Digitally preview the day’s mail delivery
One of the industries that have recently employed technology to make our lives easier is the postal service and mail delivery. A few years ago, you could hopelessly wait to receive your package or letter without knowing exactly when it is likely to arrive. The only way to track your mail was to get your map and start imagining how far from your doorstep the parcel could be. Not only was this cumbersome, but it was also inconvenient.

Thanks to the internet, you no longer have to experience this disappointment. The United States Postal Service (USPS) has made it possible for you to digitally preview the day’s mail delivery before it arrives. Through the Informed Delivery feature, you can now comfortably preview the day’s mail before arrival from anywhere at any time and know when to expect receiving it. Take a look below to see how this works.

The Informed Delivery: How to use it todegitally preview the day’s mail delivery before arrival.
Officially launched in 2017 as a way of giving physical mail a digital touch, Informed Delivery is a notification feature offered by USPS to enable users to digitally preview and manage the day’s incoming mails before they arrive.

The feature is free and easy to use, giving you and your household the convenience to track your letter-sized mails and packages alike from anywhere,anytime, using a computer, tablet, or phone. Now you don’t have to wonder whether that package you were expecting today will successfully arrive and has not been misplaced somewhere along the way. How is this possible? After signing up, you receive greyscale images for the exteriors of yourletter-sized mails in your email. These images also appear on the software’s dashboard, enabling you to preview the day’s mail delivery before arrival. Only up to 10 images can be sent to your email address in a day.

You can access the others from the dashboard. Previews on packages, however, are made differently. The shipper sends you updates on the package's status and tracking information via your dashboard, email address, or mobile phone number, depending on your opt-in choice, so you stay informed. The feature also enables you to directly interact with the supplier by simply clicking on the “additional information” link provided for you in the dashboard. You can therefore seek clarity concerning a package or even change the instructions for delivery. To use Informed Delivery, all you need to do is follow this simple process outlined below.

Register to start using the service.
To register for Informed Delivery:

❖ Visit the USPS website and click on the Inform Delivery Feature.
❖ Click on "Sign Up." It is free.
❖ Check your eligibility by providing your ZIP code address. Only residents from eligible ZIP code areas can qualify. You will also provide authentic information to confirm your identity. This is for security purposes.
❖ If you are eligible, you will be allowed to create an account using a username and a personalized password.
❖ Verify your address by either providing your current mobile phone number or postal address number to receive the verification mail via paper.
❖ Wait for three days, to receive the notification alerting you to start enjoying the magic of previewing that day’s mail before it arrives by simply clicking on a button.

1.Receive a notification to start using the service
After your eligibility has been confirmed, you will receive the notification to start using the service. This allows you to access the dashboard. You will then start receiving notifications from your mailers on the mails to expect that day. These usually come at 9:00 a.m. local time from Monday to Saturday except when the day falls on a federal holiday.

2.Navigate through the dashboard and provide instructions for your incoming mail.
Now you don’t have to go to the post office to find out when your mail is likely to arrive or whether you can make changes to the delivery instructions. At the comfort of your home, you can digitally preview the day’s mail delivery before arrival by navigating through the Informed Delivery portal. Here you can provide delivery instructions, schedule redelivery, track the mail updates, view delivery instructions, etc. The goal is to enjoy the convenience it offers.

Why are some areas not eligible for the Informed Delivery Program?
Though informed delivery is currently available in most parts of the country, only residents from eligible ZIP code addresses in the USA can use Informed Delivery. To find out whether your address is among them, use the ZIP Code lookup tool after creating your account. However, a few areas are yet to be covered due to the bulk in data and security issues related to Informed Delivery. The service is a work in progress, and the USPS strives towards ensuring national coverage.

How do I benefit from using the Informed Delivery Program?
Everybody loves convenience. I don't know about you! The Informed Delivery feature offers you convenience when it comes to previewing the day's mail before it arrives. Below are additional benefits.

❖It is a free service. The fact that you can enjoy the convenience to digitally preview the day’s mail delivery without losing a penny is one of the main reasons people love it.
❖It offers flexibility. You can preview today’s mail delivery from anywhere and at anytime just by clicking on a link on your phone, tablet, or computer.
❖You know exactly what to expect in a day’s mail. If the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is issuing you a tax evasion form, for example, the physical mail does not find you unawares. You had a preview of the mail in the morning, and so your mental toughness is top of its game.
❖You know precisely when to expect a specific mail. For instance, you are preparing to leave home for the summer holidays; you don't want to come back to a mailbox overflooding with mails. You can use Informed Delivery to check when some of those mails are expected to arrive and then reschedule them for until when you get back.
❖You can schedule redelivery. If you missed a delivery, you could plan a package to be redelivered to you.
❖You can enjoy secure access to your incoming mail. The Informed Delivery dashboard offers you a secure platform to preview your incoming mail before its arrival. .
❖You can interact with the mailer even before the mail arrives because you know what the mail's content is. The link in the dashboard directs you to the mailer, and so you can quickly engage them and find more information if you need any.

Are there any downsides of informed delivery services?
As with most things in life, informed delivery has some downsides, some of which USPS are continually trying to fix. Some are given below.

❖Experts have had concerns with Informed Delivery services authentification procedures, posing questions of potential exposure to scammers.
❖It could increase your anxiety levels. If you are not good at managing your stress, having such a preview at 9.00 a.m. is likely to make you anxious throughout the day.
❖The Informed Delivery feature is likely to flood your life with notifications. The feature works in a way that enables you to receive all the images for emails and notifications for incoming packages for anyone with whom you share a residence and mailbox.This could be too much for those of us who cherish a quiet life.

Final words
This question of whether you can digitally preview the day's mail delivery before its arrival? The answer is yes! With the introduction of the Informed Delivery system, the USPS has enhanced its physical mail delivery services. This feature enables you to preview an incoming mail by sending you exterior images of your letter-sized mails or notification to update you on the status of a package you are expecting. The feature is simple to sign up for and use. However, only consumers from residential areas whose ZIP codes are eligible can use this feature. You can find out whether you are eligible by using the ZIP code lookup tool available on the Informed Delivery website.

The Informed Delivery has made it possible for one to preview the day’s mail delivery before its arrival. The features on the dashboard enable you to enjoy ultimate convenience by tracking a package’s updates and the nature of the letter you are expecting. You get to enjoy the flexibility of previewing your incoming mail from anywhere and at anytime while getting a chance to interact with your mailer. The service is also free, making it friendly to your pocket. The ability to preview the day’s mail delivery before its arrival, however, can cause you to be anxious, especially when the mail you are expecting has terrible news.

The incoming images and notifications can also crowd your dashboard, email address,and phone. This might not work well with some of our personalities. However, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Set up the Informed Delivery today and enjoy the convenience that comes along with it.