Informed Delivery for PO Box: Everything You Need to Know

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A woman receives a package from a delivery man in a modern home setting, highlighting convenience and online shopping.
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Informed Delivery for PO Box is a game-changer for those who use a PO Box as their mailing address. This service allows you to view a digital preview of your incoming mail and packages, which can be especially helpful if you're not home to receive your mail.

Not all PO Boxes are eligible for Informed Delivery, however. According to the Postal Service, Informed Delivery is only available for PO Boxes that are located in participating areas.

One of the best things about Informed Delivery for PO Box is that it's free to use. You don't have to pay a single penny to take advantage of this convenient service.

What Is Informed Delivery?

Informed Delivery is a free service offered by the United States Postal Service (USPS) that allows customers to view digital versions of their mail and packages before they arrive at their post office box (PO box).

It provides a preview of incoming mail and packages for the next five days, giving customers a heads-up on what's coming their way.

Credit: youtube.com, FREE USPS Informed Delivery: Pictures of your "P.O Box" mail in an email

Customers can view the digital versions of their mail and packages on the Informed Delivery website or mobile app.

The service is available to customers who have a USPS account and have opted-in to receive Informed Delivery notifications.

Informed Delivery is not just limited to physical mail, it also includes digital notifications for packages and other items that are being sent to a customer's PO box.

This service helps customers keep track of their mail and packages, even if they're not at home to receive them.

Informed Delivery is a convenient and time-saving service that helps customers stay on top of their mail and packages.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Where Can I Order Starbucks for Delivery

Signing Up and Eligibility

Signing up for Informed Delivery is a straightforward process, but there are a few things you need to know first.

To sign up, you must have a residential address or rent a P.O. box for personal use.

Your address and Zip code must be eligible for United States Postal Service Informed Delivery.

A delivery man hands a package to a woman at a metal gate, following COVID-19 precautions.
Credit: pexels.com, A delivery man hands a package to a woman at a metal gate, following COVID-19 precautions.

You'll need to complete an I.D. verification process, which involves verifying your identity through email or phone number.

To start, visit the USPS Informed Delivery site and click on Sign up for free.

Enter your P.O. box address or residential address to check if you're eligible for the Informed Delivery service.

If you don't have a USPS personal account, you'll be asked to create one, which involves selecting a username and password, adding security questions, and providing contact information.

You'll also be required to read the privacy information and click on continue to be redirected to the I.D. verification page.

To verify your identity, you can request a code via email or phone number, or choose to verify your identity physically by requesting an invitation code to be sent to your residential address.

After you're done with identity verification, you'll be shown a confirmation page and redirected to your Informed Delivery dashboard.

To check if your address is eligible for Informed Delivery, you can visit the USPS website and enter your address to see if it's qualified.

Informed Delivery is offered in zip codes where it's available, so make sure to check if your address is eligible before signing up.

Benefits and Features

A delivery person in a red jacket uses a smartphone to confirm a package delivery.
Credit: pexels.com, A delivery person in a red jacket uses a smartphone to confirm a package delivery.

Informed Delivery is convenient, but it has its limitations - it doesn't provide permanent digital storage or offer mail customization.

One of the biggest advantages of Informed Delivery is the ability to preview your incoming mail and packages, helping you stay organized and keep track of deliveries.

With a virtual mailbox service like PostScan Mail, you can scan and view the exterior of your mails and packages, and even request mail scanning of the actual documents within your envelope or package.

You can also forward, shred, recycle, and add multiple recipients with PostScan Mail, all at a token price, saving you time and pennies.

How Does It Work?

USPS Informed Delivery is a great way to stay on top of your mail, and it's surprisingly easy to use. You'll receive an email notification with a preview of your mail for the day.

To get started, you'll need to sign up for Informed Delivery and add an active email address to receive updates. This will allow you to preview up to 10 mail items in your daily notification.

Customer Signing in Cellphone After Receiving Parcel from Delivery Courier
Credit: pexels.com, Customer Signing in Cellphone After Receiving Parcel from Delivery Courier

The automated mail sorting machine scans the front of letter-sized mail, sending the images to your email as a preview. This way, you can see what's coming before it arrives.

However, some mail items like magazines and journals won't be scanned, so if you get one of these, you'll receive a message saying it's included in your mail, but without an image.

The Informed Delivery dashboard is a handy tool that displays mail images for up to a week, and packages for up to 15 days after they've been delivered.

Benefits of

Informed Delivery is a convenient service that lets you preview your incoming mail and packages, helping you stay organized and keep track of deliveries, which can reduce unnecessary trips to your mailbox or the post office.

The ability to preview your mail and packages is a big advantage of Informed Delivery.

However, it doesn't provide permanent digital storage or offer mail customization, so if you need more advanced features, a virtual mailbox service might be a better fit.

