Would you want your customers to be able to sign electronically for packages sent via USPS mail in cases where you send them signature-required? One clear benefit: no delivery delays if the resident isn’t home when the mail carrier stops by.

The new service rolling out on Monday is not for everyone – only customers who have signed up for USPS Informed Delivery. That’s a free service from the Postal Service that provides emailed images of incoming mail to registered customers.

The USPS will allow merchants to opt a package out of eSignature – there may be cases where the seller wants to ensure the customer is signing in-person for packages.

Press release follows:

On October 7, the Postal Service is adding an electronic signature service “USPS Electronic Signature Online™” to Informed Delivery that removes the need for Informed Delivery customers to physically sign for deliveries requiring a signature. The key benefits are:

Greater satisfaction for consumers by not requiring them to be at home waiting for package deliveries

The USPS Carrier will be able to deliver the typical package on the first attempt to the delivery address without having to arrange for redeliveries.

The USPS Electronic Signature Online™ service allows Informed Delivery customers to use an eSignature Online to sign for the following eligible items:

Priority Mail Express

Signature Confirmation

Insurance greater than $500

Here’s how USPS Electronic Signature Online works:

Eligible incoming packages will appear on the Informed Delivery ‘Packages’ dashboard for consumers who have opted-in for the service, and they will be able to add their eSignature for the item on a per package basis, provided they apply their eSignature prior to the “Arrival at Unit” scan. The eSignature will be transmitted to the USPS Carrier’s Mobile Delivery Device (MDD) through Regional Intelligent Mail Server (RIMS), and an alert will be displayed to the USPS Carrier.

The merchant will have an option to block the eSignature option to the recipient of a package if they want a physical signature by indicating on the Shipping Services File (SSF) that they do not want to use the addressee’s USPS Electronic Signature Online™.

This new service is another example of the Postal Service providing more convenience to consumers while also satisfying the needs of merchants who appreciate greater efficiency and cost savings for package deliveries. For more information on USPS Electronic Signature Online™, go to the website https://www.usps.com/manage/

SOURCE: USPS Press Release