Trump's sabotage of the USPS is very real. There are reports everywhere of increasing mail problems over the past couple months. This affects most artists & small biz like me who rely on USPS rates to sell things online. Please be patient with us. Everyone's doing their best.
Setting aside the very worrying vote-by-mail issue, the other side affect of the USPS sabotage is destroying small businesses, because frustrated customers will go to large corporate retailers like Amazon who can afford to eat the cost of shipping via UPS or FedEx.
Republicans have been slobbering over killing the post office for decades, and the toadie Trump inserted to run USPS is especially invested in its destruction. They want shipping to move to private for-profit industry they can invest in. They don't care if that kills small biz.
If you've sold stuff online, you know USPS has great online tools and by FAR the best rates. Customers HATE paying for shipping, so if all you can offer is expensive UPS/FedEx rates, you'll lose a LOT of sales. Amazon/Walmart/etc can afford to offer better shipping for less.
Everyone loves to complain about going to the post office, but the reality for small businesses who sell stuff online (which is increasingly the ONLY way to sell things, esp with the pandemic) is the USPS service is FANTASTIC.
With Glitch Goods the shipping is handled by Threadless, but for my art prints we do everything ourselves and ship from home. We've shipped 1000s of orders across the entire planet and only had a handful of issues, and our shipping rates are astronomically lower thanks to USPS.
In the coming months, shipping will get worse. Your orders will be delayed. You'll be driven to Amazon, etc when you need stuff urgently (and you don't have to feel guilty about that). Please, don't blame USPS, & don't blame small biz. Blame Trump. Call your reps. Demand action.
Also: Now is not the time to engage in Amazon-shaming. Folks are stuck in their homes, hurting financially, and are going to buy the best deal they find, we’re all trying to survive. Instead of scolding them, take your frustration out on your reps, and demand they protect USPS.
It’s a popular and very real dystopian trope that we’re moving towards a future where Amazon and Walmart are the only retailers. As a small biz owner I can assure you that destroying the USPS will advance that future faster than anything else. It’s what the GOP wants. Be angry.
