Why do we still get snailmail?

[007ELmO]

1% of my mail is a bill that I can easily read online.

The USPS needs to fully take over local deliveries for FedEx and UPS same day deliveries (including saturday/sundays). I would much prefer the government put my taxes towards that instead of supporting 99% of junk mail.

 

[JManInPhoenix]

I transfer the contents of my mailbox to the shredder/trash bin on a weekly basis.

 

[postmortemIA]

mine goes to recycling ... city gives free recycling bin.

And these online bills are not perfect either... paper copy is often easier to get hold of
Server is offline, please try again
Service works only to 6PM, other times we're doing maintenance
There is mandatory account upgrade (you must re register again)
Oh we stored only last yr of your statements
We changed parent company and all your old statements are gone

 

[lxskllr]

And these online bills are not perfect either... paper copy is often easier to get hold of
Server is offline, please try again
Service works only to 6PM, other times we're doing maintenance
There is mandatory account upgrade (you must re register again)
Oh we stored only last yr of your statements
We changed parent company and all your old statements are gone

If I consider it important, I keep a local copy. I've considered taking down my mailbox, and just visiting the post office every so often, but I get just enough mail that's important to me to make that inconvenient.

 

[biostud]

I only get very few, because we have "e-boks" here in Denmark were work/insurance companies and banks etc. and government can send mail. It's tied to your social security number. I also have a "no thank you" sign for junk mail, making it illegal to put junk mail in my mail box.

 

[Brainonska511]

1% of my mail is a bill that I can easily read online.

The USPS needs to fully take over local deliveries for FedEx and UPS same day deliveries (including saturday/sundays). I would much prefer the government put my taxes towards that instead of supporting 99% of junk mail.

Someone doesn't understand how the USPS is operated and funded.... Hint: They don't get any tax dollars

 

[007ELmO]

OK, point taken, but it still doesn't change my point - I'd like a no spam for my mailbox, too. What a waste of paper!

 

[Markbnj]

Yeah I have this thought daily. I even had to replace the mailbox after the plow knocked it down... which is sort of like hand-coding an email application so you can receive spam.

 

[1sikbITCH]

1% of my mail is a bill that I can easily read online.

The USPS needs to fully take over local deliveries for FedEx and UPS same day deliveries (including saturday/sundays). I would much prefer the government put my taxes towards that instead of supporting 99% of junk mail.

Buy a shredder, paint US MAIL across the front of it, and sit it on the porch where the mailbox was. Problem solved.

 

[Rakehellion]

The USPS needs to fully take over local deliveries for FedEx and UPS same day deliveries

No, they don't.

 

[Rakehellion]

I've considered taking down my mailbox, and just visiting the post office every so often

How would this in any way reduce the amount of mail you receive?

 

[lxskllr]

How would this in any way reduce the amount of mail you receive?

You don't get bulk mail that way. You probably still get pre sorted standard mail, which is just spam with gold trim.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I like paper catalogs, coupons and cards on holidays.

 

[Rakehellion]

Buy a shredder, paint US MAIL across the front of it, and sit it on the porch where the mailbox was. Problem solved.

Mailbox designs must be approved by the Postmaster General, so this could net you a felony.

 

[IronWing]

Junk mail is a ridiculous waste of resources.

1) Design junk mail
2) Purchase address list
3) Print junk mail
4) Deliver junk mail to mailbox
5) Carry junk mail from mailbox to recycle bin
6) Throw away unopened, unread junk mail

Seems it would be cheaper for advertisers to just recycle the crap themselves.

 

[MetalMat]

Funny but it is true and this was back in the late 90s

 

[Mixolydian]

The USPS needs to fully take over local deliveries for FedEx and UPS same day deliveries (including saturday/sundays).

Hahahaha oh man that's a good one!

 

[WHAMPOM]

1% of my mail is a bill that I can easily read online.

The USPS needs to fully take over local deliveries for FedEx and UPS same day deliveries (including saturday/sundays). I would much prefer the government put my taxes towards that instead of supporting 99% of junk mail.

You get bills by land mail??? What third world country do you live in that you do not have your checking account set to auto pay your bills?

edit: need I mention USPS is not tax payer funded? Or the other chuckle berries?

 

[JamesV]

I like getting the grocery ads in the mail. Far easier to look at and make lists from a paper copy than it is to go through the online versions which sometimes have horrendous UI's.

As for waste, that is often the problem of certain businesses over paper mail in general. Aetna has sent me about 50 letters this month, which each one being 'We approved the services for your Great Aunt'. I often get multiples of these a day sometimes too... why not send one sheet with all the approved expenses, instead of a different one for each service?

 

[Mixolydian]

I like getting the grocery ads in the mail.

What? You get them in the mail? Around here they only come in the newspapers.

 

[spidey07]

Because there are certain legal protections with regular mail that no others offer like guaranteed delivery and financial stuffs. Same with Fax.

In your bill example, the biller can PROVE they sent you a bill and therefore you are obligated to pay. Not the same with e-mail or any online bill pay.

oh, and if you guys let another company take money from your bank accounts (like autopay) you are fucking stupid.

 

[alkemyst]

I think most over exaggerate their unsolicited mail. If you are giving your address and crap out all over the place people will mail you.

LOL at autopay being stupid.

 

[JamesV]

I think most over exaggerate their unsolicited mail. If you are giving your address and crap out all over the place people will mail you.

LOL at autopay being stupid.

Had the woman at the haircut place almost go into a fit today about that...

"Hi, can I have your phone number?."

"No, I don't give that information out."

"Your last name?."

"My name is Jim. I don't give out any personal information."

"Well, we have to have something to put into our system..."

What? You get them in the mail? Around here they only come in the newspapers.

Every week we get a bunch of loose store ads in a bundle in the regular mail.

 

[rh71]

i get the occasional food-store coupon(s) that I use.

my wife gets the grocery ads and use them to purchase/prepare for dinner for the week.

I sent-in this permanent opt-out recently so we'll see how it goes. https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t (from http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0262-stopping-unsolicited-mail-phone-calls-and-email)
If it's anything like the do-not-call registry, I'm only partially hopeful.

 

[TwiceOver]

Every day I walk up to my house and then have to make the calculated decision on whether it is worth making the 60 or so foot round trip walk to the mailbox.

I'm always disappointed.