Shorterville, AL - The United States Postal Service announced it will be taking a close look at its expansive retail networks. The financially-troubled agency will study nearly 4,000 facilities and determine customer needs.

More people than ever are using the Internet and smart phones to communicate and pay bills. But these advances in technology have put a financial strain on the U-S Postal Service. Now they are looking to downsizing closing many small town facilities in the process.

Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe says, “It’s no secret the postal service is looking to change the way we do a lot of things.”

Over the past decade, the United States Postal Service has closed about 6,000 of its retail outlets.

Now the financially-troubled agency will study about 3,653 more outlets and determine if they should close as well.

“We do feel that we are still relevant to the American public and the economy, but we have to make some tough choices,” adds Donahoe.

These tough choices could include closing local offices in Shorterville, Wing, Cedar Springs, Jakin, and Ebro, but customers in these small towns are hopeful they will continue to operate.

In fact, Robert Phillips’ dad built the post office in Shorterville. He says it’s part of the daily routine in many residents lives.

“It’s going to really hurt a lot of people around here. I’m already hearing some of them talk around here about what they are going to do,” says Phillips.

Shorterville resident Myron Grimsley says, “Oh I’d be lost. We’d have to go down to Abbeville and that’s 13 miles away. Too far.”

However, most customers said they’d be forced to adapt.

“Wouldn’t have no other choice. We’d probably have to make just one trip a week because of high gas prices and stuff,” say Shorterville resident Kenny Grimsley.

Many of these post offices that are closed may be replaced with Village Post Offices in which postal services would be offered in local stores, libraries, or government offices.

No retail offices will be closed before December.

If all on the list were to close, about $200 million would be saved each year.