One Year Later, USPS Looks Into Gamefly Complaint 183
Last April, we discussed news that video game rental service GameFly had complained to the USPS that a large quantity of their game discs were broken in transit, accusing the postal service of giving preferential treatment to more traditional DVD rental companies like Netflix. Now, just over a year later, an anonymous reader sends word that the USPS has responded with a detailed inquiry into GameFly's situation (PDF). The inquiry's 46 questions (many of which are multi-part) cover just about everything you could imagine concerning GameFly's distribution methods. Most of them are simple, yet painstaking, in a way only government agencies can manage. Here are a few of them:
"What threshold does GameFly consider to be an acceptable loss/theft rate? Please provide the research that determined this rate. ... What is the transportation cost incurred by GameFly to transport its mail from each GameFly distribution center to the postal facility used by that distribution center? ... Please describe the total cost that GameFly would incur if it expanded its distribution network to sixty or one hundred twenty locations. In your answer, please itemize costs separately. ... Does the age of a gaming DVD or the number of times played have more effect on the average life cycle of a gaming DVD?"
Is it me? (Score:5, Insightful)
Is it me, or is GameFly being dicked around?
Some of the questions look valid, but others are completely obtuse and look like they are designed to waste GameFly's time and resources, not resolve the problem.
Re: (Score:2)
Yes.
Re: (Score:2)
Just because you're asked a bunch of questions, doesn't mean that you have to waste time answer each and every one. Just answer the relevant ones and for the irrelevant ones, provide a short explanation why it is irrelevant.
I find it hard to believe that USPS has a "be gentle" policy with Netflix and a "crush 'em" policy with GameFly.
Re:Is it me? (Score:5, Interesting)
Some of the questions look valid, but others are completely obtuse and look like they are designed to waste GameFly's time and resources, not resolve the problem.
I agree. That being said, as a Netflix customer, I can pretty much testify to the fact that my mail man used to break an awful lot of DVDs trying to shove them in my mailbox and then try to close it (so he could get back his keys, I live in a four apartment building so it's a set of four mailboxes he opens together). It became such a problem, I took down my subscription from 4 DVDs to only 1 DVD at-a-time. Usually, it's when there was more than one DVD in there, that at least one of them would break (or at least warp so badly, that it became completely unplayable).
One fix would have been to ask my landlord that he install a bigger set of mailboxes, but the space in the brick wall is so limited, that any change would become a major construction project to replace anything (so I didn't even ask). Another fix is to try to talk to the mail man, but for some reason, my route is not considered a good one (although, it's still a good neighborhood), so it's nearly a different person delivering the mail every week. Another fix would be to have an additional mailbox made especially for DVDs (that, assuming there was an easy way to attach it to my existing mailbox, I would buy in a jiffy).
Re: (Score:2)
A fourth fix would be to rent a PO box of appropriate size and have your DVDs mailed there.
Re: (Score:2)
An option which combines the convenience of driving down to the neighborhood video store with the savings of renting an additional mailbox ON TOP OF renting the video.
Also known as "giving up".
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
The way I read it the problem was getting the DVDs picked up. If the problem is when they are delivered, he's fucked I suppose since apparently he has to deal with a borderline retarded mailman. Sucks to be him I guess.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Or get your lazy ass out of the house and use a USPS drop box. Just sayin'
a drop box? I think you misunderstood. It gets broken when I receive it, not when I send it back.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Dude, just making stuff up doesn't make it true.
A drop box is a public or semi-public send-only mailbox that anyone can put stuff in.
