Whatever Next? - NZ Post Proposes To Deliver 3 Days A Week

Mail volumes have dropped considerably during the last 10 years, with 265 million fewer items being posted each year compared to 2002. And it is expected to keep dropping a further 25% in the next five years.

New Zealand Post chief executive Brian Roche said the company has no other choice.

"We're break even at the moment. We can't price our way out of this."

http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/nz-...week-5328766

s sensible policy I say

The Dutch post is doing something similar to this already.

Jan-Simon, can you elaborate? Peter

Seems like a weird solution to the problem. As they make the service even less useful to the public, do they think this is anything other than a downward spiral to nowhere and an admission of defeat? Cost-cutting only works to a point. At some point, some creative thinking about revenue generation has to be applied.

We currently have a 'Fastpost' next day service for 90c. If mail is only delivered 3 days a week this service cannot exist.

Alternative for an urgent overnight mail will be the Courier Post with a minimum charge $5.89 for DLE size.

We already have no collection on Saturday or Sunday - will this also get cut to 3 days?

Now I also wonder how long before many small town post offices become totally automated? Weigh a parcel - pay by CC and get a printed label. Affix and drop package into chute.

And going forward - How long before real stamps cease to exist? Everything using printed label.

I am assuming NZ Post is still government owned and operated. If so, maybe its time to privatize it; get some entrepreneurs involved and find new ways of doing business. I don't believe you can cut service the way it sounds like they're doing; recipe for disaster. Too bad! I collect NZ stamps (was my first country) but I haven't purchased anything past 2005.