USPS Closes Providence Rhode Island Philatelic Unit

Hi,

Linn's Stamp News of May 16, 2011 confirms the closing of the Providence Rhode Island philatelic unit on April 27, 2011. In the previous week's Linn's, May 9, 2011, an article was published about the Providence unit. The article referred to a profile of the Providence unit in the February 15, 2010 paper. At that time it was reported the unit averaged $400,00 per year with sales in one year of almost a million dollars. One wonders why the closing if, according to the articles, the unit seemed profitable.

Jerry B

One wonders at the mentality of closing a unit which brings in that much money. The likelihood of the USPS having to perform a service for those stamps is very low. No wonder they had a huge loss last quarter with thinking like that. (The 400,000 is however, just a drop in the bucket compared to the 2 billion dollar shortfall last quarter)

I had read about the Providence Philatelic Center closure at other web sites, too. The USPS has yet to (and probably won't) issue a news release in this regard. The USPS link to the Providence Philatelic Center now gives you an error message, with no explanation on any reason for the closure. I tend to agree with the bottom-line comment mentioned on other sites that there is seemingly a distinct "disconnect" between the USPS and we stamp collectors.

I don't question that the USPS may be falling on hard times financially, but if that's the case, why close a stamp collecting resource that is virtually clear profit for the USPS?

Maybe I'm being a bit cynical, but has anyone else noticed the trend toward tacking on back-door fees to boost the USPS profitability? Here are some examples:

1. It was mentioned in a recent "Postal Bulletin" that the Change of Address cards are not to be given public access but are to be kept "behind the counter". Clerks are being asked to direct customers to the on-line site for change of address and the $1 fee that goes along with it. If a customer gets insistent about not doing the change of address on line, only then are they permitted to give the "change of address" kit out, which allows the customer to accomplish the same thing for no charge.

2. The USPS issues with fanfare the new Purple Heart with Ribbon Forever Stamp, but doesn't tell the public (unless you read it in their internal publications) that post offices must exhaust their present supply of denominated Purple Heart stamps before they can order or even sell the new ones to the public, even if they have them in stock! Another disconnect between the USPS and the collector. Postal clerks are therefore encouraging collectors to order from Kansas City, and ultimately pay the $1 handling fee for the service.

3. In the "Go Green" issue of USA Philatelic, they are offering the new Purple Heart with Ribbon stamp in as a pane of 20 ($8.80) and a First Day Cover ($0.88). According to my math, that totals $9.68. OR, you can purchase (under a separate stock number) a combination of a pane of 20 stamps and a first day cover for $9.95. Why would one want to pay another 28 cents to order it together rather than separately? Other commemorative issues are noted in that publication as being "sold out" in panes of 20, but you can purchase the panes in combination with first day covers and/or digital postmarks for a premium. In other words, the USPS has the stamps, but chooses to bundle them together to sell to collectors at a higher price to boost profits, I assume. Yet another attempt at discouraging collectors to purchase new issues.

4. The USPS is now selling "Go Green" products (i.e. tote bags, etc.) as a profit making scheme. Likewise, news reports suggest they will also be selling AMEX Gift Cards, greeting cards, etc., as a sideline.

The above are just a few examples that directly are seen by stamp collectors. What we don't see is the internal reorganization of the USPS Administration, which is said to be focused on cost-saving measures. However, according to comments I have heard from various postal clerks, many are seemingly frustrated by some of this reorganization, potential closures of smaller branches are hanging over their heads, and I can assume we are only hearing a small piece of what must be going on within that organization.

I guess it's only an introduction of things yet to come.

Hi wt1,



In my Marietta, Georgia branch they already display greeting cards. Even though I do not collect US stamps any more I totally agree with you.

Linn's also said that the Providence closing seems to be totally contrary to the earlier USPS statements about "being nice to collectors and customers and having stamps on hand" (paraphrased from memory).

Jerry B

I guess folks in Providence will just have to buy Liberty Bell stamps...

The USPS doesn't seem to understand that people don't buy what they can't see. If a non-collector doesn't see all their cool options for stamps, or extra goodies on display, they won't get purchased. And some clerks don't help. "I'd like a booklet of stamps". Instead of showing them a sheet of commemoratives, they just toss a booklet of Liberty Bells at them... Obviously they are not salespeople...

So POs with philatelic sections SHOULD be helpful for the PO.

Thought I would use this thread to share this cover:



I acquired it just today at my local post office which is about 25 miles away from Providence. Apparently the local postal officials in the area were invited to some sort of an event at the Providence PO and with the recent closure of the philatelic sales branch there, these were freebie "giveaways" and the local postmaster had the forethought to pickup several for stamp collectors that frequent her office.

A nice addition to my collection!

I noticed the push of the "Go Green" bags and greeting cards at many of the PO's I recently visited last week during a postmark collecting trip along Route 66. That was probably the last philatelic window to close, did Linn's mention how many are still operating? Ours in Springfield IL closed a few years ago when the clerk was getting ready to retire and she was moved to a regular window.

On a side note, of the 15 PO's I visited asking politely for a circle date cancel on my map tieing a US stamp only 1 questioned the ability to do so. It should also be said that the day before it was announced publicly that the PO would be closing. In the end I won out by mentioning that a collector can make a special request for a hand back cover or philatelic item and it is in their handbook; the clerk responded with "I guess all the other PO's couldn't be wrong in completing my request". Then she promptly canceled the stamp 3 times (much to my horror) because the device wasn't not inked properly.