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by robbrown451
2907 days ago
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The profit they make by selling stamps that go unused, though, really can't be separated from the rest of their activities. They make that particular profit in a way other organizations can't really, but it helps balance out their losses elsewhere. And they certainly aren't making the profit based on the image on the stamp. It's almost like talking about the profit that a grocery store's checkout line makes, independent of the losses of their other business activities, such as stocking the shelves with groceries. |
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I agree, which is why I wrote that I think it's besides the point to discuss USPS overall profits in response to https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=17477257. This concerns a particular stamp, and we all pretty much agree that the image is irrelevant to USPS profits. Considering that, the interesting aspect is probably more related to the USPS' decision to use an image that didn't actually depict the Statue of Liberty, as well as knowingly and intentionally continue that after being made aware of it.
I guess it's somewhat like a postal service equivalent of turning a bug into a feature, but they have to consider what the bug was in the first place as well as what it signals when they make it a feature.
I've updated my comment in an attempt to make that a bit clearer, but realize it's not perfectly worded -- it's getting late around here, approximately 4 miles from the real Statue of Liberty :)