[Dx-qsl] IRCs & My P.O.

Fri Oct 30 10:44:33 EDT 2009

> That could just be a lazy supervisor telling you that. IRCs are no more
trouble to stock than postage stamps.
Not quite. For a smaller post office, they are a major hassle, especially
right now. I know, because my post office is quite competent about these
matters, but also very open with me about the issues on their end.
I learned all about it the last time in 2006 when the existing IRCs "went
dead". They gave me the service I should have received, but it was real
work for them.
The trouble is accounting.
They actually have to buy them and there are internal issues with
redeeming them (including a pretty important not-to-be-missed deadline for
_them_ to turn them in for cash, refund, etc. in January or so). And, of
course, they have to separate the "live" ones from the "dead" ones (a
bigger deal as they don't see them as often as we do). If they goof and
take an old one, they _eat_ the money at the local office.
In other words, the late redeeming of IRCs can actually create a financial
loss for the local post office and is apparently generally an extra
headache since it seems a bit outside of normal stamp buying in at least
some respects.
Imagine dealing with a once-in-a-while product that costs a bit more than
usual and is full of arbitrary deadlines you have to meet once every three
years only.
Yes, I can see why some post offices don't want to deal with them,
especially 4Q 2009.
Larry Wo0Z