It has nothing to do with how you get your mail, you idjit. You can use a drop box and have a PO box, you can use one and have a normal mailbox (I do this, especially with sending checks, if I'm going to town anyway. A dropbox at a mall is much safer than leaving it in your mailbox with a flag up.), you can use one and collect at general delivery, you can use one without any
Re:Is it me? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re: (Score:2, Flamebait)
I'm suggesting a solution that doesn't cost him anything more than a few moments of his time and a slight bit of effort (which in our society of obese, lazy fuck society I know is a lot to ask) and can prevent the very issue he's bitching about like a little girl. And it requires no PO Box you illiterate fuck. He's complaining about the DVDs he's dropping off getting damaged by the mail worker. If he drops the DVD in a USPS drop box ( you know, the big fucking blue boxes the postal service puts everywher
Re: (Score:2)
And the man was complaining about them being broken on delivery:
my mail man used to break an awful lot of DVDs trying to shove them in my mailbox
Which means dropping the disc into the blue box on return will do absolutely nothing.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Awesome. Can you do some more please?
Re: (Score:2)
You're welcome, illiterate fuck. I can do it a billion more times if you please, I have karma to burn.
Wow. Are we a little out of sorts today. See how I read and understood your post. That is how I can tell that you are having a bad day. (To the person reading this post for pcolaman. Be nice to him today. He needs it.)
Re: (Score:2)
He's complaining about the DVDs he's dropping off getting damaged by the mail worker.
No he's not, you illiterate fuck.
Mailmen do not shove mail they are picking up into a mailbox. Um, duh.
He's complaining about the DVD's he's receiving getting damaged by the mail worker before he receives them.
And there are plenty of other clues about that in his comment, if you aren't an illiterate fuck.
For example, he reduced h
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Is it me? (Score:5, Insightful)
Without a doubt. GameFly basically said last year "Look dude, you keep breaking my shit and you handle my competitors shit with silk gloves. WTF?"
USPS responses a year later with "We don't know what you're talking about. We want copies of all research on all mailer designs you've tested, including the results of each test and what advantages or disadvantages were found and the research used to determine these advantages or disadvantages."
USPS even accused GameFly of stealing their own games:
"Please describe any measures GameFly undertakes to manage or limit theft. In your answer please include the anti-theft procedures utilized in GameFly’s own plants and during transit of GameFly mail to and from postal facilities."
W...T....F.... USPS are you serious? So, if I call you and say "hey my mail keeps disappearing" are you going to tell me "what are YOU doing to stop it?"
And like the article says, some of these questions are just ridiculous, like: "USPS/GFL-28. Please describe the total cost that GameFly would incur if it expanded its distribution network to sixty or one hundred twenty locations. In your answer, please itemize costs separately."
So USPS wants them to just figure out how much it would cost to expand to 60 or 120 locations, and then give them a itemized cost of doing so? That alone could, if done realistically, take hundreds of man hours, to determine where these 60 or 120 locations would be best located and the cost opening up a new facility in each of those areas.
USPS even wants GameFly to analyze the material DVDs are made of:
"USPS/GFL-30. Has GameFly conducted any testing related to materials used in the DVDs it distributes or that it is aware respective manufacturers have undertaken? In your answer please describe the tests and any results from the tests, including breakage rates for the materials tested."
This is a giant middle finger from USPS to GameFly if I've ever seen one.
USPS, you didn't have to be such an ass, a simple "Ok we'll give you the same treatment as Netflix and Blockbuster" would have been the right thing to do.
Re:Is it me? (Score:4, Interesting)
W...T....F.... USPS are you serious? So, if I call you and say "hey my mail keeps disappearing" are you going to tell me "what are YOU doing to stop it?"
Regarding this point, I think this is pretty much a USPS standard policy. I have had two separate instances where packages delivered through USPS have gone missing. USPS claims they were delivered, I never received them. On both instances, I had the same kind of response from them, and it didn't really surprise me. After all, they are leaving video game disks in mailboxes that are frequently not secured. It seems logical that there are people in the world that will steal those disks, and it also seems logical that USPS would not feel inclined to take responsibility for that. Its crappy customer service for sure, but I can understand the thinking.
GameFly disks come in a largish stiff cardboard packet that does not bend. Netflix disks come in similarly sized paper envelopes that do bend around the corners. Netflix mailings are relatively easy to stuff into a small mailbox because they literally have a footprint the size of a DVD (small). GameFly's mailings are not nearly as flexible, so again it does not surprise me that USPS is questioning why kind of research GameFly conducted to determine that this package was the most appropriate.
