Does USPS tracking work if sent from your mailbox?

[cogentmtg]

If you purchase and print USPS tracking at your house and then stick a package with the barcode into your mailbox for shipment, does it work? Or do you need to go to the post office and buy it in person?

[mr_lincoln · Accepted solution]

@cogentmtg  Yes, but what is important is getting an Acceptence scan by the post office and if you just put it in the mailbox there is no guarantee when that will happen.  If you are going to be shipping regularly contact the post office (stopping in is a good idea) and let them know your shipments will require a scan at pick up.

There is NO gaurantee that the carriers will scan your items but when the package arrives at the first bulk center it is scanned.  That "could" be the same day or next day.

The safest way is to take it to the counter and get a scan then leave with a receipt.

[couldabeenworse]

It should work exactly the same.  However, in either case, the first person who handles your parcel might forget to make the Acceptance Scan.  The advantage to taking it to the post office is you will be there to watch the scan.

[luckythewinner]

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@cogentmtg wrote:

If you purchase and print USPS tracking at your house and then stick a package with the barcode into your mailbox for shipment, does it work? Or do you need to go to the post office and buy it in person?

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As long as your carrier does what he is supposed to, a package picked up by a carrier will get an acceptance scan just like a package dropped off at the post office. 

Once the package is in the mail system, it will receive scans just like any other package - there is nothing that distinguishes between a package picked up by a carrier with one dropped off at the post office. 

So in theory, yes it will "work". But there are always a few packages that will not get a scan they are supposed to, and that is true of any package no matter how it is picked up or dropped off. 

[ed8108]

Yes , USPS will scan the label that you printed & applied to the package, leaving it in the mailbox for shipment.

[ittybitnot]

does it work? 

Yes. Your mail carrier has a device that scans when picked up.  Some don't use it.  Mine does.  However, we had a sub carrier a couple of weeks ago.  Scanned "picked up" and ten minutes later scanned it as delivered in the same town.  Unfortunately, the parcel was going to Washington state, and I live in FL.  Fortunately, it was not an ebay sale. 

[dhbookds]

Best idea is to make friends with your carrier.......cookies are always appreciated......and let him know how important the scan is.......  I had trouble with subs, long ago; but a quick call to the postmaster sent them back the same day if they skipped my packages....they had to get out an walk to where they were.

[mr_lincoln]

@dhbookds

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@dhbookds wrote:

Best idea is to make friends with your carrier.......cookies are always appreciated......and let him know how important the scan is.......  I had trouble with subs, long ago; but a quick call to the postmaster sent them back the same day if they skipped my packages....they had to get out an walk to where they were.

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What type of cookies?

[dhbookds]

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@mr_lincoln wrote:

@dhbookds

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@dhbookds wrote:

Best idea is to make friends with your carrier.......cookies are always appreciated......and let him know how important the scan is.......  I had trouble with subs, long ago; but a quick call to the postmaster sent them back the same day if they skipped my packages....they had to get out an walk to where they were.

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What type of cookies?

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If it's a male........chocolate chip........female ...just about anything...

yes, I'm being sexist....

[cherry*fizz]

I do this quite often and I have never had a problem with them not scanning it. I agree you should talk to you post office or your carrier just to double check.

[evry1nositswindy]

@dhbookds You are right on the home baked goodies. My mail carrier loves my homemade pumpkin bread. I have 100% tracking. When I first started selling I took my packages to the PO. When I asked for a scan the lady fussed about it, saying since postage was already printed they wouldn't get credit for it. Whateve that means. By all means, use your mailbox and do let your mail carrier know a scan is important.

[berserkerplanet]

>>If it's a male........chocolate chip........female ...just about anything...
>>yes, I'm being sexist....

But I like all cookies and I'm not a girly-man. Now I'm confused.

[toooldtorock]

"Best idea is to make friends with your carrier"

That is helpful.

Our service has gone to hell here. Our region had the highest retirement rate in the postal

system (over 50%) with a lot of the newbies half trained at best. Add to that a personnel

reduction and pickup and mail drop off times has become erratic. The route I am on is one of

the most unpopular in the area due to it very long length and carrier turn over is monthly.

Managers here do not even pick up the phone and they leave their phone mailboxes full

so you can not leave a message.

Most of the carriers know what is going on and appreciate how the service is going downhill.

Good relations help things along.

[muttlymob]

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@evry1nositswindy wrote:
When I first started selling I took my packages to the PO. When I asked for a scan the lady fussed about it, saying since postage was already printed they wouldn't get credit for it.

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Depending on when you started selling this may have been true.

When online labels first became available to the general public the discounted postage was intended to replace counter time.  That is, you got a discount because the counter clerk no longer had to process your package.  He just took it and tossed it into the correct outgoing bin.  The clerks were not supposed to scan prepaid labels.

Things have changed over time.  Now all packages are required to be scanned as accepted (and at other events including delivered) no matter where they enter the mail stream.  At the counter, at a home mailbox, at a blue box.  All should be scanned when accepted.

As others have noted, the issue no longer is whether they are supposed to be scanned, it's whether the employee has been properly trained or cares about doing his job correctly.

[bigchief2472000]

I live out in the boonies and my mailbox is about 1/4 mile from my house, out of sight, so what my carrier suggested I do is just put a note in the mailbox letting them know that I have an outgoing package and they will come to my house to get it.  That way I don't have to worry about it getting stolen from the mailbox before it gets scanned into the system.  He also told me that he gets credit for picking up those packages, so it's in the carriers best interest to make sure and scan it.