Postal Rates

• 1Would elimination of Saturday mail delivery have no impact OR a negative impact on your business? (If negative impact.) Would that be a small negative impact or a large one?
• 1aHow would you be negatively impacted?
• 2Suppose you were charged a lower postage rate for ALL mail within your own zip code and a higher rate for ALL mail outside your zip code. Would that save you money or cost you money? (If would save or would cost money.) Would that be a lot or a little?
• 3Would a two-tier postal rate system, one lower rate for mail sent to your zip and a higher rate for zips farther away, create a major administrative hassle for you, a minor administrative hassle or no administrative hassle?
• 4In MILES, how far is the closest Post Office to your business?Top 100 question
• 5Suppose that the closest Post Office was permanently closed and you were forced to use the second closest Post Office. Would that change have no impact, a modest negative impact, or a serious negative impact on your business?
• 5aHow would that negatively impact your business?
• 6Please estimate the amount that your business spends MONTHLY on first-class postage.
• 6aIf first-class postage were to rise 6 cents a letter, to 40 cents, and 3 cents a post card to 24 cents, by the end of the year would you:?
• 6a1By what percent would you reduce first-class mail?
• 6a2By what percent would you shift?
• 6bIf first-class postage were to rise 10 cents a letter, to 44 cents, and 5 cents a post card to 26 cents by the end of the year, would you:?
• 6b1By what percent would you reduce first-class mail?
• 6cDo you pre-sort mail or take other actions that qualify for a postage discount?
• 7Do you mail newspapers, books, or other educational material that qualify for a Periodicals-class postage rate?
• 8Do you send saturation mailings, sometimes called “junk” mail, to specific zip codes or geographic areas that qualify for standard postal rates?
• 9On average, how much do you spend MONTHLY sending Express or Priority Mail through the U.S. Postal Service?
• 9aIf the price of Priority Mail were to rise 10 percent per item by year’s end, would you most likely:?
• 9a1Why would you pay the increase rather than switch services? Is it because the Postal Service is:?
• 9bIf the price of Priority Mail were to rise 15 percent per item by year’s end, would you most likely:?
• 9b1Why would you pay the increase rather than switch services? Is it because the Postal Service is:?
• 10On average, how much do you spend MONTHLY sending packages Parcel Post through the U.S. Postal Service?
• 10aIf the price of Parcel Post were to rise 10 percent per item by year’s end, would you most likely:?
• 10a1Why would you pay the increase rather than switch services? Is it because the Postal Service is:?
• 10bIf the price of Parcel Post were to rise 15 percent per item by year’s end, would you most likely:?
• 10b1Why would you pay the increase rather than switch services? Is it because the Postal Service is:?
• 11Estimated total monthly postal costs.

Volume 2, Issue 3, 2002
ISSN 1534-8326

William J. Dennis, Jr.
NFIB Research Foundation