The best feature of shipping with USPS is the tracking tool. It offers a variety of notifications to let you know where your parcel is at the specific time. But what does the notification that says “ready for pickup” entail? What should you do about it? Here is all you need to know!
Available For Pickup Mean USPS In 2022?
Suppose you have received a USPS “ready for pickup” notification. It implies that your package has been delivered to your neighborhood post office. But it won’t be brought to your house by the post office. You will have to pick it up yourself from the post office. It happens when:
- A delivery effort fails
- An item is expensive
- A courier forgets to pick up the box.
How Long Do I Have To Pick Up My Package?
Always remember that the post office won't keep your package forever. Before returning a parcel to the sender, the post office typically holds it for pickup for 15 days. It means that you have 15 days to pick up your parcel.
Why Does My USPS Tracking Tool Say Available For Pickup?
Following is a summary of the three most frequent causes for packages becoming available for pickup rather than being delivered to your door:
A failed delivery attempt
It is the primary and most frequent cause of a package being marked as available for pickup. The courier must take the box back to the post office with them if they are attempting to deliver a parcel that requires a delivery signature but they are unable to do so because you were not at home or available at the time. If it’s Christmas or another busy season, the post office will shift packages to pick-up much more rapidly. But usually, it will take several delivery tries before your box gets ready for pickup.
Does USPS Deliver on Sunday Across the USA
A package with Valuable Products
If your package is too valuable to be left on the doorstep, it can be marked as being available for pickup. When someone sends a box containing precious metals or stones, and you don’t receive your order, merchants will occasionally use this option. In any case, this is a shipping option that asks the post office to store the goods until picked up to prevent loss or theft.
Human Error
Human error is the third and least likely (but still conceivable) explanation for why your shipment has been marked as being available for pickup. A few pieces of mail can easily be overlooked because USPS processes hundreds of millions of pieces of mail every day. The post office may classify your parcel as being available for pickup if a courier unintentionally left it at the post office. It especially happen during the hectic Christmas season when there are so many goods to deliver. In these days, delaying deliveries until the following day could severely impair the courier’s productivity.
There is a silver lining in this option. It lets you to decide when you go pick up your box. It also prevents it from being lost or stolen, regardless of how your parcel came to be available for pickup.
How Do I Pick Up A Package From USPS?
The next obvious concern is how to pick up your parcel from the post office and what supplies you’ll need after it has been marked as available for pickup.
Picking up your parcel from the post office is generally quite simple. In case they want to confirm your identity before giving over the delivery, make sure to have some form of identification on hand in addition to your tracking number. Next, go to your neighbourhood post office and inform the staff that you have a parcel ready for pickup. Before giving you the package, they’ll ask your name and ID to confirm your identity. But they might also ask for more details like the tracking number.
Why is your USPS package held for pick up?
Your USPS shipment may indicate that it is available for pickup for several reasons including:
- an incorrect delivery address
- you can not accept the delivery due to some reasons
- The shipment is larger than the stated size and will thus need an additional shipping fee due to the incorrect shipping size. In this case, you have to pick it up from USPS or pay the additional fee.
- Other problems that hinder delivery. For instance, poor weather conditions, USPS employees’ safety concerns, etc.
What does ‘USPS Awaiting Delivery Scan’ Mean
Meaning of USPS “available for pick up” code
When your item are held at the post office and is available for pick up, USPS available for pick up notifies you. It indicates that it was unable to be delivered and is being held for personal pickup.
What Happens If I Don’t Pick It Up?
Within fifteen days, if you don’t pick up your package, it will be delivered to the sender. It will cost the person who sent it the same amount of money in postage again to have it shipped back to you, resulting in fresh delivery fees. You might have to pay for the delivery service to get it again if the package was from a company.
Can someone else pick up my package from the post office?
You are welcome to have a different person pick up your package. However, you must provide that person with your permission by:
- filling out the online redelivery application with their information
- providing a written approval
- a standing delivery order designating them as authorized recipients
If these conditions are nor fulfiled, no one else can pick up your parcel at the post office.
Conclusion
You are now in charge of picking up the box at your local post office if USPS notifies you that it is available for pickup rather than delivering it to your home. It happens when delivery attempts are unsuccessful, a parcel has a valuable product, or a delivery man forgets to deliver your gift.
It’s crucial to remember that when you receive this notification, the post office won’t keep your box in storage indefinitely. Instead, they’ll keep it for 15 days only before sending it back.
Be careful to bring your ID and tracking number with you when you pick up your package from the post office in case they need to confirm your identity before giving you the box.
