Since 2001, the United States Postal Service (USPS) and FedEx (FedEx) have had a business collaboration.
On the other hand, what about the postal services USPS and UPS? Can the two be used interchangeably because of their collaboration?
What’s more, can you drop off US Postal Service parcels at UPS? If so, how did it work out? Here is what I’ve discovered.
In 2022, Can you drop off your USPS mail at UPS?
Unless the sender is a member of UPS Mail Innovations Returns, consumers cannot currently drop off USPS goods with UPS. UPS, on the other hand, tries to get parcels into the hands of the US Postal Service in the event of a mistaken drop-off.
Read on for additional information on how UPS and USPS packages are mixed up, whether UPS Access Points can be used by UPS customers, and even what happens if you erroneously send a UPS delivery to the USPS.
Can You Put A USPS Package In A UPS Drop Box And Have It Delivered?
USPS will most likely return your box to you, although it may take a few more business days to do so.
The package is completely out of your control while it is being transported, and there’s no way to find out where it is.
Until it returns to USPS and is scanned into their system, the parcel’s recorded history will not begin.
Let’s go back a step.
Consider the scenario in which you’re rushing to get shipments out and unintentionally drop off a USPS package at your local UPS drop box.
Due to the risk of damaging the package by reaching back into the bin, you must rely on UPS to deliver it to the intended recipient.
It’s also good news, right? In most cases, UPS will be able to accomplish this with relatively minor delays to your delivery date.
You might be surprised by how many people make these kinds of mistakes.
All major shippers, including UPS, FedEx, and the US Postal Service, have made it a standard part of their operations to go pick up parcels meant for themselves in order to manage these widespread blunders.
How would you know if this is intentional? Suppose the two shippers are interchangeable.
Even if you may continue to use UPS as a USPS drop-off substitute, your recipient may be inconvenienced in the long run. Despite this, UPS is still a viable option.
You can safely add an extra business day to allow for the time needed to move the parcel from UPS to the United States Postal Service (UPS).
Furthermore, the transfer may take considerably longer, putting your beneficiary at risk of having to wait even longer.
Even worse, package drop-offs leave you with no proof of ownership with UPS, increasing the period that the parcel is unaccounted for.
If a UPS drop-off goes awry and a package is lost, there is little hope of finding it. There are no known ways to track it down, such as looking through its past trip records.
So, in the end, the best option for both you and your recipient is to just drop off your USPS goods directly with USPS.
Because of this, they will be entered into the system much more quickly and will be lot easier to find if they go missing.
Is It Safe To Place A USPS Package In A UPS Access Point?
Dropping off a package at the Post Office is still the only option when using UPS Access Points.
Why? Because the access points at which UPS partners with businesses to drop off and pick up shipments are usually service desks staffed.
For example, there is a Kohl’s store in my city that has a pick-up or drop-off service at the customer care desk.
This means that it’s more difficult to get a UPS Access Point to accept a USPS package that was accidentally (or otherwise) dropped off in a UPS drop box.
In most cases, the associate will notice that you’re trying to utilise the wrong shipper if they’re paying attention.
Because the barcode for a package sent by USPS is not the same as the one sent via UPS.
What If You Leave A UPS Box At The Post Office?
Although the shippers aren’t interchangeable, their experience has taught them to believe that their parcels will end up in each other’s hands.
As a result, if you use the Postal Service to drop off a UPS box, you should expect a similar outcome.
In the end, UPS will arrive and retrieve their lost parcels, but until then, that box is lost in the realm of no return.
One notable exception to the general rule of “Don’t go dropping your UPS boxes at the Post Office” has been discovered.
This only applies to UPS Mail Innovations Returns participants, who can return a package to the sender for a fee.
For regular shippers (small e-commerce enterprises, for example) who also deal with regular returns, this programme is a good fit.
The latest edition of a programme UPS launched in 2010 called UPS Returns Flexible Access appears to be the case here.
Recipients can simply drop off their packages at any Post Office location, where the shipper delivers the paid-for label.
Alternatively, it can be placed in the mailbox for the postal carrier to pick up when they come.
With this programme, the parcels are scanned into the system as soon as they arrive at the post office, and they can be tracked as they make their way back.
However, UPS packages can only be returned to the Postal Service in this situation.
Our blogs on how to report a USPS package theft, if USPS accepts FedEx, and whether or not USPS parcels are insured can all be found here if you’re interested in learning more about the US Post Office.
Bottom Line
Even if it’s convenient, users should avoid using UPS for USPS deliveries.
However, UPS and USPS are capable of transporting goods between each other, but such shipments remain untraceable until the relevant shipper scans them into their system. This makes the parcels particularly vulnerable.
