USPS provides many methods and options to find out if your mail package is on its way to you too early, on time, and if it is delayed or not. Sometimes there might be a delay in your package, or it may get sent back due to unusual circumstances. If so, refer to the USPS tracking page or contact the number of the shipper, to know the exact status of your package. Usually, the volume of mail fluctuates, and hence the time of delivery cannot be guaranteed. But according to policy, all deliveries are to be made by 5:00 p.m. local time. Delays may be caused by unpredictable and unusual circumstances like severe weather conditions, traffic, changes in the route in which the carrier is coming, Natural disasters, or due to understaffing. This might delay deliveries by a few hours. Most importantly, the delivery time varies for different classes of mail. One should check the delivery standards for the different mail classes and only then Contact customer assistance with concerns about delivery delays. In the following article, the delivery standards have been delineated referring to which one should wait before considering their parcel delayed.
Different mail classes and their delivery standards-
The mail classes offered by USPS are mentioned down below with their usual time of delivery. However, it must be noted that the delivery times are not guaranteed and may change according to some unprecedented or unusual circumstances.
First Class mail- packages take 1 to 5 business days usually. If the package has not arrived after five or more days from the date of mailing, it is advisable to contact customer assistance.
First Class package service- Similar to First Class mail, packages take 1 to 5 Business days usually. Customer assistance should be taken if the package has not arrived 5 or more days from the date of mailing.
Priority Mail- Packages take 1,2 or 3 Business days to arrive. You should Contact customer assistance if it has not arrived five or more days from the date of mailing.
Priority Mail Express- Packages must arrive 1 to 2 calendar days. This is the only mail class that guarantees that there will be no changes in delivery time irrespective of circumstances. Hence, customer care should be contacted immediately after the guaranteed delivery date or time has been missed.
USPS retail ground, package services, periodicals, marketing mail– These packages usually take 2 to 10 business days to be delivered. It is considered delayed if it has crossed 14 or more days from the date of mailing. Only then should customer assistance be sought.
What to do if my package has been delayed?
If the estimated date of arrival of the package has surpassed the above mentioned period, you can seek assistance by the following methods-
Customer Assistance- You can contact a customer representative by emailing USPS on their official mail ID with your concern and information about the package. You will be connected to a representative at the earliest and information on the status of your package will be given to you.
Check USPS tracking- On shipping a package, USPS assigns a tracking number for your item. On delay, you may go to the USPS tracking page and find out the status of your order by entering the tracking number from the mailing receipt given to you. On doing this, an updated and recent tracking status of your package should be provided. If there have been no changes in the information or there is no status available, it may mean that the information has not been updated yet. you can check back after some time. If this problem persists, email customer service.
Contact the shipper- If you receive a notification from your shipper about a delay of your package or it is possibly lost, contact the shipper and provide them with the tracking number to find out the exact status of your package. For further assistance, email customer care.
Check your local USPS Post office- You may contact or visit your nearest post office, and they should be able to address any concern about the delivery.
Conclusion
If you are experiencing a delay in your delivery,keep in mind the above mentioned methods of solving this problem. This will ensure you have a smooth experience using the USPS facilities and your packages get delivered on time.
1 . What are some reasons for a delay in my order?
Ans. Unusual circumstances like natural-disaster, severe weather conditions, other calamities, packages getting lost in the mail, staffing issues in delivery locations, traffic, and other issues occurring in the delivery route are some reasons for a delay in your orders.
2 . Can I mail USPS regarding the status of my order?
Ans.You can mail them by mentioning your tracking ID so they can connect you to a customer representative who will solve any queries about your order.
3 . When is my Priority Express Mail order supposed to arrive?
Ans. Priority Express Mail orders are guaranteed to be delivered in 1-2 calendar days.
