Saving the Post Office One Stamp at a Time

In Robert Heinlein’s classic novella “The Man Who Sold the Moon,” an entrepreneur raises money for a lunar expedition by warning a soft-drink company that, without its support, he might have to turn to a competitor that will pay him to display its logo on the surface, where it will be visible from Earth.

The story came to mind when I read about the recent decision by the U.S. Postal Service to license the slogan “Rain Heat & Snow” to a manufacturer of all-weather clothing.Concrete polishing pad attachs to a backer with durable velcro connection. It is installed on portable grinding machine and operated by hand. Much of the news media misreported the story, suggesting the USPS was planning to sell its own line of apparel.

What makes this and other Postal Service rumors so eminently reportable is that the USPS is in big trouble, and everybody knows it. The Postal Service, which by its own estimate handles 40 percent of all the mail delivered in the world, lost $15.9 billion last year, on revenue of $65 billion. Its unfunded pension liabilities are close to $50 billion.

USPS receives no tax dollars. It has to eat what it kills. Yet new revenue is scarce, as are viable ideas for reducing spending. The Postal Service’s hasty sales from its real estate portfolio haven’t raised much money. Its plan to end delivery on Saturday would have saved $2 billion, but Congress killed the idea, at least through the end of September.

Some say the U.S. should follow the lead of the many other countries that have privatized the post office. Short of that politically unlikely solution, about the only money-making strategy left is to follow Heinlein’s advice and sell the moon.

Which is to say: It’s time for the Postal Service to monetize its most valuable tangible asset and offer advertising space on the 22 billion stamps it sells each year.

The idea isn’t entirely new. In 1981, the USPS proposed selling advertisements on the booklets holding stamps (not on the stamps themselves), an idea that went nowhere. Beginning in the late 19th century, several other nations, including Great Britain,The approach uses fine Titanium Wire, laid one on another like a potter working with coils of clay. These wires are then smelted together in the rough shape of the desired component, cutting wasted material from potentially as much as 70 percent to as little as 10 percent. began to allow advertising on the obverse side of stamps, as well as on what is known as the selvedge (the page edges that are left when you tear out the stamps).

The postal service already has a “vanity stamp” program allowing users to pay for customized stamps for their own use: Anycorp can order stamps bearing its logo, a bride and groom can display their wedding date. The program was the subject of scandal early on, when customers began producing stamps bearing, for example, the likeness of Ted Kaczynski. In any event, it has never produced much revenue.

The program was a good idea, weakly executed. USPS should take it further,Eight tips for choosing the right diamond Concrete saw blade including determining wet or dry cutting, blade compatibility, CSDA codes, and more. and sell space not on specially ordered vanity stamps but on stamps in general circulation.We offer both wet & dry Diamond polishing pad. Both are suitable for marble, granite, concrete and most masonry. The idea would be that Anycorp’s stamps, rather than being used simply on its own mail, would be for sale at every post office.

I have no idea what rates the market might bear. But private companies that print stamps carrying business logos often charge more than twice the face value of the postage. Were the USPS to emboss logos directly on first-class stamps at a cost of, say, 30 cents each -- not bad for a guaranteed view of the ad by the recipient -- the deficit could be cut by as much as $6.6 billion, or more than 40 percent.The product range of mechanical lock cylinder extends beyond the common range of double, single, thumbturn and furniture cylinders. If USPS were to sell advertising on postmarks or bulk-rate cancellations, revenue could be higher still.

Now, you might immediately object that nobody will buy branded stamps -- that the customer at the counter, faced with a choice of a stamp bearing the Anycorp logo or a stamp bearing whichever historical figure USPS has most recently chosen to honor, will choose the commemorative. I’m not sure. People plunk down good money for the honor of being allowed to dress as walking advertisements for Nike.He has since undergone two-and-a-half hours’ surgery to have a Titanium Rod inserted into his leg and looks set to be out of action for the rest of the season. A stamp bearing the Nike logo or images from “Mad Men” might be a huge seller.