For those who think snail mail is a thing of the past, think again. Yes its true that most bills are paid, most legal briefs are filed, and much Christmas shopping gets done on line, but for things like magazines, catalogs, movies and old fashioned birthday cards, the mail is still being delivered.

Say Good-by to Fast First-Class Mail

Many businesses in the US are still dependent on the quick and inexpensive service that first-class mail offers. It is still the preferred way to reach many potential customers and subscribers. And above all, it is a crucial way many businesses still get paid.

Postal Service Losing Money

For the past five years, despite the importance the US Postal Service has for many businesses, the post office has been losing money. More than 200 mail processing centers are about to be put on the chopping block, which will most likely add at least one day to the time it takes to deliver the mail. This latest news is leaving many businesses concerned and even frustrated, while others say they haven’t relied much on the post office in recent years.

“It’s less of a disaster than it would have been 10 years ago, but it’ll be a cash flow crunch for some companies,” said Todd McCracken, president and chief executive of the National Small Business Association. “It’ll be longer to get your invoice, and longer to get a check back.”

Snail Mail Getting Slower

The US post office used to promise that first-class mail would arrive in one to three days. Almost half does arrive in just one day, but the cutbacks will back up the deliveries to closer to two to three days. Magazines and other mass-mailed media could take as much as nine days to get to its destination.