would YOU pay for private mail delivery?

[terracore]

A friend of mine was talking about a business idea. Basically like the U-ship place but instead of being a pickup location they would deliver the mail.  Not regular daily mail service but like once a week mail delivery.  Obviously this would be a service catering to people living in areas the USPS doesn't have mail delivery.

Would you consider a service like that, and if so, how much would you pay?  What price would be so high you wouldn't consider it?

Would it make a difference if the delivery was in-house or it was a gig driver (like Uber or Doordash), or some combination?

Any other ideas or considerations?

[kalakoa]

There's already a guy who will wait in line at the post office, pick up your packages, and deliver them to you, for the low price of $10/each.

At least that's what I hear.

In any case I don't really want/need it "delivered", just "near my house". Why not let my local community center act as a USPS agent, with mailboxes and a package counter? It's already staffed, locked up at night, etc.

[kalianna]

Either one of these options sound great to me. For home delivery once a week I'd be willing to pay $50/mo. Yesterday hubby stood in line for 75 minutes to pick up a package that took one minute to bring out.

[eightfingers2.0]

So how long will the long lines last? Until there is absolutely NO covid19? I think the problem is they used to get packages for several people at once and now it’s one...at...a...time.

[leilanidude]

The long lines in Pahoa are partly caused by the destruction of the mailboxes near Government Beach Road and 132. The post office has refused to repair or replace them again. All those folks are now going to the post office. I know a couple of them (retired) that go daily. I asked them why not just go once a week, what could possibly be that important? They don't have any answer.

[randomq]

Either one of these options sound great to me.  For home delivery once a week I'd be willing to pay $50/mo.  Yesterday hubby stood in line for 75 minutes to pick up a package that took one minute to bring out.

I would expect it to be expensive like that for unpaved roads, and maybe half the price for paved.

I think it would make more sense to have a (secure, retiree/always home) house in each neighborhood where people could pick up. Even better if the post office would deliver to that address in bulk to save the pickup time.

It seems too logical and useful though, so no doubt it is illegal in Hawaii, or you could never get the SUP, or the USPS wouldn't work with you...

[terracore]

When I was in Alaska our CSA farm boxes were like that. They delivered to strategic pickup points in the neighborhoods (usually somebody's garage) and the "host" would get a free box of produce as payment each week for hosting the boxes. It worked there because nobody would consider stealing somebody else's box. I could imagine in Puna once the human garbage finds out where all the packages are being left they would come steal them.

[eightfingers2.0]

Not to mention the liability of having people come on to the property and the liability of dealing with accusations of stolen mail. I wouldn’t touch it.

[Amrita]

Not to mention the liability of having people come on to the property and the liability of dealing with accusations of stolen mail. I wouldn’t touch it.

Absolutely agree; I do not want anyone I don't know personally stepping foot on my property and "casing the joint." UPS etc. I trust but now Amazon only sends by USPS and often the boxes are too large for HC3 mailboxes, which I am grateful for a mile from home.

[microage97]

Not to mention the liability of having people come on to the property and the liability of dealing with accusations of stolen mail. I wouldn’t touch it.


35.00 to file in small claims.