Electronic signatures on priority mail w/ signature confirmations started yesterday.

[jdpugh2014]

Doesn't this defeat the purpose of going thru the trouble & expense? Not to mention the peace of mind knowing the package will be put in the hands of the buyer with their signature. Am I the only one who feels this is trouble? 

[nuclearomen]

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@jdpugh2014 wrote:

Doesn't this defeat the purpose of going thru the trouble & expense? Not to mention the peace of mind knowing the package will be put in the hands of the buyer with their signature. Am I the only one who feels this is trouble? 

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idk what your talking about... signature confirmation is an additional service you can have with any USPS domestic shipping option, just like adding insurance is an additional option except on ebay you get $50 insurance on priority normal sellers, TRS get $100 insurance on priority. So not sure what you mean by "started yesterday"?

[nuclearomen]

ah...didn't realize exactly what meant before but I do now... sorry...
The new service only works by customer adding their signature online for USPS to be able to just leave the package as they normally would... I would expect most people doing that would be those who receive lots of packages...like a business perhaps. However it states: "The USPS will allow merchants to opt a package out of eSignature – there may be cases where the seller wants to ensure the customer is signing in-person for packages."

[thehonorabletrader]

This shouldn't affect sellers. If a buyer elects to opt into eSignatures, then they will still have a "signature confirmation" on the delivery scan. It's an option they can setup, but if it gets stolen off the porch then there will be no coverage because it will still showed a signature at delivery.

[long-gone]

I agree with you on that point. With "porch pirates" increasing daily I want to know that the package that I either sent or am receiving is physically signed for when delivered.

The USPS Electronic Signature Enrollment Form looks like this:

[a_c_green]

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@jdpugh2014 wrote:

Doesn't this defeat the purpose of going thru the trouble & expense? Not to mention the peace of mind knowing the package will be put in the hands of the buyer with their signature. Am I the only one who feels this is trouble? 

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(I posted something similar to the following elsewhere recently, but might as well repeat it here...)

First of all, Signature Confirmation only requires any adult signature at the delivery address; it isn't necessarily going to be the buyer himself. (If you want to limit the signature to him only, you can pay a higher fee and get Restricted Delivery Signature Confirmation, but neither eBay nor PayPal require that.)

Beyond that, I would say that the customer's electronic signature would serve the same purpose as an in-person signature on the handheld: it's basically acknowledging delivery and taking the seller off the hook for that.  If they want to waive the in-person handover that way, they're free to do that, but you still have to have Signature Confirmation on the package in the first place in order to give them that option, and in order to maintain your seller protection on sales of $750 or more.