Re: (Score:2)
IIRC Netflix was getting heat from the USPS for their mailers not being rigid...
To me that sounds like GameFly is using the USPS recommended mailer style.
My first thought, however, is that if the disks are being broken that's a USPS issue, if they are disappearing that is an end user losing the disk and saying "I mailed it back, honest!".
Re: (Score:2)
Is this true?
Re: (Score:2)
USPS, you didn't have to be such an ass, a simple "Ok we'll give you the same treatment as Netflix and Blockbuster" would have been the right thing to do.
Even better: "Oh, saw your email yesterday. Let's take a look. Hey Gamefly: what fraction of your shipped discs are damaged in transit? Hey Netflix and other competitors: same question."
And then either:
a) "Holy-shi-ite! We *are* mishandling yours worse than the others! Sorry! We'll instruct our employees not to treat packages differently!"
b) "See, we f*** up everyone's shipments this much. No bias here!"
Re: (Score:2)
We *are* mishandling yours worse than the others! Sorry! We'll instruct our employees not to treat packages differently!
It's not quite that simple. The packaging is different as well, which could easily contribute to the problem. The handling may reasonably differ due to the packaging, or the damage rates may be different despite equal handling.
Re: (Score:2)
Just for reference however ... Netflix has done most of those things already actually.
I suspect GameFly has too, on their scale if they haven't done most of these things then they aren't really trying that hard anyway.
Considering the GameFly and Netflix mailers are considerably different, one has to wonder if netflix hasn't simply been down this road and fixed the problem. I realize GameFly's mailers look and feel stronger and safer ... but that in and of itself may be the problem. Netflix mailers are lar
Re: (Score:2)
That being said, I would be looking closely at Gamefly myself
Re: (Score:2)
While its a silly response I think the 60-120 locations is probably a valid issue on why GameFly has so many broken disc. NetFlix generally ships out my disc from a location within 100 miles. GameFly on the other hand I understand has very few locations and will generally send your disc from across the country.
Re: (Score:2)
USPS even accused GameFly of stealing their own games:
"Please describe any measures GameFly undertakes to manage
or limit theft. In your answer please include the anti-theft procedures utilized in
GameFly’s own plants and during transit of GameFly mail to and from postal
facilities."
W...T....F.... USPS are you serious? So, if I call you and say "hey my mail keeps disappearing" are you going to tell me "what are YOU doing to stop it?"
No, I think this is a valid question from the USPS. The original inquiry was not just about broken discs but also lost discs. If the USPS doesn't believe discs are actually getting lost at the rate GameFly thinks they are, then it's a valid question to determine whether it's the USPS losing them or gamefly employees stealing them before the are checked in.
USPS even wants GameFly to analyze the material DVDs are made of:
"USPS/GFL-30. Has GameFly conducted any testing related to materials used in
the DVDs it distributes or that it is aware respective manufacturers have
undertaken? In your answer please describe the tests and any results from the
tests, including breakage rates for the materials tested."
Again, there's some validity to this question. If you complain to me that X is breaking more than Y, then I'd like to make sure there isn't a reason why X
Re: (Score:2)
But I agree, Netflix and GameFly teaming up against Blockbuster probably wouldn't be a bad idea.
Re: (Score:2)
Since USPS seems to be giving special handling to the Netflix disks, apparently due to the employees' reluctance to perform processing that results in damage to the goods, and the costs of withdrawing the pieces and handling them separately is almost certainly not included in the USPS pricing for handling them, it seems that the outcome will likely not be to extend this special handling to more mailers, but to standardize the handling of all mail containing disks, with, most likely, a higher price for doin
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Sounds like the definition of a government agency to me. ;)
Re: (Score:2)
Sounds like the definition of a government agency to me. ;)
If portrayed that way (as the summary was) and/or as viewed that way (as you seemed inclined to do). But other posters have points: GameFly's mailers are NOT the same as NetFlix's, and I've seen documentaries showing that a lot of R&D went into NetFlix' mailers. Anyone receving a complaint such as GameFly's would be quite prudent to question if they researched other mailer designs. While their questions did go too far, I feel you were a bit too eager to perpetuate the stereotype that all government agen
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Yeah, it definitely fits the stereotype of a government agency.
