True Rod,
But when does the point come that we stop ordering from Amazon, Zappos, HSN, QVS, Drugstore. etc? I am at that point now. I live 2 miles from a large shopping mall and can't fathom paying 10-15 bucks on shipping costs that takes me 30 minutes to get at the local mall.
How long until other people realize this? Our routes have mushroomed in residential stops over the last 7 years due to online shoppers. Will it continue?
My customers live 50 miles from the nearest "big" city. Big defined as a city with a population of over 50,000.
In this county the largest city is 6,300.
Online shopping will increase in the rural areas, but what effect it will have on UPS profits is up for grabs.
We might(and I think should) go back to the rural remote system in rural areas.
It could be a "green" campaign ,for UPS.
I waste a lot of fuel/miles and time going to three resi rural's every day. Only one of the three get something daily, but it is everyday.
I get the "Big Picture" on promised service, but when someone choses to live in the woods 20 miles from the nearest crossroad, they should not expect the same service as if they lived in downtown Dallas.
I live 20 miles from that 6,300 pop. town and I knew what concessions I had to make for my lifestyle.
The rural's are the reason for my route, but, there is a more efficient way to provide service and keep our company profitable.