To compound the situation the stamps were larger than ordinary definitive stamps of the period, making it difficult to situate them on smaller parcels with limited space around the address and return address. They were also issued in sheets of 180, with four panes of 45 stamps per sheet, which was an inconvenient number for accounting purposes. By March the Postmaster General was considering using different colors for the individual stamps[5] and a smaller, definitive-sized design [1] (for which plates of the 1 cent, 2 cent and 5 cent denominations were even engraved).[6] Production of the Parcel Post sheets cut into 45 stamps each resulted in a somewhat higher percentage of stamps with straight edges (see image below) than other stamp productions, much to the disappointment of collectors at the time.[8] Some philatelic publishers like Stanley Gibbons were rather unforgiving in their estimation of these new issues, referring to them as "very useless stamps" having an "ugliness" about them.[9] European post offices had been offering parcel post service for decades but in America during those years, as Max Johl observes, "the express company interests had successfully fought such legislative action." What finally defeated this opposition was the well-funded lobbying efforts of Sears Roebuck, other prominent mail-order companies and large department stores.[6] The new government operated parcel delivery service was perceived as a threat to the business of private delivery companies, such as the Wells-Fargo Express, who consequently lobbied heavily against the Post Office while it was still in the process of establishing itself in the lucrative parcel delivery business, but they were ultimately unsuccessful.