Group 14 Question 69: When mailing packages, many people choose...

Official Explanation:

When mailing packages, many people choose to go not to the post office but to a retail store that provides mailing options, though at a slightly higher cost than that of the post office. Interestingly, people who make this choice do not do so because the retailers are more conveniently located or have shorter lines.

Which of the following, if true, best accounts for the choice that some people make to go to a retail store rather than to the post office to mail packages?

(A) Typically, post offices have been in operation for decades, while the retail stores have been in business for ten years or less.
(B) The profit margins at the retail stores are higher than those at post offices.
(C) The people who choose to go to the retail stores have higher incomes than those who do not.
(D) Most people who choose to go to post offices are not aware of the location of the retail stores.
(E) The retail stores sell commonly bought items that are not available at the post office.

Question Type: Resolve Paradox
Boil It Down: When mailing a package, people tend to use retail stores over the post office retail stores, even though retail stores are more expensive than the post office. Also, retail stores are not more convenient or quicker to use than post offices.
Goal: Find the missing information that would most logically resolve this paradox.

Analysis:

With this prompt, we are given a paradox. Why is it that people use retail stores over post offices, when retail stores are more expensive, not closer, and not quicker either? We need to resolve this paradox. To resolve it, we need a good reason as to why someone would go to use a retail store when it is more expensive, further away, and takes more time.

To start, always make a prediction. My prediction is that retail stores have better customer service than post offices, so people are willing to put up with the negatives. For example, I pay more money and drive further away to use Target when I have a Walmart next to my house, only because the employees at Target tend to be much nicer to me. To some people, that might not be a great reason, but to me, I’ll drive the extra distance and pay more. Let’s find an answer choice that shows why someone would wait longer and pay more to use a retail store.

(A) Typically, post offices have been in operation for decades, while the retail stores have been in business for ten years or less.
Even if retail stores are newer and post offices are older, what does that tell us? Do people only go to newer stores? We don’t know that without making an assumption. This answer choice does not solve our paradox.

(B) The profit margins at the retail stores are higher than those at post offices.
Profit margin might explain the business side, but does it explain the customer side? Think about it. Have you ever decided which store you would use based on the store’s determination of what their profit margins would be? Most people would say no. Profit margin is a business side decision and does not normally impact the customer.

(C) The people who choose to go to the retail stores have higher incomes than those who do not.
So, this would explain away the higher price, yes, but does it explain why affluent people would wait longer and drive further away to use retail stores? Even if they are richer, surely, they value their time and don’t want to wait longer to mail a package? This does not resolve our paradox.

(D) Most people who choose to go to post offices are not aware of the location of the retail stores.
Our paradox is about why people use retail stores over post offices, even though retail stores seem to be the better option. This answer tells us about people who still use the post office. Frankly, our answer should not be concerned with them. We only care about people who use retail stores over post offices, and why they do it even considering the perceived disadvantages.

(E) The retail stores sell commonly bought items that are not available at the post office.
This is the correct answer. Why do people use retail stores over post offices even though retail stores are more expensive, take longer, and are further away? Because retail stores sell other things they need to pick up. This answer shows it’s a matter of convenience. People will drop off a package and then also shop for groceries at the same time. Post offices typically sell nothing other than boxes and tape. Most people would be okay waiting at the store to drop a package off while they also shop for groceries at the week. Most times it's quicker just to go to one place, rather than two. This resolves our paradox.


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