Is there such think as USPS Priority Mail tracking?

[powernoodle]

Well, I'm back. I shipped a knife yesterday with priority mail and DC, and its showing how it left my city, and is now in Atlanta on the way to its destination. So thats pretty good. Certainly an improvement on the old flavor of delivery confirmation.

 

[Pygmalion]

Go here
http://faq.usps.com/eCustomer/iq/us...vance=false&varset(source)=sourceType:search# and click on Track and Confirm - Tracking Mail and it will explain.

 

[stev09]

Thanks for the information

fedex tracking track number ground​

 

[mycroftt]

powernoodle - I know you're done.......but one option that wasn't discussed is "Certified Mail".

If you add this to anything it HAS to be signed for at every destination along the way. It is the very best option to guarantee shipment of an item. It is a pain and hassle and slows it down and costs a little more - which is why you don't see it used much. But it works great.

What you are describing is Registered Mail. It gets a sign-off every time it changes hands so it moves in its own secure mailstream. Certified Mail moves through the mailstream with all the other mail. When it gets to its destination it gets a signature.

 

[mycroftt]

I am aware of Priority Mail with delivery confirmation, which basically lets you check online to see if the package has been delivered. But it does not let you watch it move from city to city like UPS tracking does.

I was told by a buyer (good guy) that there is such a think as "tracking", which is not the same as delivery confirmation. I won't say who he is, but he is certainly free to chime in if he cares to.

I have no found any such thing at the USPS website, and the 2 post offices I called seemed to be staffed by retarded monkeys who could not give me a direct answer.

So is there some flavor of Priority Mail "tracking" which is different from delivery confirmation? I think not, but would like your input. I'll use it hereinafter if it exists.

thanks :thumbup:

Tracking is not available for Priority Mail - it's only available for the Express Mail services. You can use Delivery Confirmation or Signature Confirmation to confirm delivery of Priority Mail (and maybe get some freebie intermediate scans along the way). The confirmation services were designed and priced only to provide confirmation that a piece of mail was delivered and they were originally intended to provide feedback to the fulfillment industry so they could close out an order when they received confirmation that it was delivered.

 

[mycroftt]

Okay i just went to the post office and here is what I got.

Delivery confirmation -the same thing as tracking.

Signature confirmation-for packages 3/4" or thicker only. Reciver must sign for it.

Registered- out of country tracking

Certified-sign for it- (not sure what the difference here is with singanture confirmation).

You got some questionable info from your PO. Delivery Confirmation and Signature Confirmation are a completely different service from tracking.

Signature Confirmation is only limited to packages over 3/4" for First-Class Mail and Packages Services (parcel post). There is no such limitation for Priority Mail.

Registered Mail is available for foreign destinations but it does not provide tracking overseas - only Express Mail International and Global Express Guaranteed provide tracking overseas.

 

[powernoodle]

Delivery Confirmation and Signature Confirmation are a completely different service from tracking.

He's groovy now. He was mistakenly referring to Delivery Confirmation as "tracking".

I've learned quite a bit from this thread. Whoever started it is a dang genius. :thumbup:

 

[LorenzoL]

You got some questionable info from your PO. Delivery Confirmation and Signature Confirmation are a completely different service from tracking.

Signature Confirmation is only limited to packages over 3/4" for First-Class Mail and Packages Services (parcel post). There is no such limitation for Priority Mail.

Registered Mail is available for foreign destinations but it does not provide tracking overseas - only Express Mail International and Global Express Guaranteed provide tracking overseas.

Delivery confirmation with Priority = Tracking

 

[powernoodle]

We are getting into semantics here. The USPS does not equate delivery confirmation with "tracking". That is to say, they do not have a service with Priority Mail called "tracking". We might use that term, but the USPS does not, at least as it relates to Priority Mail.

I'm sticking with USPS terminology to avoid confusion. But to each his own. :thumbup:

 

[mycroftt]

Delivery confirmation with Priority = Tracking

No, it isn't the same thing at all. For one thing, Tracking is only available for Express Mail services (domestic or international). For another, the price of tracking is bundled in the price of Express Mail. The retail version of Delivery Confirmation is available for First-Class Mail parcels, Package Services parcels, and all Priority Mail. DelCon is considered an Extra Service for those mail classes and you pay and extra fee for it. The only things that are the same are the barcode symbology and the fact that you can view both tracking and confirmation services data on the same web page, known as the Track & Confirm page. The processing and back-end storage of the scan data are done by the same systems too.

 

[mycroftt]

We are getting into semantics here. The USPS does not equate delivery confirmation with "tracking". That is to say, they do not have a service with Priority Mail called "tracking". We might use that term, but the USPS does not, at least as it relates to Priority Mail.

I'm sticking with USPS terminology to avoid confusion. But to each his own. :thumbup:

Yeah, you're right - it is really just semantics but there is a legal aspect to it too. USPS is required to refund postage and fees when it fails to provide the service paid for. If you try to get a refund for Delivery Confirmation because you didn't get in-route tracking but only got a delivery scan, you will be denied because you purchased confirmation of delivery and not tracking.

 

[LorenzoL]

What I meant is that for all effects, DELCON with Priority works the same as tracking.

 

[Fort Henry Custom Knives]

USPS Priority = No Tracking.

Thanks guys for clearing this up.

 

[mycroftt]

What I meant is that for all effects, DELCON with Priority works the same as tracking.

More or less, but USPS can't call it tracking because they can not currently guarantee that all the enroute scans would be done. For example, the night turn FedEx airlift mail wiil not be scanned (primarily Priority Mail and First-Class).