Man Checking on Parcel Deliveries
Credit: pexels.com, Man Checking on Parcel Deliveries

With a virtual mailbox service, you can scan and view the exterior of your mail and packages, just like Informed Delivery, but you can also request to scan the actual documents inside your envelope or package.

Services like PostScan Mail offer a range of features, including scanning, forwarding, shredding, recycling, and adding multiple recipients, all at a low cost.

Tips for Better Direct Mail Personalization

To make your direct mail personalization efforts stand out, consider these tips:

Add interactive content to your mailpieces by including clickable links or QR codes, allowing recipients to easily access additional information or promotional offers.

Personalizing your messages with variable data printing can create a unique and tailored experience that boosts engagement and establishes a deeper connection with your audience.

You can incorporate recipients' names, customer demographics, browsing history, or other relevant information to make your direct mail pieces truly special.

To maximize impact, coordinate your USPS Informed Delivery campaign with other digital marketing efforts, such as email or social media.

A Brown Delivery Box with Mailing Details
Credit: pexels.com, A Brown Delivery Box with Mailing Details

Test different versions of your mailpieces to identify what resonates best with your target audience, and use USPS Informed Delivery's tracking and reporting features to gather insights and optimize your campaigns.

Here are the key takeaways to keep in mind:

  • Add interactive content
  • Personalize your messages
  • Coordinate digital and physical campaigns
  • Test and optimize

Mail Notifications Setup

To set up mail notifications, you can download the Informed Delivery app and sign up for the service. This will allow you to receive updates on your mail and packages.

You can adjust your notification preferences by going to your Informed Delivery settings after verifying your account. This is where you can customize how and when you receive notifications.

You can receive notifications in three ways: through the USPS mobile application, daily emails, or the Informed Delivery dashboard. This gives you flexibility in how you stay informed about your mail.

To access your dashboard, simply log in to your account and set up text and email notifications according to your needs. You can also leave delivery instructions and schedule redelivery if you're unavailable to receive your mail.

A Person Handing Over Delivery Packages
Credit: pexels.com, A Person Handing Over Delivery Packages

You can preview a maximum of 10 mail items in your daily notification from USPS, which helps limit the number of emails sent to users due to security concerns.

The Informed Delivery dashboard displays mail images for up to a week, while packages will be displayed on the dashboard for up to 15 days after they've been delivered.

Is Available Everywhere?

USPS Informed Delivery is not available everywhere in the U.S. In fact, it's only available to eligible P.O. boxes and residential addresses located in the majority of the zip code locations of the state.

Managing Your Account

Managing your Informed Delivery account is easy and convenient. You can access your account online or through the mobile app.

To get started, you'll need to create an account on the USPS website. This will give you access to your Informed Delivery dashboard, where you can manage your PO box and mail.

Informed Delivery is free, and you don't need to pay any fees to use the service. You'll also receive a daily email with images of your incoming mail.

Credit: youtube.com, Free Access How to: Post Office Informed Delivery and Prevent Mail Theft with Locking Mail Box

You can customize your Informed Delivery experience by choosing the types of mail you want to see in your daily email. This includes mail, packages, and marketing materials.

If you have any issues with your account or need help, you can contact the USPS customer service team for assistance. They're available 24/7 to help you with any questions or concerns.

Security and Removal

Informed Delivery ensures mail protection by safeguarding USPS systems and the employees who deliver the mail. This means your personal information remains safe and secure.

USPS adheres to the Private Act, which ensures that private citizens' information shared through the mail remains confidential. This is reassuring for those who value their privacy.

To remove mail from your Informed Delivery account, you can simply delete it from your Daily Digest email. This is a convenient way to declutter your digital mailbox and keep your account organized.

You can also cancel your Informed Delivery account at any time if you no longer want to receive email updates about your mail.

Security Concerns

Parcels Inside a Delivery Van
Credit: pexels.com, Parcels Inside a Delivery Van

USPS takes mail protection seriously, safeguarding its systems and employees who deliver the mail.

Informed delivery uses knowledge-based authentication to verify the true identity of people signing up, including answering multiple-choice questions only the real user knows the correct answer to.

The Private Act is adhered to, ensuring private citizens' information shared through the mail remains confidential and can only be disclosed to a third party under strict conditions.

USPS ensures the privacy and security of all digitally scanned and delivered emails by only scanning the envelope's exterior, with no information inside being known.

Only the address of letter-size mail items can be publicly accessed by those who checked the email.

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to set up an email reminder for significant mail items:

  • Step 1 – Set a Reminder: Click “Set a Reminder” from your Daily Digest email to receive extra notifications for important mail you wish to keep track of.
  • Step 2 – Select Date to Receive Reminder: Navigate to the calendar, choose a date to receive your reminder email, and select “Submit”.
  • Step 3 – Receive Reminder: Receive an email reminder featuring the mailpiece image and any associated digital content on the selected day to your Informed Delivery account email.

