Carrier delivery offers convenience

The lifeblood of any paid publication is its subscriber base. Without subscribers, we could not guarantee to advertisers how many people will see their ads each week.

Without loyal subscribers who pay in advance — just $20 per year for 52 weekly issues, delivered every Wednesday if you live in Shasta County — we would not have the foundational base to plan our annual operating budget and set rates for advertising.

It is to those people, our loyal subscribers, as well as all of you who could be subscribing — yes, we see you out there, picking up your free copy of the Valley Post at Chamber of Commerce Greeters meetings or stopping by the sales rack during the week — to whom this editorial is addressed.

Beginning with our Oct. 6 issue, copies of the Valley Post going to most addresses in Shasta County and a few northern Tehama County addresses, will be hand-delivered by carriers from our sister publication, the Record Searchlight in Redding.

Many of you are likely asking, "Why the change?"

William "Bill" Dawson, general manager of the Valley Post, recently sent out a letter to all of our subscribers with answers to this question.

"In an effort to improve our customer service, we'll be delivering the Valley Post by carrier rather than mail," Dawson writes.

Depending upon the route and the efficiency of the U.S. Postal Service, delivery through the mail meant that some of our customers received their Valley Post in the morning, others by noon and still others by late afternoon each Wednesday.

In some areas, subscribers received their Wednesday newspaper on Thursday, Dawson explained.

"With carrier delivery, you will receive your Anderson Valley Post by 6 a.m. every Wednesday. It will be either on your driveway or in your newspaper tube," his letter states.

Federal laws regulating mail service prohibit anyone but the U.S. Postal Service from putting anything inside a mail box, so don't look there for your newspaper after Oct. 1, said Robbie Parham, Senior Director of Newspaper Operations for the Valley Post and the Record Searchlight.

With carrier delivery, subscribers also have the assurance of being able to call our customer service department toll-free at (888) 531-8496 to ask for a replacement copy, Dawson noted.

In areas where same-day redelivery service is possible, a replacement copy can be ordered between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. for redelivery that same day, Dawson said.

"If you're in an area outside of our same-day redelivery service, we will provide your delivery contractor with a replacement copy to be delivered the next day," he said.

For any delivery concerns, customer service representatives will be on call at that number from 6 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m.-10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Finally, delivering the Anderson Valley Post directly to your home via carrier helps the local economy since a portion of the yearly subscription price compensates hard-working, local independent newspaper contractors.