mail delays affect business

An accident.

The new postmaster says removing sorting machines and other cost- cutting isn't slowing down mail.

At least one lexington business claims otherwise...and worries the problems may end up costing her her livelihood.

The whole postal debate may seem like something in washington but as abc 36's christy bollinger tells us, it's right here on main street.

"elizabeth slone says she sends her products through priority mail only, something that usually takes around 2-3 days to get to her customers.

She says customers were claiming to get their products anywhere from 2-3 weeks later."

Reading emails-"i would like to get a refund on this item.

Item has not arrived.

Thank you."

Slone owns kitty loo's, an online business that sells cat toilet-training kits...this is just one of several emails she's recieved from customers.

"as whole yes it looks bad for kitty's loo and ya know that's not the case it's actually the post office."

She sells through her website or amazon, ad not beig able to trust delivery ends up costing her hundreds of dollars in refunds.

"it's affecting livelihoods."

As the complaints mounted, she started tracking her shipments...she started getting "no status" or even worse... "or it would be stuck in some area of the country where it hadn't moved so it was just sitting there and that's where it kind of bothered me because why isn't this moving when it's priority mail."

She thinks it's because mail sorting machines were unplugged and removed.

Postal service leaders say the machines were removed because of declining mail volume.

"you're talking thousands of letters that go through these machines at a fast pace and i know i used to work for the post office.".

Without sorting machines, she says workers are having to sort more mail by hand... she thinks is causing the back-up.

"why are they doing it right now?

One during a pandemic and two during a very important election."

Slone has complained regularly and says the problems haven't been as bad in the last week but delays still are happening.

Postal officials couldn't be reached for comment.

But 10 days ago, postmaster louis dejoy said he was stopping the changes until after the november election.

Christy bollinger, abc 36 news.

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