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<It seems obvious to me that Amazon will move into small-parcel shipping (UPS/FedEx/USPS) within the next five years. I wish the author expanded on this. Some

<It seems obvious to me that Amazon will move into small-parcel shipping (UPS/FedEx/USPS) within the next five years. I wish the author expanded on this. Some are afraid president trump may EO the postal service in some unheard of way...which favors businesses that rely on last mile delivery I wonder if the author was referring to delivery franchising?

msielski 9y ago
Half of my Amazon packages are now delivered by an Amazon van or by some guy's personal vehicle with an Amazon magnet on it. I believe they're a mix of the Flex[1] program the author referred to and private companies Amazon is contracting[2]. Not a stretch to see them adding pickup as a service and competing directly with USPS, UPS, FedEx etc. See also the companies they're acquiring in this area[3]. [1] https://flex.amazon.com/ https://flex.amazon.com/ [2] https://logistics.amazon.com/ https://logistics.amazon.com/ [3] http://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazons-delivery-ambitions-take-on-industry-giants/ http://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazons-delivery...
- dkrich 9y ago
  I for a time worked for the USPS- what lots of people don't seem to realize is that pickups and last mile deliveries are precisely the businesses that UPS and FedEx want no part of. They are extraordinarily complex in most areas and very expensive. The money is in flying and trucking the packages across the country. They actually pay USPS to do it for them in a lot of places because it's cheaper than doing it themselves. After all the USPS has been in that business for 200 years and not too many people are bullish on them. Why would Amazon getting into that business be good for them?
cr0sh 9y ago
> Some are afraid president trump may EO the postal service in some unheard of way Wouldn't he have to get around this part in some manner (I may have misread your comment - particularly what you meant by "EO")? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Clause https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Clause
- losteverything 9y ago
  Eo meaning executive order. I dont think a president has cared to try an eo for the usps, but anything is possible with him. He could possibly eliminate the monopoly the usps has on the mailbox and the monopoly on first class mail. In reality nobody (the majority) don't need mail 6 out of 7 days. Not even 5... Or 4.. Informed delivery is telling people "i dont need to go to the mailbox today." so delivery frequency may be looked at again.

msielski 9y ago

Half of my Amazon packages are now delivered by an Amazon van or by some guy's personal vehicle with an Amazon magnet on it. I believe they're a mix of the Flex[1] program the author referred to and private companies Amazon is contracting[2]. Not a stretch to see them adding pickup as a service and competing directly with USPS, UPS, FedEx etc. See also the companies they're acquiring in this area[3]. [1] https://flex.amazon.com/ https://flex.amazon.com/ [2] https://logistics.amazon.com/ https://logistics.amazon.com/ [3] http://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazons-delivery-ambitions-take-on-industry-giants/ http://www.seattletimes.com/business/amazon/amazons-delivery...

dkrich 9y ago
I for a time worked for the USPS- what lots of people don't seem to realize is that pickups and last mile deliveries are precisely the businesses that UPS and FedEx want no part of. They are extraordinarily complex in most areas and very expensive. The money is in flying and trucking the packages across the country. They actually pay USPS to do it for them in a lot of places because it's cheaper than doing it themselves. After all the USPS has been in that business for 200 years and not too many people are bullish on them. Why would Amazon getting into that business be good for them?

cr0sh 9y ago

> Some are afraid president trump may EO the postal service in some unheard of way Wouldn't he have to get around this part in some manner (I may have misread your comment - particularly what you meant by "EO")? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Clause https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postal_Clause

losteverything 9y ago
Eo meaning executive order. I dont think a president has cared to try an eo for the usps, but anything is possible with him. He could possibly eliminate the monopoly the usps has on the mailbox and the monopoly on first class mail. In reality nobody (the majority) don't need mail 6 out of 7 days. Not even 5... Or 4.. Informed delivery is telling people "i dont need to go to the mailbox today." so delivery frequency may be looked at again.