What Does Your Post Office Sell?

I was just reading in Linn's Stamp News about US Post Offices offering Hallmark greeting cards for sale. Am I to understand that up until this a US Post Office didn't sell anything other than postal related items? What services do they offer over the counter?

In Australia our Post Offices have all sorts of things to buy and offer numerous services. Some things you might expect to see walking into a Post Office include all sorts of stationary and cards, mobile phones, computer software, coins from the mint, toys, dvd's, small electronics such as calculators and clocks, paper shredders and computer accessories such as printers, to name a few. Over the counter you can pay all your bills, buy day passes for tolled roads, some are banking agents, buy statutory declarations and will kits, and apply for a passport (requires appointment with Postmaster). They even do the passport photographs.

Oh, and you can post stuff too! The down side of course is that the queue at most PO's is out the door, and half of them are paying bills.

I'm curious about other countrie's Post Offices as well. What does your Post Office offer?

Balf

My local post office doubles up as a newsagent. Walking in the front entrance leads to a small gas station rest stop type store with soda, chips, candy, newspapers, magazines, tobacco and the like for sale. I believe there's also a photocopier tucked away in a corner for personal use at £0.20 a sheet. There's also a small section with packaging supplies like envelopes, parcel boxes, rubber bands etc.

Most of the post office is a winding line which stretches out into the local market. The line itself leads to one of eight counters where there's usually only two open on average days. Over the counter customers can pay bills, withdraw/deposit cash into bank accounts, process welfare payments, purchase foreign currency, apply for official stuff like passports and obviously send mail. Stamp collectors also have to get in line as the newsagent cash register isn't stocked with commemorative sets; folks can only buy definitive booklets from the newsagent. It's definitely a drag standing in line for up to an hour to get the latest mint set but the reward is definitely sweet .

Picture:

For about the last 20 years, Canadian Post Offices have also sold packing materials and stationary supplies, and coin sets from the Royal Canadian Mint; those in larger centres also sell greeting cards. In the distant past, they also had savings accounts at one time, but I'm not exactly sure when that was phased out.

For the past 30 years, USPS has sold not only packaging material, but all sorts of assorted value-added stuff (including phone cards, stamp-themed gifts/books/pins...).

They cut down considerably in the past decade for 2 reasons:

1. they weren't making any profit
2. people who wanted to actually mail things or buy stamps had to wait in long lines behind people who were "wall-shopping" while the clerks meticulously described the various trinkets like a showroom salesman

I, for one, am glad that they dropped the great majority of their side-products. Now if they can only get back to trying to restore "Postal Service", so that their name would be more meaningful.

By the way, the special "philatelic window" at our main post office no longer sells stamps! I'm not kidding. They haven't done so in a few years. Their stamp inventory has been taken away and all the clerks have been forced to handle passport applications. They are only a Philatelic Window in name. There is neither a real window there, nor are there any philatelic items for sale.

And USPS wonders why there are fewer and fewer collectors of modern US stamps.

My local post office outlet is a small town general store. The post office part is pretty much the basic over the counter stuff: random stamp issues, various labels and package materials. No philatelic material / services (like FDC's, special sheets etc) at all.

Larger (main) post offices are more like "gift shops" providing anything that might even remotely be linked to postage or recent issues. I remember seeing ladies handbags, moomin figures etc. on the shelves.

My very small local post office sells happiness. Just found out yesterday they have the 5 dollar washington/jackson (2592) I think. Needless to say, I will be getting a supply of them/

Great thread MmmmBalf

My postal outlet is in the Shopper's Drug Mart. They have their own counter at the back of the store. All the ladies that work there are very pleasant. It is a full service postal outlet and they get a good supply of the all the new releases including souvenir sheets and first day covers.

Dianne

That's a great photo Knudson, exactly what I was hoping for in the thread. Thanks for posting it.

Anyone else have a photo of their local PO?

I think the Philatelic Window concept was a good one but surprise, surprise it was poorly implemented most everywhere at least, in my limited experience. One notable exception was the one in the Main Office, downtown Chicago. It was really pretty amazing if you coul get a clerk to assist you.

I do a lot of traveling. The 2 Philatelic Window that I used to frequent were FANTASTIC. The clerks very knowledgeable and very friendly/helpful, very easy to get along with. One of the clerks who was not a stamp collector, even offered (and actually did) mail in an entry for the recalled Legend of the West lottery on my behalf! Many of these Philatelic Windows originally were allowed to operate with a decent budget and a lot of independence.

When USPS decided to centralize and "expedite" things more, especially with the "pre-packaged" stuff, then things began to fall apart. Budgets were slashed and inventory was reduced to nothing better than the normal... the good ole days are gone. Now if you want to get the special stuff, you have to send off for it from the Cave. Almost all (not all) the Philatelic Windows have shut down or been refitted for other purposes. I miss going through the Philatelic Window inventories, and the banter with the clerks and the other collectors there.

k

My post office is located together with all the other government agencies, so aside from posting, one can transact everything about the goverment, there are canteens, stores, drugstores, police stations, trial court and also the municipal jail all along beside the post office. its all inside a public 4 hectare land area. when I mail again I'll take a pic and post.

If you wanted to buy stamps you can get them in booklet form almost anywhere. New Zealand Post have closed down many post offices round the country side and franchised the selling of stamps to who ever wanted to sell them. We also have "Post shops" which like most other countries sells card, stationary, boxes and packets to post stuff in etc.

Like Diane's, my local post office is in a Shopper's Drug Mart and I believe they sell pretty much all the new sets that come out (though I've not bought one before). My did buy a set of stamps for me from there a few years ago though, a commemorative set of stamps for some of Canada's biggest hockey stars, such as Wayne Gretzky and Maurice "Rocket" Richard.

Passports too (though I guess that's not actually for sale...just to apply for).

just posted some mail today, here's the pic of the place, camera on top of my car, Post office is a whole building, the new building being built end of the street, is a holding prison, because the next building beside it (not seen here) is the trial court building.

and there are a lot of big trees around the place, and a lot of stamps too