While much of today’s mail is digital, many pieces of correspondence are still delivered via the U.S. Mail.
And If you travel regularly or just want to track packages and sort through incoming mail while you’re away from home, you should consider signing up for the U.S. Post Office’s “Informed Delivery” service. Informed Delivery is a free service that allows you to view and manage the mail and packages which are en route to your mailbox remotely, using any internet connected device.
When mail arrives at your local post office, it is sorted for delivery and scanned, with an image stored for each piece of letter-sized mail. Larger packages are scanned and the information is collected, but typically photos are not taken. For Informed Delivery users, the details of each piece of mail and package are automatically uploaded to your account. So when you login, you can easily scroll through each piece of mail that is scheduled for delivery. And while you won’t see an image for larger packages, you can view the delivery status, provide delivery instructions or schedule redelivery if needed.
Informed Delivery is a customizable service that allows you to receive email or text message alerts about the mail coming your way. While this service does not cut down on the junk mail you receive, it does allow you to see what is scheduled to arrive and manage the delivery of USPS packages.
There are many instances when this service can come in handy: if you are waiting for a check, a new credit card, an invitation, or a package, you can login and tell in seconds if the mail has arrived or in the case of a package, where it is and when you can expect it.
To see the full suite of services and to create your free account, visit the Informed Delivery website. Please note, Informed Delivery is not available in all locations and in some locations identity verification may require a visit to your local Post Office. But once you have set-up your account, USPS Informed Delivery is free service that can really simplify managing your mail.
