If you need to get mail shipped around the country fast, you might be wondering what your options are and how you can make sure a package will arrive the following day using USPS. For next-day packages, your best option is USPS’s Priority Mail Express service, which will deliver within 1 or 2 working days, and provides tracking and insurance. It is the fastest option provided by USPS and provides guaranteed delivery. Of course, it is also an expensive option because it is so fast.
What Is USPS’s Priority Mail Express Service?
The Priority Mail Express service will get mail anywhere in the US within 2 days. You might be wondering how this counts as “Next day delivery,” but bear in mind that the US is huge and if you are mailing items from one end of the country to another, it is going to take more than a day to do it, even if the item is transported very quickly. The Priority Mail Express service represents USPS’s fastest mailing service, and also the most expensive. If you need items to move around the country quickly, this is the right service to choose! However, if you do not need items to arrive at the maximum speed, you may wish to choose one of the cheaper alternative services; these will deliver more slowly, but will cost significantly less money.
How Fast Is The Priority Mail Express Service?
This service will usually arrive by the following day, but in some situations, it will take 2 days. This is simply because of how huge the United States is, and how long it takes for a package to travel from one end of the country to the other, even when it is being sent at speed. In general, this service achieves 1-day shipping, so the recipient will receive the mail the day after you send it. However, for far-flung locations and more remote areas, it may take 2 days. You will be informed of this at the time of purchasing shipping, so you can make a decision about whether this will meet your needs or not.
Does The Priority Mail Express Service Deliver On Sundays?
Yes, the Priority Mail Express service is one of the few USPS deliveries that can be made on a Sunday, for an additional fee. You can pay this fee when you purchase the mailing label, before sending the package. You won’t be able to speed up the delivery after the package has been sent. If you do pay the extra fee, it means that if you ship your item on a Saturday, it will arrive the next day – so make sure your recipient is aware of this and will wait at home for the package. Some people are caught off guard by having a delivery on a Sunday.
Does The Priority Mail Express Service Deliver On Holidays?
With a few exceptions, the Priority Mail Express service will also arrive on holidays, again for an extra charge. This is despite the fact that other mail is not delivered on these days. The service is advertised as “365 days a year” for most locations. However, you should check this before mailing the item, as a few locations do not enjoy this service, and you don’t want to pay extra for fast shipping if the item won’t arrive on time anyway. It is best to ask USPS directly about locations that are excluded from the 365 day promise, as this is subject to change.
What Happens If The Priority Mail Express Service Doesn’t Arrive In Time?
You might be wondering what happens if the company fails on its promise and the item is not delivered on time. If this occurs, you can usually apply for a refund of your mailing costs, minus any extras that you have paid. However, you will not be compensated for any inconvenience caused by the failure to deliver, so be aware of that before sending the mail. It is also important to note that USPS will not always issue refunds. For delays outside of their control, like problems with the weather or holdups due to accidents, you may not be entitled to a refund, although you can still request one. Equally, if your recipient was not at home or USPS tried to deliver but couldn’t access the property, you won’t get a refund. If USPS does not think your case qualifies, your request will be denied.
If the fault is due to USPS’s handling of the package, however, you should be able to get a refund by calling the customer service line. Make sure you have your tracking number on hand and give this when prompted. You will usually be given an immediate confirmation or denial of the refund. You cannot request refunds from your local post office anymore; USPS now requires customers to do this via the telephone or on their website.
Is The Priority Mail Express Service Tracked?
This service comes with automatic tracking so you can keep an eye on your package’s process and see how it is doing. This is helpful if you are waiting for the 2 day service, but may not be as useful if you are expecting the package to arrive the next day. However, it can be a good way for you to know where the package is and whether it will be delivered on time. It will also confirm for you when it has been delivered without you having to contact the recipient for this confirmation. You can request a signature on delivery free of charge, but you must ask for this at the time of mailing, and not afterward. You can’t add signature requirements after the item has been sent.
Is The Priority Mail Express Service Insured?
You will get insurance with the Priority Mail Express service, yes. This covers you for up to $100 with most shipments, so make sure the items you are mailing are not over this value, or that you are prepared the pay the rest of the cost yourself if the item goes missing.