But, to be clear, the USPS is not a government agency. Like Major League Baseball or Fannie Mae, it is a private agency which has a special relationship with the government.
Re: (Score:2)
The USPS is indeed a government agency. It is one that is funded entirely by itself, but it is indeed a government agency.
Fannie Mae is a non-profit private organization that was created by the government and spun off. It is entirely separate now.
Major League Baseball has no 'special relationship' with the federal government at all.
Re: (Score:2)
The USPS is a for-profit company backed by the federal government.
Does the USPS have shareholders? Is there a CEO and a board of directors who get bonuses at the end of the year based on how many stamps the USPS sells? If the answer is no, then they are, by definition, not a "for-profit company".
Re:Is it me? (Score:4, Informative)
If the answer is no, then they are, by definition, not a "for-profit company".
So your definition of "for-profit company" excludes non-publicly-traded organizations, such as sole proprietorships and private partnerships? How interesting. Here I was thinking that "for-profit company" meant any company not formally classified as a non-profit organization. Or, more generally, any organization formed for the purpose of obtaining an economic profit through commerce.
The real question seems to be whether the USPS would qualify as a non-profit organization. As to that, I have no idea. Perhaps they would. Most of the proceeds do seem to be re-invested into the operation of the postal service, rather than simply accumulated or distributed back to the nominal owner (the federal government). On that score they would be considered a non-profit, to be best of my understanding, but there are other considerations with which I am not familiar.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
So your definition of "for-profit company" excludes non-publicly-traded organizations, such as sole proprietorships and private partnerships?
Sorry, that probably should have read "are the answers to both questions no?" For a sole proprietorship, that person would effectively be the CEO. I certainly didn't intend to limit my definition to publicly traded companies that name the person-in-charge "CEO". For private companies, you can substitute "owners" or "investors" for "shareholders".
Here I was thinking that "for-profit company" meant any company not formally classified as a non-profit organization.
Nope, there's also the "not-for-profit" classification. I may be wrong on this, but "non-profit" is used for organizations that are basically charities. Food banks,
Re: (Score:2)
For a sole proprietorship, that person would effectively be the CEO. ... For private companies, you can substitute "owners" or "investors" for "shareholders".
That's how I read it as well. Even so, smaller for-profit companies don't necessarily have a board of directors or a bonus system—and non-profit/not-for-profit organizations may have a CEO (with or without bonuses) and shareholders. Someone must hold title to the organizations assets, which would effectively make them a shareholder even if they don't expect to profit financially from that status.
Perhaps a simpler rule-of-thumb might be that not-for-profits (incl. non-profits) don't pay dividends or pr
Re: (Score:2)
The USPS is a non-profit company because that is the way they are defined to be under the law that created them.
Actual entities created by random people have one of several specific statuses under the law, from publicly traded company to non-profit and everything in between.
The post office, however, is specifically created under a specific law, and thus has its own unique status.
This status is, FYI, actually more limited than a non-profit. The post office is only allowed to make or lose a certain percent
Re: (Score:2)
Does the USPS have shareholders? Is there a CEO and a board of directors who get bonuses at the end of the year based on how many stamps the USPS sells? If the answer is no, then they are, by definition, not a "for-profit company".
Based on your definition, almost no, "for profit company", qualifies. Then again, that's one of the largest reasons why companies in the US are so fucked up. Rewards are not associated with performance. If you fuck up, you get a castle in the sky. If you do well, you get two castles in the sky. If you're let go, you still get that second castle in the sky. You then get to go to another company whereby you're given a new castle for signing.
The US' system of business is nothing but a complete cluster fuck des
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
find a stranger in the Alps [urbandictionary.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Although my wallet disagrees, the government is definitely non-profit.
