NOVEMBER 30, 2015
Postal service to deliver about 15.5 billion cards, letters, flats and packages during the 2015 holiday season
Frankfort State Journal
The United States Postal Service expects to deliver about 15.5 billion cards, letters, flats and packages during the 2015 holiday season. In addition, it’s projecting about 600 million packages will be delivered between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve, which is an increase of 10.5 percent over last year’s volume.
In time for the holidays, USPS will offer real-time delivery notifications – meaning customers who sign up for alerts at www.myusps.com will receive notification within a few minutes of the delivery scan for select packages.
USPS plans to hire 30,000 employees for the 2015 holiday season to meet the needs of its customers, officials say.
According to USPS representatives, the postal service is again delivering packages seven days a week in select major cities and high-volume areas for the four Sundays before Christmas.
They expect to deliver on average about 5 million packages every Sunday during December.
Skip the lines
Consumers can avoid holiday hassles by visiting usps.com to make mailing and shipping easier. They can take advantage of convenient online shipping this holiday season by using the “Click-N-Ship” option.
Officials say it allows customers to order free priority mail boxes, print shipping labels, purchase postage and even request free next-day package pickup when the letter carrier delivers your mail.
Self-service kiosks, available at over 2,800 locations nationwide provide quick access for postal products and services just as ATMs provide for banking customers at no extra fee.
Using credit and debit cards, the kiosk enables customers to weigh and mail letters and parcels as well as purchase stamps. It also dispenses postage in any amount for priority express mail, priority mail, first-class and standard post services. The kiosk provides mailing information such as ZIP code lookup and accepts post office box renewals.
Postal technology also delivers a Spanish-language option at USPS self-service kiosks. To find a kiosk near you, use the Find Locations tool at http://www.usps.com.
Mailing tips
• Print addresses clearly and include all address elements, such as apartment numbers and directional information (ex: 123 S Main St. Apt. 2B).
• Remove batteries from toys. Wrap and place them next to the toys in the mailing box. Customers should include the new batteries in the original packaging.
• Place a card inside the package that contains the delivery and return address. This ensures the package can be delivered or returned should the mailing label become damaged or fall off.
• Never guess a ZIP Code. No ZIP is better than a wrong ZIP.
• Include both “to” and “from” information on packages – and only on one side.
• Do not reuse mailing boxes – they weaken in the shipping process.
• Select a box that is strong enough to protect the contents. Priority Mail and Priority Express boxes are free at the local post office.
• Leave space for cushioning inside.
• Stuff glass and fragile, hollow items, like vases, with newspaper or packing material to avoid damage. When mailing framed photographs, take the glass out of the frame and wrap it separately.
• As a reminder, all packages weighing more than 13 ounces and bearing only stamps as postage cannot be deposited in collection boxes or given to letter carriers. These packages must be presented to a Postal Service employee at a retail window counter.
Busiest mailing, delivery days
Postal service officials predict that December 14 will be the busiest mailing and shipping day for holiday packages, letters and cards. The busiest mailing day also is expected to be USPS’s busiest day online with more than 7 million customers.
December 21, is expected to be the busiest delivery day for holiday packages, cards and letters. USPS officials anticipate more than 30 million packages will be delivered on the peak delivery day alone.
