Mail and Its Future

With the US Postal Service announcing its rate increases for 2009, the agency and the mailing industry face an uncertain future. The USPS, facing a well-publicized $2.8 billion deficit this year and total mail volume decrease of 9 billion, said the rate increases will amount to a drop in the bucket toward solving the agency's fiscal woes. It also faces a cluttered marketplace where consumers and companies have growing options from e-mail and companies, such as Earth Class Mail and the recently launch Zumbox, which provide digitally delivered mail.

“It wouldn't… have a whole lot of meaning,” said Stephen ...