I guess that depends on which shareholder you are. Middle class citizen? Non-profit. Defense contractor or person who gets the EITC? Profit!
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Is it me? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
To say nothing of the $90 billion in liabilities they have.
Re: (Score:2)
Sorry buddy, I've been (reluctantly) with the post office for more than a decade and, sadly, I'm not wrong. No, the US Gov. does not make a profit; they have not directly run the USPS for some time now.
See! The government is so damn inefficient, this dude doesn't want to work for the post office--and he's been there ten years... Gamefly is pretty lucky their complaint is being dealt with at all...
netflix vs gamefly (Score:5, Insightful)
funny since gamefly's disks are wrapped in rigid cardboard and much more secure than netflix...
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
I think the bigger issue for Gamefly is why it takes the USPS a full week to ship things from southern California or Texas to Washington. I'd almost certainly still be a subscriber if it didn't take them so long to ship things here. Surprisingly it seemed to take a lot less time shipping it bac
Re:netflix vs gamefly (Score:5, Interesting)
Well couple things may be in play, other than the USPS being meanies:
1) Netflix may well consider a fairly high rate of loss acceptable. Depending on the prices they have to pay for the discs, it might not matter to them. Remember that the media itself is cheap. In large runs I'd be surprised if you could get a disc to cost $0.10. So if they have a situation with the studios where they can buy the discs cheap, separate of the rental rights, it might not matter to them.
2) Video discs may be able to take more damage. If there's an error on a video disc, it isn't necessarily a show stopper. Could manifest as a minor visual glitch, maybe a couple frames get dropped. Whatever, movie still works, most people won't bitch. With data DVDs, doesn't work like that. Either everything reads 100% and passes the verification or it says "Shit is broke, we can't install."
Not saying the post office might not be causing problems, but there are plenty of other possibilities. Netflix may have accounted for breakage in their business model and Gamefly may not have
Re:netflix vs gamefly (Score:5, Informative)
Well couple things may be in play, other than the USPS being meanies:
1) Netflix may well consider a fairly high rate of loss acceptable. Depending on the prices they have to pay for the discs, it might not matter to them. Remember that the media itself is cheap. In large runs I'd be surprised if you could get a disc to cost $0.10. So if they have a situation with the studios where they can buy the discs cheap, separate of the rental rights, it might not matter to them.
They also have arrangements (or have had in the past) where they ship DVDs they printed themselves. In situations like that, they could be even cheaper, because there's no delay in waiting for replacements from the vendors, and they could be printed at the distribution centers nearest the subscribers asking for them.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
I think you have to rule out #1. Netflix has to buy the discs retail from the studios, just like Blockbuster and others must. They do not get anywhere near a $0.10/disc cost. Think closer to $25. You can thank the death grip of old media for that.
Netflix has 89,000,000 discs in inventory and had revenues of $1.67 billion in 2009, so each disc could be seen as producing $18 in revenue, statistically (more on that below). Given that most Netflix customers have the "3 at a time" plan (at $17/month), and t
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
I'm not entirely certain Netflix gets a special deal at all, because the DVD publishers aren't really fans of DVD rental at all. In fact, there have been efforts to ban such a thing, at least back in the VHS days.
However, they certainly aren't paying 'retail'. I'm sure they can get the DVD wholesale, or close to it. I mean, if you're wanting to buy 5,000 copies of a DVD, the place selling to you doesn't care if you're Best Buy and want to resell them or Netflix and want to rent them or some random Joe who
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
funny since gamefly's disks are wrapped in rigid cardboard and much more secure than netflix...
Which makes them larger and therefore more likely to be difficult to fit into some mailboxes. That makes them more likely to be bent by mailcarriers, leading to damage. This is something GameFly probably needed to put more R&D into and on that point, score one for the USPS.
Re: (Score:2)
predictable (Score:5, Informative)
Welcome to the world of lawyers, where it doesn't matter who is right and who is wrong, but who is in a position to be a bigger pain in the neck. This is a discovery document for the defense of USPS, not a response to an inquiry. They probably won't be issuing a response.
