MAYVILLE, Wis . (NBC 26) -- It's the busiest shipping week of the year and the United States Postal Service says they are experiencing historic volumes of mail right now. But while many will likely see delays in their packages being delivered, some small business owners say, the general public shouldn't be so hard on postal workers right now.
Back in early December post office workers were warning people sending gifts and cards for the holiday to get them in the mail as soon as possible, all out of concern that everyone would do it at once at the last minute.
"There might be an increase of things here and there. People might be coming in earlier to ship stuff because they are not visiting the family. They're shipping everything instead (this year)," said Daniel Downing a Supervisor at the Green Bay USPS.
And now, just days before Christmas, it appears as if the message didn't reach everyone on time and some small business owners are hearing about the stress some are enduring waiting for packages.
"Some people are saying well I haven't received my product and I want a refund," says Jennifer Thoreson describing the stories she has heard from colleagues who are shipping products.
Thoreson is the owner of Sweet Ginger Vintage in Mayville, Wisconsin. She specializes in the sale of clothing, hats, and accessories that were designed well before we began enduring this pandemic.
"A lot of the items I sell are things that people would wear to dress up and go out and have fun and show off. So, the demand for my products kind of went down."
Since March, Thoreson has shifted to selling her vintage clothes online. She says if it weren't for her local postal service there's no way she could have kept up with her brick and mortar buildings' mortgage payment.
"I wouldn't have a business if I didn't have the ability to ship my items."
Thoreson says delays at the post office right now should be expected. For months she's heard about other small businesses enduring timely waits.
"I'm in multiple sellers' groups, online sellers' groups. And there are people that have had orders from black Friday that still haven't been delivered."
But it's actually thanks to the postal service according to Thoreson, that her business has survived 2020.
"It's just mail. But the mail has become very important to all of us this year."
And while she understands it's a drag not to get a holiday greeting, before the holiday. She hopes others will cut the post office a break.
"In the middle of a pandemic, to expect that you're not going to have delays is kind of silly and a little selfish. So I think we need to be gracious and kind. They're dealing with illnesses and challenges just like we are."