How Much Does The Service Cost?
The Priority Mail Express service is charged according to item weight, size, and location, and it starts from $26.95. It will cost more to send an item to a zone that is further away, or to mail heavier and larger items. Check the size and weight bands before attempting to mail items so you know how much you are likely to pay. You can pay for additional extras like morning delivery, or Sunday and holiday delivery. You can also purchase flat rate delivery, which may be wise if you are sending an item over a long distance. It will cost more for items sent locally, however, so choose with care and make sure you aren’t paying over the odds for a package. If you are struggling to purchase the correct shipping label, the USPS customer service staff should be able to offer advice.
What Time Will The Mail Arrive?
The mail will arrive by 6 PM on the delivery day, or in some cases by 3 PM or 12 PM. This is area dependent, so check with the post office workers what time the mail should arrive by. You can also pay for a morning delivery slot, in which case it will arrive by 10:30 AM. If the item is very urgent, you may wish to pay the additional charge for morning delivery. However, be aware that you will not necessarily get your money back on additional fees you have paid if the item doesn’t arrive in time, so check this with USPS before paying the extra.
Does USPS Provide Packaging?
USPS does provide free envelopes and boxes for the Priority Mail Express service. These can be ordered from the USPS website or requested at a USPS store. They will reflect the size limits on the mail, and must be used only for Priority Mail Express packages – not anything else.
Is USPS Priority Mail Express The Same As Overnight Shipping?
Yes, these two services are the same. The term Priority Mail Express is the one that is officially used, but it is the overnight shipping service that is offered by USPS, and if you request overnight shipping, this is the service you will be given. That might seem odd since Priority Mail Express can take two days, which is not overnight, but this is the fastest service offered by USPS, and it is therefore known as the overnight service even if it takes longer than one night to arrive.
What Perks Come With Priority Mail Express?
Although it is expensive, you do get some great perks with Priority Mail Express, including the tracking and insurance, but also a free pickup service. If you are busy rushing around and you haven’t got time to get to a post office, this pickup service is an ideal way to ensure your mail gets sent in time. You will also enjoy proof of delivery, so you know for sure the item has reached the intended recipient, and there is no risk of it being left with a neighbor or disappearing without a trace. With guaranteed delivery times, this is a great service to use for anyone mailing high priority, important items.
What Are The Weight And Size Stipulations?
The maximum weight that can be sent via Priority Mail Express is 70 lb, and the maximum combined length and girth is 108”. Packages that exceed either of these numbers cannot be mailed with this service, even if you are willing to pay additional fees. You will have to find an alternative courier for the task. If you aren’t sure whether your package is within the size or weight limits, there are calculators available online that may help you to determine whether you can send the package. You will sometimes have to pay additional fees for packages that are within the limits but are particularly long.
Can You Use Priority Mail Express For International Shipments?
This service is available for sending mail internationally, but unsurprisingly, it is not an overnight service. Instead, it will take between 3 and 5 business days, depending on the destination country. This is considered very fast for international shipping, so if you’ve got urgent mail that you want to travel quickly, this may be a good option.
What Time Do I Have To Drop A Package Off?
If you’re going to overnight mail, you need to make sure that it reaches your post office in good time. If you are using a pickup service, this shouldn’t be a problem, but if you’re taking the package yourself, you need to know your local post office’s cut off time. In many cases, this will be shortly before 6 PM (leave a minimum of 15 minutes to allow for queues and delays). However, some post offices close earlier or have earlier cut off times due to driver routes, so you should ask the staff in your post office what the cut off time is. Don’t assume that it is 6 just because the store closes this late; it is important to get the actual time. If you miss the cut off time, the package will not be sent until the following day, and therefore will not arrive until the day after – so you will not enjoy 1-day delivery. It’s important to get to the post office early enough to send the item with the pickup vehicle if you want to overnight it.
Conclusion
If you frequently receive packages, you could really benefit from taking out a Virtual Mailbox with US Global Mail. This mailbox allows you to receive letters and packages at a secure location at any time of day – so it’s great for those who are not at home often. It also ensures you can keep a fixed US address that all the major couriers will deliver to, no matter how many times you move. Mail will be scanned and you can choose what to have forwarded to you.
