This ignores the lost revenue when people realize that this is an option. While in some cases it may be cheaper you would encourage this at a system level and then you would have large scale systemic losses.
Why? The sender is probably local to the post office, so why would it be cheaper to take it to a different address? Most likely it’s the same cost to deliver locally, and more expensive to deliver elsewhere.
Not sure how that works in other countries, but in the Netherlands, if there’s no sender address, it will still get delivered. The receiver will get a note with it with the request to pay for the missing postage. If they don’t they’ll get a reminder but nothing more happens.
I had an international birthday card delivered to me without a stamp. The sender realized their mistake after they mailed it so sent another card, with a stamp, assuming the first card would be returned. Not sure how it slipped through the system.
I’ve gotten a package in the US with a note saying that I needed to leave a few cents worth of change to cover the unpaid cost of the package before. Honestly I don’t think they try to collect but I paid it anyway.
Sets a precedent to make this a life hack. Almost as sad as sending a letter with the return address being the person you want to send the letter to. There’s all these tricks people have tried and in reality it’s illegal to do any of these so do it once, say it’s a mistake. Get caught doing it more than that – get a lawyer….
You don’t need postage at all. Just address it backwards and drop it off. It’ll get “returned” for insufficient postage. I’ve done this myself many times.
A single transaction? Sure. But imagine if you did that, and then people noticed you did that, and how many people in turn would start doing that. That’s going to quickly add up to effectively just reducing your prices down to free, unless you stop doing that.
Postage due is a thing though… at the same time, I think the stamp cancellation happens as your local office, so it might not be cheaper since it just has to go back to the local area.
There used to be someone who tried to scam the system by changing the return address on the envelope and just sending it back and forth.
Until the all the people learn that their letter will be delivered with no or insufficient postage, so most people stop putting enough on.
It’s similar (but slightly different) to when the police in some cities stopped going after petty crooks. But when people find this out, petty crimes became a chronic problem.
Any one letter going either direction is probably functionally free for the post office.
Like .00001 cents worth of extra gas for the weight maybe?
The mailman is coming to my house anyway. If he has 4 pieces of junk mail plus 1 RTS letter it doesn’t cost any more for him to deliver than just the 4 pieces of junk mail.
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This ignores the lost revenue when people realize that this is an option. While in some cases it may be cheaper you would encourage this at a system level and then you would have large scale systemic losses.
Only if its going locally. Otherwise its getting stopped before traveling across the country.
Or if it’s local, just put the intended receiver’s address as the return address and get it to the person without any postage
Why? The sender is probably local to the post office, so why would it be cheaper to take it to a different address? Most likely it’s the same cost to deliver locally, and more expensive to deliver elsewhere.
In this country they send the letter on, and bill the sender separately for missing postage + a ~$5 fee
Not sure how that works in other countries, but in the Netherlands, if there’s no sender address, it will still get delivered. The receiver will get a note with it with the request to pay for the missing postage. If they don’t they’ll get a reminder but nothing more happens.
I had an international birthday card delivered to me without a stamp. The sender realized their mistake after they mailed it so sent another card, with a stamp, assuming the first card would be returned. Not sure how it slipped through the system.
Very short term, yes. Long term, it way more expensive.
I’ve gotten a package in the US with a note saying that I needed to leave a few cents worth of change to cover the unpaid cost of the package before. Honestly I don’t think they try to collect but I paid it anyway.
It isn’t about the money. It’s about sending a message.
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Sets a precedent to make this a life hack. Almost as sad as sending a letter with the return address being the person you want to send the letter to. There’s all these tricks people have tried and in reality it’s illegal to do any of these so do it once, say it’s a mistake. Get caught doing it more than that – get a lawyer….
You don’t need postage at all. Just address it backwards and drop it off. It’ll get “returned” for insufficient postage. I’ve done this myself many times.
What if you put the destination address as the return address with insufficient postage?
It’s not about money, it’s about (not) sending a message
A single transaction? Sure. But imagine if you did that, and then people noticed you did that, and how many people in turn would start doing that. That’s going to quickly add up to effectively just reducing your prices down to free, unless you stop doing that.
It sounds like you did zero research on this topic.
Postage due is a thing though… at the same time, I think the stamp cancellation happens as your local office, so it might not be cheaper since it just has to go back to the local area.
There used to be someone who tried to scam the system by changing the return address on the envelope and just sending it back and forth.
Forget about returning that letter. Just slap on a stamp and let it live its best life in the postal abyss. Cheaper therapy than sending it back.
You don’t need postage if you just put the place you want the letter to go as the sender.
They usually deliver it, and force the receiver to pay the difference to have the mail. Ask me how I know that and who I have pissed off.
Stamps really break the illusion of money for me. Like, do they even do anything with it? It’s a sticker.
Until the all the people learn that their letter will be delivered with no or insufficient postage, so most people stop putting enough on.
It’s similar (but slightly different) to when the police in some cities stopped going after petty crooks. But when people find this out, petty crimes became a chronic problem.
Ok but what is crueler??? And what matters more to humans?
Reverse the addresses on the envelope, then send it with insufficient postage.
Any one letter going either direction is probably functionally free for the post office.
Like .00001 cents worth of extra gas for the weight maybe?
The mailman is coming to my house anyway. If he has 4 pieces of junk mail plus 1 RTS letter it doesn’t cost any more for him to deliver than just the 4 pieces of junk mail.
Lol, good chance it may just end up in a warehouse somewhere for weeks, or MUCH longer.