(Multichannel)The U.S. Postal Service’s efforts to modernize and cut costs apparently are resulting in sluggish catalog deliveries this spring. And although some mailers say that mail to the West Coast, New Mexico, and Texas has suffered the most, “you can’t really define exactly what areas are being affected,” says Gary LaBarre, distribution manager for Maple Grove, MN-based printing and production services provider Banta Catalog Group. “It’s like trying to hit a moving target.”

LaBarre adds, “There have been rumblings from the West Coast that carriers are delivering mail as late as 11 p.m. In general, it’s difficult to get a straight answer.”

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one mailer says, “We’re not sure if this is a process problem, a union slowdown, or a combination of both, and the USPS has been slow to give a clear explanation.”

Another mailer who asked not to be identified reports that some catalog deliveries during February and March in Texas, California, and Florida were as much as two weeks behind schedule.

 

 

http://multichannelmerchant.com/news/slow_USPS_service_03292006/