Instant Post Offices

Office supplies retailer Office Depot Inc. has begun offering U.S. Postal Service products and services at its stores  — the first nationwide retailer to do so.

According to an article that appears on Florida's Palm Beach Post website, "Office Depot customers will now be able to buy stamps, purchase shipping supplies and mail packages through such shipping services as Priority Mail Flat Rate and First-Class Mail Service. Prices are the same as those at the post office."

Reporter Allison Ross points out in the piece, "Office Depot (NYSE: ODP) is the nation’s No. 2 office-supplies chain. It has been hurt by the soft economy as consumers and small business cut back on discretionary spending. The company has posted 10 consecutive quarters of sales declines, dating back to the first quarter of 2008, although it narrowed its second-quarter net loss more than analysts expected thanks in part to decreased operating expenses."

In a related article that appears in California's San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Richard Maher, a spokesman for the U.S. Postal service, is quoted as saying, ""It's like getting almost 1,100 more post offices instantly, without the overhead of building new facilities."

Office Depot spokesman Owen Torres agreed and said, "As an added benefit, most Office Depot locations are open until 9 p.m., providing convenience for business customers that simply can't make it to the Post Office during normal business hours."

To read the entire article, click here.