The Truth About USPS Informed Delivery Accuracy
In today’s fast-paced world, convenience is king. That’s why USPS launched Informed Delivery, a service that allows users to receive emails with grayscale images of their mail before it’s delivered. With just a few clicks, USPS claims customers can see what’s arriving in their mailbox, helping them stay organized and better manage their time.
But is the service as accurate as it claims to be? Are customers actually receiving images of all their mail? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the facts behind USPS Informed Delivery accuracy.
How Informed Delivery Works
Before we dive into accuracy, let’s first understand how Informed Delivery works. Once you sign up for the service, USPS sends you a daily email with grayscale images of the mail that’s scheduled to arrive in your mailbox that day. You can view the images on your computer or mobile device.
To make this service possible, USPS uses automated sorting machines to take pictures of your mail as it passes through the system. These images are then sent to your email inbox. USPS says that the images are not stored permanently and are deleted after seven days.
Informed Delivery Accuracy
The big question now is – how accurate is this service? Are customers really receiving images of all their mail? According to USPS, Informed Delivery is meant to provide an idea of what’s coming in your mailbox, but it’s not a guarantee of mail delivery. In other words, just because you didn’t receive an email about a certain piece of mail, doesn’t mean it’s not arriving in your mailbox.
Informed Delivery is also not available for every piece of mail. USPS only captures images of letter-size mail, which means larger items like magazines and catalogs won’t show up in the email. Additionally, USPS notes that occasionally, there may be technical issues with the system, which could result in missed images.
So, while Informed Delivery can certainly be a helpful tool for managing your mail, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not foolproof. Some mail may not show up in the email, and technical issues could occur which could result in missed images. It’s always a good idea to check your actual mailbox to make sure you’re not missing anything important.
Case Studies
To get a better idea of how accurate Informed Delivery is in real life, let’s take a look at some case studies. Consumer Reports tested the service in 2019 by mailing several pieces of mail to themselves and tracking the results using Informed Delivery. They found that the service was generally accurate but missed a few pieces of mail, including a package.
Another case study by The Washington Post in 2018 found that Informed Delivery provided an accurate image of mail about 90% of the time, but missed some mail and occasionally showed images of mail that never arrived.
While Informed Delivery may not be 100% accurate, it can still be a useful tool for managing your mail. Just keep in mind its limitations and don’t rely solely on the email images to keep track of your mail.
Conclusion
Informed Delivery is a convenient service that can help you stay on top of your mail. While it’s generally accurate, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s not a guarantee of mail delivery. Make sure to still check your actual mailbox to avoid missing any important mail. At the end of the day, Informed Delivery is just one tool in the arsenal of mail management, and it’s up to each individual to determine whether it’s right for them.
