BALTIMORE, MD — In direct response to the changing expectations of customers who demand greater convenience and a one-stop shopping experience, the Postal Service launched a pilot program with Staples to provide postal products and services within their retail stores in test markets across the country.

Staples is the first enterprise level chain store to participate in the U.S. Postal Service’s Retail Partner Expansion Program and the next logical step of providing expanded access to postal products and services.

The Postal Service must continue to adapt to the changing demands of our customers. By locating postal services inside established businesses, customers save time and in most cases have the convenience of longer hours than at regular Post Offices – seven days a week in many cases.

Staples joins more than 65,000 retail partner locations around the country that currently offer a variety of postal products and services, in order to increase access and convenience to customers in locations where they already shop. The Retail Partner Expansion Program is an opportunity “to grow the business.” Because the Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations, this retail partnership program could be an innovative step towards generating revenue to ensure the long-term viability of the Postal Service.

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