov Still Sucks

This time of year, going to the Post Office is enough to make anyone go postal. And with the upcoming rate increase for stamps to take effect the first week of the new year, I thought I would be smart and order some 2 cent stamps online and save my time to wait in other lines.

Alas, it wasn’t meant to be. First, I had to register. Then I had to find the login that I last used many moons ago. Then I had to find the darn 2 cent stamps — you would think the Postal Service would put a link somewhere on their home page for these puppies. (Note: After Christmas, they have put a link on their shopping home page.) Then I had to pay a $1.00 shipping fee to get the stamps sent to me. Somehow, the thought of having to pay postage on postage strikes me a little odd. All told, the time involved in this $3 transaction was close to 30-40 minutes, about what it would have taken if I went down to the physical PO itself.

Speaking of which, this is what you might have in store for yourself if you do make the trek:

Last Friday I went into a post office in Waterbury CT and asked for 200 one-cent stamps. The clerk asked me what I needed them for. Seeing as it really was none of her business, I thought I would have a little fun and told her that I was planning to put thirty-nine of them on every letter I mailed, rather than one $.39 stamp. She was not amused. Okay, I confess I have postcards that need the additional postage; a lot of postcards. I gave her the real story. She told me she could not give them all to me; that she needed to save some for other customers. Now I wasn’t amused. She has a product for sale. I have money to purchase the product. What part of this equation am I missing? Did the rules on capitalism and business profits change for 2006?

– from “Are You Done Whining?” newsletter

Guys, make it easier. Please!