The USPS lawyers (in the odd world of legal ethics) probably concluded that the "right" thing to do is to pressure Gamefly to settle and admit no wrongdoing by USPS. I'm sure there are good reasons for USPS to not actually put out a public report detailing what their definition of acceptable mail handling is or how poor mail handling happens, but those are good reasons only for people who work for USPS.
Re:predictable (Score:5, Informative)
Welcome to the world of lawyers, where it doesn't matter who is right and who is wrong, but who is in a position to be a bigger pain in the neck. This is a discovery document for the defense of USPS, not a response to an inquiry. They probably won't be issuing a response.
The USPS lawyers (in the odd world of legal ethics) probably concluded that the "right" thing to do is to pressure Gamefly to settle and admit no wrongdoing by USPS. I'm sure there are good reasons for USPS to not actually put out a public report detailing what their definition of acceptable mail handling is or how poor mail handling happens, but those are good reasons only for people who work for USPS.
The original "inquiry" was not a polite request for the USPS to investigate. It was a formal complaint filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission. This is functionally a lawsuit, in the "court" of the Postal Regulatory Commission. GameFly sued the USPS demanding that they provide the same treatment to GameFly DVDs that is provided for Netflix and Blockbuster DVDs. The Postal service's response here is a discovery request, which is to be expected. However, if you read the original complaint it becomes apparent that the postal service probably already has much of this information, since the USPS and GameFly worked together for quite a long time to resolve the problem (to no avail).
Re: (Score:2)
Get rid of the postal goons and go private where they have less of the impenetrable legal wall than the archaic postal service.
I've lived in crime ridden neighborhoods where the postal goons loved to dump packages outside my door. That sort of welfare is unappreciated.
I now live in a better area where the postal goon loves to break the mail box regularly or just leave it unlocked and open.
To hell with them. Take away their monopoly.
Re: (Score:2)
Government can't privatize shit. There is too much cronyism in it so they will make rules so that only a few can play.
We can however force them to remove the USPS monopoly and let private business take over where it can. USPS already uses a larger number of private businesses in that cronyism scheme already mentioned.
BTW, we had privatized defense when the country was new. Since we don't need to be the Whirled police anymore I say we go back to it.
Re: (Score:2)
I was on the privatization wagon until GWB started to "privatize" our armed forces
GWB didn't privatize the armed forces. Contractors were used to fill the roles that DoD lacked the manpower to fill because of the post Cold War draw down of the American military. The proper thing to do would have been to institute a military draft to provide DoD with the required manpower. The downside to this is that we'd have to justify our foreign policy to the American people and nobody on either side of the aisle wants to do that....
FedEx/UPS on the other hand discriminate base on your shipping volume and profitability.
Why is this a bad thing? If you mail one package a year and ask
Re: (Score:2)
The proper thing to do would have been to institute a military draft to provide DoD with the required manpower.
Only 'proper' if you assume the US Government owns its subjects.
The downside to this is that we'd have to justify our foreign policy to the American people and nobody on either side of the aisle wants to do that...
Yeah, one can't defend the indefensible. Two wrongs don't make a right, though.
Re: (Score:2)
Above market wages?
Or mostly 'benefits', if I understand the problem. The wages are only slightly above market, it's the lure of huge pensions that makes up for poor recruiting options.
At this rate, my grandkids will be paying for my mail delivery.
Did they try to work it out or just FILE FILE FILE (Score:3, Insightful)
Alot of the questions go to what effort did GameFly invest into research, planning and execution, of the shipping and return process.
Things from the material the mailer is produced from to simply how the dvd is secured inside the envelope to prevent shifting through the sorting process.
And the really big question, are you sure they really were "stolen" and not just kept.
I think pretty much all of the questions are valid and while written in legaleze, quite understandable given the severity of the complaint. If GameFly worked with the USPS in planning the mailing portion of their service and co-operated in tracking down these "thefts" before filing this case, then they should have no problems answering every one of them honestly and fully.
