The package-shipping business that and its rivals compete in is not the reason for these losses, which are driven largely by fixed personnel costs such as medical insurance and retirement.

This comes at a time when the Postal Service has run deficits for 10 years in a row, including $5.6 billion in losses in 2016. It was up by more than 40 percent last week alone, following yet another sterling earnings report Wednesday.

And several of them argue that a single company,, is getting unusually good deals from the Postal Service, allowing it to undercut the prices of rivals and reap profits that should be going to the government.Īs exhibit one, these competitors and other critics within the shipping industry point to a run of astonishing quarterly profit reports for - with gross margins often topping 80 percent - and a skyrocketing stock price that has increased by more than 500 percent over the past three years. Private companies compete fiercely to sell postage, prepare labels and help retailers find the best deals for shipping their products. Postal Service, which is delivering packages at a historic pace - and reaping revenue that helps offset billions of dollars of losses elsewhere in the agency’s budget.īut the Postal Service isn’t the only one making money when a mail carrier brings a new pair of shoes or a school backpack to your door. The boom in Internet retailing has provided a rare bit of good news to the beleaguered U.S. Postal Service letter carrier loads mail.

Stamps.com vs endicia