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The AuctionBytes Blog has been giving a voice to online merchants since its launch in 2005. Named one of the world's top 30 blogs in 2008 by "Blogging Heroes." Weigh in with your thoughts on the joys and pitfalls of selling online.

Mon Mar 14 2022 13:24:27

USPS Boasts Best Mail Delivery Performance Ever

By: Ina Steiner

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The USPS reported its best delivery performance for First Class Mail for the week of Feb. 26 - March 4th. In a press release on Wednesday, it heralded, "Weekly Last Mile Delivery Scores Best Recorded In Postal Service History."

That includes only mailpieces (letters) and packages sent via First Class Mail - meaning it excludes packages sent Priority Mail, etc.

But if you read further, you'll see the Postal Service reported for the first 2 months of the year (January 1 through March 4), the percentage of First Class Mail delivered "on time" decreased 2.3 percentage points to 86.9 percent. And that's after it lowered the bar for what was considered "on time" delivery on October 1, 2021. This is how the USPS explained the move to slower mail:

"Most First-Class Mail (61 percent) and Periodicals (93 percent) will be unaffected by the new service standard changes. Standards for single-piece First-Class Mail traveling within a local area will continue to be two days. The Postal Service will increase time-in-transit standards by 1 or 2 days for certain mail that is traveling longer distances. By doing so, the Postal Service can entrust its ground network to deliver more First-Class Mail, which will lead to greater consistency, reliability, and efficiency that benefits its customers."

However, the Postal Service did note in its March 11th press release that, "Consistent with the rest of the shipping industry, USPS experienced delays in both ground and air transportation during the month of February due to inclement weather events including winter storms in the Midwest, South and Northeast regions."

All that said, we want online sellers to provide a reality check - how fast are you seeing your First Class Mail packages delivered? And while you're at it, what about packages sent USPS Priority Mail?

The other part of the equation is buyer expectations. And that's where delivery estimates come into play. So we'd like to hear from online sellers:

1) How is the delivery performance for your packages sent via USPS - are they getting to their destination on time? (Specify which service you use - we're eager to learn if First Class Mail is performing differently than competitive services the USPS offers.)

2) And how accurate are the USPS delivery estimates provided to buyers and sellers on marketplaces like eBay and Etsy?

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Readers Comments

USPS Boasts Best Mail Delivery Performance Ever

by: UB

Thu Mar 17 17:34:53 2022

@terry55 Not true, this information is false as this is not an across the entire USPS policy. The City Carrier scrolls down on their scanner to prepaid acceptance or hits the letter H on their scanner and then scans all the packages. They do it everyday at my house, just like today, 74 packages in a row and then hit enter. It is the job of a Carrier to scan every package as prepaid acceptance when they pick them up, if the package doesn't scan for a reason they are suppose to bring back and give to a Supervisor. I know this for a fact.

USPS Boasts Best Mail Delivery Performance Ever

by: Whatever

Fri Mar 18 11:53:15 2022

Well I'm happy with the PO. My tiny town has no UPS or FedEx - if the PO here closes I'm out of business - they scan all my packages but I go down there. There is no kiosk so they have no choice. Did I say my town is small? no bank - no gas station - no fast food joints and no police! it's kind of paradise

USPS Boasts Best Mail Delivery Performance Ever

by: terry55

Fri Mar 18 16:01:31 2022

@UB
Must be for rural carriers, I actually stand there while she scans and she's the one that told me. She was joking around with me yesterday, I had 6 packages and she had to re-scan for just the one left over, had to waste her whole 13 seconds for one package. I wasn't the only one that posted it on ebay, there's a couple and a bunch have commented its the same for them.

USPS Boasts Best Mail Delivery Performance Ever

by: UB

Tue Mar 22 17:14:36 2022

@terry55 I asked a Rural Carrier today. He stated yes when they scan a pickup sheet it now asks to scan 5 packages only. This is the only thing new (applies to only Rural Carriers) as it never asked prior to scan any packages. ALL carriers are still required to scan all packages picked up.If they have a pickup sheet then 5 again after they scan the pickup scan.

USPS Boasts Best Mail Delivery Performance Ever

by: pennyemporium

Sun Mar 27 16:18:37 2022

@lessthanthreerecords: i will agree with you on the TUBES! half my packages are the domestic tubes; i ship priority, in the 25 inch triangular priority package (as my purchased round poster tubes were frowned upon as they had to be hand-scanned and often surprisingly delivered damaged, like they had been used as ''bats''), however..... the triangular tubes also have to be ''hand processed'' if they are over a certain package dimension, and on april 4th, the price for these 25'' tubes goes up $4.00. AND, yes! USPS is using regular priority shipping time estimates for these tubes. from ohio to california... two day shipping estimated. actual priority tube time? 7-10 days.

and goodness knows... one must actually have an acceptance scan to ever be able to file an insurance claim on a package. or, for the customer to be able to SEE on line that a seller has actually mailed their freakin' package!

it's getting to the point where the price of postage is almost as much as the price of my widgets!

USPS Boasts Best Mail Delivery Performance Ever

by: pennyemporium

Sun Mar 27 16:31:32 2022

from USPS:
NEW: Starting in April 2022, there will be a $1.50 fee for packages that are greater than one cubic foot or have a box length greater than 22 inches if the customer did not provide dimensions or provided inaccurate dimensions inside an online postage provider (e.g. Stamps.com). This will apply to Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and Parcel Select Ground.

NEW: Starting in April 2022, there will be a new “nonstandard fee” for packages that must be sorted manually by the USPS when the dimensions of the package exceed sortation requirements. Rates will be adjusted based on box dimensions. Packages with length over 22 inches will have a $4.00 surcharge, packages with length over 30 inches will have $15.00 surcharge and packages over 2 cubic feet will have a $15.00 surcharge. This will apply to Priority Mail Express, Priority Mail and Parcel Select Ground.

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