Postal Service to Phase Out Vending Machines

Breakdowns, Declining Sales Cited in Decision

EL PASO, TX —The U.S. Postal Service will stop selling stamps out of vending machines at Post Offices and other retail locations in El Paso by phasing out the units 30 days from today.

In October 2006 the Postal Service initiated a national, four-year program to eventually phase out stamp vending machines from all Post Offices and other retail locations. The decision to remove the machines was based on several factors:

Breakdowns of the aging machines are increasing and repair parts are no longer available.
Vending stamp sales are declining, service costs are increasing and some machines are generating less revenue than the cost of their overhead.
While many customers prefer the convenience of paying with a credit or debit card, the vending machines accept cash only. Retrofitting the machines to accept credit cards is not feasible.
Although it is not the case at every office or location, some machines had fewer than three customers per month.

The stamps vending machines are between seven and 20 years old, and all the machines will eventually be recycled.

Today notices will be posted on machines, 30 days in advance of removal, with listings of other locations where customers can buy stamps. By October 1, all stamp vending machines will be removed from El Paso.

“Today, Postal customers have a wide range of quick, easy and convenient ways to buy postage stamps,” El Paso Postmaster Severo Garza said. “Stamps may be purchased online at The Postal Store® at www.usps.com/shop, open 24/7; by phone; by fax; by filling out a Stamp by Mail order form available from letter carriers and Post Offices; at commercial retail establishments; through banking and credit union ATMs; and at Automated Postal Centers. Stamps can also be obtained from your rural carrier, if you are on a rural delivery route.”

Customers can call the Postal Service’s toll-free number 800-ASK-USPS (800-275-8777) or the TTY number 877-TTY-2HLP (877-889-2457) for help with their postal questions.

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.