steelyman
Moderator Emeritus
I’m using the USPS Mobile app (residence and P.O. Box) and it works well. I plan to turn off the email notifications.
I’m using the USPS Mobile app (residence and P.O. Box) and it works well. I plan to turn off the email notifications.
You might want to hold off on that - they sent an email out recently saying they are discontinuing the mobile app:
"In Summer 2021, USPS is discontinuing the Informed Delivery standalone mobile application. This application will no longer be available for download on your mobile device."
Yes. I think it has been replaced by USPS Mobile which offers informed delivery and other things.
Yes. I think it has been replaced by USPS Mobile which offers informed delivery and other things.
I'm still irked that they discontinued the Informed Delivery app. It was easy to use and convenient. The USPS Mobile app is really just a portal to the web page and I have to sign in every time so I just rely on the email now.
I've been signed up for Informed Delivery for a few years, I think. I'd get a daily email showing all or at least most of what I'd be getting in the mail that day, or the next day at the latest. My mail box is in a kiosk two miles away from me, though pretty much on the way when I'm driving home, so it was helpful to know when it probably wasn't worth stopping.
Now, I rarely even get an email, and it almost always shows no mail coming. Are others enrolled in Informed Delivery seeing the same? Heard any news about it?
I think it started around the time when mail delivery got very unreliable, probably because the USPS didn't want to show mail that might not show up for a few more days. And maybe so it wouldn't slow down the sorting process.
Fairly accurate.
Mostly junk mail.
+1. Have to watch it, though, because "official" things still come in snail mail.
The package announcements are cryptic. If I'm expecting several packages, there's no way to know which one is being announced. One exception was some recycled sari silk from Australia, clearly labeled "Australia Post." No mistaking that one.
OP here. If that's meant as an explanation for my situation, I already said I get more than junk mail. https://www.early-retirement.org/fo...shows-anything-lately-110522.html#post2650485For us, Informed Delivery does not show the junk mail flyers, and magazines.
Maybe it only does First Class mailings ?
I don’t find USPS Informed Delivery to be very helpful. We signed up for it to monitor mail while we were away for two months. The vast majority of mail pieces did not have a scanned image. Next time we go away for an extended time, we will go back to VTG service we previously used. Far superior to USPS Informed Delivery in many ways.
https://www.virtualpostmail.com
Sure, I still check every few days. Informed Delivery just told me whether it was ok to wait or if I should get it that day.I find that, at least in my case, USPS Informed delivery is convenient to get a peek at what mail may be sitting in the mailbox. But nothing like actually physically checking.
As an example, recently I got a piece of mail that didn't show up on USPS Informed delivery. It was a jury summons .
Yep. Nothing like checking physically to be sure .
Sure, I still check every few days. Informed Delivery just told me whether it was ok to wait or if I should get it that day.
Once in awhile it could be more stressful to see the mail images. I got an image of a letter from the IRS once. I had the same spike of anxiety as I would get when I opened the box and saw the IRS envelope, but it lasted for a longer time until I got to the box and opened it. In this case it turned out to be something benign
+1In our neighborhood, it's business as usual for the P.O. and it's getting worse as time goes on. And the Postmaster won't do anything about the pi$$ poor service after several folks have met with him.
For us, Informed Delivery does not show the junk mail flyers, and magazines.
Maybe it only does First Class mailings ?
But I think informed delivery will say "There is a piece that was not scanned", which at least gives you a clue.
I agree it is of somewhat marginal use, since some (larger and ?) do not get scanned. I still find it useful.
-ERD50
I’m curious how you find it useful to know that a piece of mail came in that wasn’t scanned? I found that very frustrating when we were traveling as I thought the entire goal was to stay informed about the mail that was coming in.Originally Posted by ERD50 View Post
But I think informed delivery will say "There is a piece that was not scanned", which at least gives you a clue.
I agree it is of somewhat marginal use, since some (larger and ?) do not get scanned. I still find it useful.
-ERD50
Virtual Post Mail and other similar services scan the outside of EVERY piece of first class mail. You sign into their website and review the scanned envelope. You can direct them to shred it without opening it, forward it to you, or open it and scan and email the contents to you. I found that significantly more useful. While not free, it was a good value and we will use them again.