USPS Informed Delivery

[wayupnorth]

After going thru numerous hoops to finally sign up for it, I finally got it to work. Since my mailbox is a 1/2 mile trip from the house, I thought this would save me from a wasted trip to find nothing in the box. In the beginning, I was getting an e/mail with the scanned mail in the morning and then it became progressively later. My mail is always delivered by 1 PM but getting the notification anywhere from 4 to 36 hours after the fact is useless. Anyone else signed up for it and experiencing these same issues?

 

[yogitunes]

I have tracked a few items I have sent out....and amazing enough, I was able to watch it go from place to place, and notified that it was delivered to the door.....

but all this scanning and tracking sort of slows things down.....in some instances, you could have things maybe a day or so sooner, all I really need to know, is that it was dropped off at the Post Office, and it was delivered!...there can be good and bad in all of this....

this reminds me of going to Walmart once to have my car serviced, as a so called convenience, you can track on your phone about the work being done on your vehicle....there are two monitors at each end of the garage, and for example, as the mechanic changes each individual spark plug, he has to come off the lift, and scan a slip, and enter the info...to which your phone chirps like mad, at every detail happening to you vehicle.....to me, he was wasting more time running back and forth, rather than, just alert me when the vehicle is complete and ready to go....

 

[rp2813]

No surprise there.

 

USPS can't even keep their on-line tracking information up to date, so something as personalized as "informed" delivery strikes me as well beyond their capabilities. 

 

[launderess]

Worked well enough for us

Signed on in early days as was invited by USPS for some odd reason; but turned it off after less than one week. Far too many emails clogging up our "Inbox".

As for tracking do a fair amount of shipping (mostly eBay things), and have to say USPS is stepping up their game. Well they would have to, wouldn't they? I mean with UPS dogging their every move USPS had to get its act together. UPS now does Saturday delivery at no extra charge, so there is that as well.

 

[ea56]

If given the choice of a shipping provider I'll always go with USPS. They are usually the fastest and most dependable. I recently made a purchase on ebay and the seller used Fedex Smartpost,with this service the item goes to Fedex first and is latter transferred to the USPS for delivery. This item left St. Petersburg, Florida on 6-28 and travelled ALL over Florida for the next 6 days, until it ended up BACK in St.Petersburg, at which time it was then transferred to the USPS. I didn't receive it until 7-7. It took ten days. The Pony Express would have probably been faster!

But then on the other hand, I ordered a custom made blind for our bedroom on the same day as the ebay order and it came from Texas. I received and email from Blinds.com last Thursday that my blind had shipped that day, and the next day, Friday the box was on our doorstep, delivered by Fedex, so go figure!
Eddie

 

[launderess]

If you are referring to Fedex Ground

Well yes, they do have problems, and one tries to steer clear when possible.

FedEx Ground was created by FedEx buying up a bunch of other ground carrier services (IIRC DHL was one of them),to get into that business and challenge UPS. Remember FedEx was begun and largely run as an overnight shipping company.

It took ages for FedEx to bring "in house" their ground operations and it still isn't 100%. Also unlike UPS or USPS, FedEx ground is also a franchise operation. Person or persons can purchase local route or routes. What happens then is FedEx ground sends packages to a location, the route drivers collect packages for their "area" or "areas" on their trucks, and they are then responsible for deliveries often using "drivers" they hire.

 

[wayupnorth]

I was not referring to any type of package delivery. Informed Delivery is what mail is coming to your mailbox that day. All regular mail goes thru a scan at the distribution center and they can send you the scans so you know another bill or something you were waiting for is coming today. I have to pick up any packages that wont fit in my box at the local post office. FedX and UPS will deliver right to my house. But if it worked right, I would know not to bother a 1/2 mile trip and find an empty box.

 

[philcobendixduo]

I've Been Using Informed Delivery.....

......from USPS since it was first offered. Every morning, I get an email showing me the mail pieces that will be delivered that day with the exception of magazines and other "larger" size mail pieces.
Only one email a day.
Always accurate.
No complaints from me - I think it's a great service - especially with the mail thieves that are rampant in my neighborhood.

 

[launderess]

As a UPS account holder

Know very well the difference between "Informed Delivery" and tracking service offered by USPS. My comment regarding the latter were addressed to another poster who mentioned issues USPS has or seems to have regarding their package tracking service.