Re: (Score:2)
The original complaint by gamefly seems kind of bizarre though. Why on earth would the USPS care who's sending the packages, much less "preferentially" treat "traditional DVD distribution companies"?
It sounds like if there is any issue, it's a technical one (since the problem seems to be with the interaction between the DVD packages and the USPS sorting machines), and thus detailed questions about how gamefly packages their DVDs, etc, are quite apropos.
Re: (Score:2, Interesting)
From the original complaint, the USPS apparently does treat them differently as far as machine handling... it would be interesting to see what happens.
The issue here is why does GameFly have to jump through hoops and spend alot more on packaging to survive automation even when the class of service they used allows for non-machine sorts, while the other companies get separated for special treatment.
Re: (Score:2)
I can't provide a citation, but I thought that Netflix had various special arrangements with the USPS due to their huge mail volume. Yes, I'm being vague because I don't remember specifics, but things like discounted rates and even possibly specialized delivery/pickup schedules from the Netflix distribution centers.
Re: (Score:2)
I can't provide a citation, but I thought that Netflix had various special arrangements with the USPS due to their huge mail volume. Yes, I'm being vague because I don't remember specifics, but things like discounted rates and even possibly specialized delivery/pickup schedules from the Netflix distribution centers.
Any business can get arrangement that if they have a high enough volume and meet certain addressing criteria on the envelopes. Unfortunately I can't find it on their website, but I know it's there somewhere.
Re: (Score:2)
IIRC netflix doesn't get a volume discount, they may even pay a premium for hand sorting of their mail. I think the calculation was that it's cheaper to pay the USPS to hand sort DVDs shipped in paper than spend the money on packaging that can handle the standard automated process.
Re: (Score:2)
I think the calculation was that it's cheaper to pay the USPS to hand sort DVDs shipped in paper than spend the money on packaging that can handle the standard automated process.
No wonder the post office is bankrupt! I wonder if Netflix could teach them something about building sorting machines.
Re: (Score:2)
I think you have an extremely valid question here.
For most people, they'll rent a movie, watch it once, and return it.
For gamers, they'll rent a game, play it, like it, and possibly keep wanting to play it for a while. Rather buying it, they can just say "I never got it", and it's now considered lost in transit.
I've received quite a few disks from Netflix that we
Aussie Post Works Their Magic Too (Score:3, Interesting)
I am amazed at the sheer skill displayed by postal services in breaking CDROMs. Australia Post has broken the last couple I have mailed. The disc is in a paper sleeve glued to the inside of a 10mm thick A4 paper manual inside a heavy paper "Toughbag" envelope. The envelopes and manual arrive with no outward signs of distress but the CDROM has been broken cleanly in two. One went to the far side of the country, but the other only a few suburbs away.
You can grab a bare CD and bend it in half without physically breaking it... it takes compressive force on the fold before the CD shatters. How this happens in transit without damaging the containing envelopes beats me.
Re: (Score:2)
Alternative breaking options:
* falling on its edge and cracking
* repeated extreme heating/cooling cycles causing the disk to crack
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
It's the difference in the elastic modulus among materials. The envelopes, manual, and cardboard packaging have different properties from the encased plastic discs. Opposing shear forces with small enough clearance could easily snap a CD/DVD in the middle, without leaving any particularly unusual bend or mark on the external plant-pulp packaging. If the tire and road surfaces were flat and clean enough, a loaded semi could drive over a piece of mail without harming it; not so for the disc.
Re: (Score:2)
best guess:
They run it through a machine with a pinch feed system. Works fine for flat pieces of paper, but when you put something rigid through you get wierd forces. Putting the CD inside the manual might paradoxically make things worse - the machine has to apply more force to move a book than an envelope - force with a large downward component. It hits the CD and then ... crack.
Re: (Score:2)
My experience with netflix is that there are two types of defects, ones that damage the disk and the packaging, and one's that just damage the disk.
