FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 1999
Release No. 16
POSTAL SERVICEíS DELIVERY CONFIRMATION ARRIVES
WASHINGTON, DC ñ Customers will be able to verify the delivery of their parcels beginning March 14 when the U.S. Postal Service launches its Delivery Confirmation service for Priority Mail and Parcel Post.
"Delivery Confirmation is an outstanding value added service," said Postmaster General William J. Henderson. "It significantly enhances the customer appeal of Priority Mail and adds to the reputation of dependability everyone has come to expect of Parcel Post."
More than 300,000 handheld scanners have been deployed nationwide to support the new service which will provide customers easy access to the delivery status of their mailpiece. Postal employees collect Delivery Confirmation data by scanning a barcoded label. The information will then be transmitted to a central database where it can be accessed by customers.
Retail customers will be able to access information, which includes the date and time of delivery and the ZIP Code where the delivery was made, by calling 1-800-222-1811 or logging onto the Postal Serviceís web site at www.usps.com. Delivery information, which also includes attempted deliveries, forwarded or returned shipments, will be available and updated each evening.
Delivery Confirmation will be available at post offices nationwide. The retail rate is 35 cents for Priority Mail and 60 cents for Parcel Post. Rates are lower for customers who can send and receive Delivery Confirmation information electronically. For these customers, there is no charge for Priority Mail and a 25-cent charge for Parcel Select, Parcel Post, bound printed matter, special standard and library rate.
"Delivery Confirmation follows our overall strategy to provide the widest possible range of services to our customers," said Henderson. "The service is affordable, easy to use, simple to explain and gives peace of mind to customers who need to know when their shipment arrived."
Several major mailers, including catalog companies, participated in a test of the service. As a result, customers may have already seen the Delivery Confirmation service on merchandise purchased through the mail.
Delivery Confirmation is part of a multi-faceted upgrade of the Postal Serviceís parcel delivery business. The Postal Service recently began offering workshare discounts of up to 50 percent for large-volume parcel shippers. In addition, late last year, the Postal Service completed the initial stage of a fully integrated, dedicated Priority Mail Processing network. Later this year, a signature confirmation service will be launched.
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