The U.S. Postal Service’s inspector general has suggested the cash-strapped agency consider offering email, secure document storage, and other online services as a way to bring in new revenues.

 

According to the IG, the Postal Service is one of several mail systems in the industrial world that does not offer such products to its citizens. The USPS is missing out on a potential opportunity, the inspector general says, if it doesn’t take advantage of offering advertising-free email services—something Google and Yahoo! can’t do. Presumably the system would provide a more secure way to pay bills (and taxes).

 

eMailboxes, though, would come with a serious drawback. The USPS’ email system would be “closed-loop,” meaning users would only be able to communicate with others using the service. And its eLockbox for storing documents would only be available to customers with eMailboxes.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

 

eMailbox and eLockbox: Opportunities for the Postal Service (U.S. Postal Service, Inspector General) (pdf)