You're clearly more knowledgeable than me, so this is an honest question:
Is it possible that pinch feeds are producing the second defect, but you didn't notice it because there's no superficial damage?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Once you get out of the "envelope" category (less than 500g and 20mm thick) postage rates take a hike. No concessions from Aust Post based on the type of content, just a weight/package volume/distance formula. Taking the same content with the smallest, suitable, readily available PostPak box the postage goes from $2.75 to $11.80 packaging excluded. A smaller box might reduce this a little but I haven't found a ready supply in small volumes.
Don't get me wrong, the majority of our mail arrives intact and w
Re: (Score:2)
Doesn't media mail take eons to be delivered?
Re: (Score:2)
The video and game rental industry companies need to build a better mailpiece to protect their content.
No, what actually needs to happen is that the Post Office needs to recognize that people mail DVDs, and to actually meet the demand and construct a cheap-as-possible box that, never-the-less, will get through mailing intact.
Or even have a cheap one with a slight chance of breakage, and a more expensive one with almost no chance.
And then sell them, with and without postage, which should be a set standa
Real Reason is Game Disks Are More Valuable (Score:2)
As was pointed out in the older, related Slashdot article, the value of the game disks is most likely the primary reason Gamefly is experiencing so many "losses".
In regards to the USPS being "private", that's only partially true. I don't recall the USPS paying property tax, income tax, etc. Or do they?
On a related topic, UPS and FedEx delivery vehicles get ticketed all the time. Can USPS delivery vehicles be ticketed? -some people have told me that they can't, since they're exempt.
In regards to mail theft -
Re: (Score:2)
Can USPS delivery vehicles be ticketed?
Lately I've noticed that the USPS vehicles in my area don't even have license plates...
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Re: (Score:2)
Lately I've noticed that the USPS vehicles in my area don't even have license plates...
Neither do they here.
Re: (Score:2)
On a related topic, UPS and FedEx delivery vehicles get ticketed all the time. Can USPS delivery vehicles be ticketed? -some people have told me that they can't, since they're exempt.
My wife is a school bus driver and she's told me before the only vehicle who is not required to stop for the flashing red lights is a postal truck. They're federal government vehicles and as such they're exempt from state traffic laws, including stopping for a school bus loading/unloading children.
Re: (Score:2)
They're federal government vehicles and as such they're exempt from state traffic laws, including stopping for a school bus loading/unloading children.
I call bullshit. Federal employees aren't exempt from the laws of the state that they happen to be working in. I think your wife is misinformed.
Well, I can attest to the losses (Score:5, Interesting)
I looked into the transfer route after the first few are missing.. Gamefly center -> receiving office -> transfer location 1 -> transfer location 2 -> local post office
The post office tried to tell me that is was AFTER the mail was delivered that the thefts happened. I had a PO Box... so that still tells me it is within the system they went missing.
When gamefly went to the current packaging, the missing disk numbers did drop back to 1 in 10 or so. but when they did go missing, I would not even get an envelope in the mail.
"Destinating" (Score:2)
...is a word now?
I also enjoyed this gem:
I unconsciously started humming the theme from 'Brazil' as I was reading this little masterpiece.
Re: (Score:2)
And I nearly overlooked this one:
Genius.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
That's just "discovery"; it's normal. (Score:2)
Such answers do not generally prejudice the outcome, but they would preclude GameFly from providing that data later to b
Re: (Score:2)
DHL pulled out of the American market. UPS and Fedex are prohibited by Federal law from delivering "non-urgent" parcels.
Re: (Score:2)
One fix to this would be for USPS to stop SHOVING my mailbox FULL with advertisements that they get paid to distribute, but I never once requested or signed up for!!!
The USPS doesn't know that you've [not] signed up for GameFly either, that your account is current and that the correct game is in the envelope. The mail is packaged correctly, adheres to postal rules, addressed to you, it has proper postage, so it gets delivered to you. The USPS should be neutral about the suitability of the material being delivered.
(It's like Net Neutrality, except that the spam is legitimately *paid for*.)
Re: (Score:2)