Informed delivery doesn't allow you to view your mail contents online for many security and privacy reasons.

How to Remove Someone from Delivery List

Removing someone from your delivery list can be a straightforward process, but it's essential to do it correctly to avoid any issues.

Man Checking Boxes for Delivery
Credit: pexels.com, Man Checking Boxes for Delivery

To start, you'll need to access your account settings, which can usually be found in the top right corner of the website or app.

From there, look for the "Account" or "Settings" section, where you can manage your account information and preferences.

Clicking on "Delivery List" or "Address Book" will allow you to view and edit the list of recipients.

If you want to remove someone from the list, click on the "Edit" button next to their name or email address.

In some cases, you may need to confirm that you want to remove the person from the list, so be sure to review the prompt carefully before proceeding.

Once you've removed the person from the list, they will no longer receive any future deliveries or notifications from your account.

Alternatives and Options

If you're looking for alternatives to informed delivery for your PO box, there are options available. PostScan Mail is one such service that allows you to scan, forward, shred, recycle, and add multiple recipients to your mail at a low cost.

A delivery man handing a package to a woman at her doorstep, emphasizing delivery services.
Credit: pexels.com, A delivery man handing a package to a woman at her doorstep, emphasizing delivery services.

You can request mail scanning of actual documents within your envelope or package with PostScan Mail, taking it a step ahead of informed delivery. This feature can save you time and money in the long run.

These services are designed to save you time and money, making them a great alternative to informed delivery for your PO box.

A Better Alternative

If you're looking for a more comprehensive solution, consider virtual mailboxes that allow you to scan and view the exterior of your mails and packages.

These services are similar to informed delivery, but with added features that make them a better alternative.

With virtual mailboxes, you can request scanning of the actual documents within your envelope or package, giving you a more detailed view of your mail.

PostScan Mail is a notable example, offering a range of features like scanning, forwarding, shredding, and recycling, all at a low cost.

You can even add multiple recipients to your mail, making it a convenient option for those who need to share information with others.

Alternative to Virtual Mailbox

Delivery Robots Parked Beside Building
Credit: pexels.com, Delivery Robots Parked Beside Building

If you're looking for a virtual mailbox alternative to USPS Informed Delivery, PostScan Mail is a smarter solution. It lets you view incoming mail with high-resolution, full-color scans of both the outside and inside of your envelopes and packages.

PostScan Mail offers full-service digital mail management, including mail scanning, which allows you to read the full contents of your mail online. You can also forward letters and packages anywhere in the world with just a click.

With PostScan Mail, you can shred or recycle unwanted items with a click, and store important documents securely in the cloud. This is a game-changer for people who travel frequently or run a business.

Here are some key features of PostScan Mail that set it apart from USPS Informed Delivery:

  • Read the full contents of your mail online
  • Forward letters and packages anywhere in the world
  • Shred or recycle unwanted items with a click
  • Store important documents securely in the cloud
  • Manage multiple recipients or business names from one account

General Information

Informed Delivery is a free service offered by the United States Postal Service (USPS) that allows PO Box customers to view their incoming mail online.

Delivery Boxes Near the Door
Credit: pexels.com, Delivery Boxes Near the Door

The service is available to all PO Box customers, regardless of their location or the type of mail they receive.

Informed Delivery is available for all types of mail, including letters, flats, and packages.

You can access your Informed Delivery dashboard online or through the mobile app.

To use Informed Delivery, you must have a USPS account and be a PO Box customer.

You can opt out of Informed Delivery at any time, but keep in mind that you'll no longer receive email notifications about your incoming mail.

Informed Delivery is a convenient way to stay on top of your mail, even when you're not at home.

It's especially helpful for people who receive a lot of mail or have trouble keeping track of their packages.

By using Informed Delivery, you can plan your day accordingly and make sure you're home to receive important mail.

Check this out: Cost of Po Box in Canada

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you get delivery confirmation to a PO Box?

Yes, delivery confirmation for Certified Mail can be received at a PO Box through a delivery notification card left inside the box. The recipient can then pick up the mail from the Post Office window clerk.

What address is eligible for Informed Delivery?

Most residential and PO Box addresses, as well as many business addresses, are eligible for Informed Delivery. Check informeddelivery.usps.com to see if your address qualifies.

Clara Donnelly

Writer

Clara Donnelly is a versatile writer with a passion for crafting engaging content across various industries. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for storytelling, she brings complex topics to life through her writing. Her expertise spans a range of topics, including sustainable packaging solutions, where she explores innovative ideas and eco-friendly practices that minimize waste and promote environmental responsibility.

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