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That might not be that big of a deal with certain pieces of mail, but when a business sends merchandise, legal experts send documents, or the government something to someone in specific the idea that piece of mail not arriving where it was intended (and then just being driftless) is a huge problem. While the USPS will make every effort to have each piece of mail returned to sender if it cannot deliver it to the intended recipient, actually requesting this service – getting it down in writing and attaching it to that piece of mail – increases the chances that it finds its way back to you should something go wrong with deliverability. Without this specific request, though, that piece of mail may find itself in a bit of a deliverability loop until the USPS either loses it or destroys it. Why Would You Want to Request a Return Service with Mail or Packages? This guarantees that that piece of mail will find its way back to the sender if it cannot be delivered for one reason or another.īusinesses, lawyers, and a whole host of other professionals usually take advantage of this kind of service with the USPS. Anytime a particularly sensitive piece of mail is sent, for example, the sender will want to be sure that it arrives where it was intended to or that it is going to find its way back to the person or organization that sent it out. Throughout the rest of this detailed guide we highlight what the “Return Service Requested” status of a piece of mail means, why someone might want to make this request, and how the USPS actually handles returned mail, too. By the time you finish this information you’ll have a much better understanding of how the USPS handles mail set to be returned to sender, but also how it handles mail in general. Let’s get right into it!Īs mentioned earlier, the USPS does a fantastic job about making sure that every piece of mail sent through the United States Postal Service finds its way to its ultimate destination. At the same time, people understand that not every piece of mail is going to make its way to its intended recipient – sometimes because of deliverability problems that can include incorrect address, someone moving from that address, and a whole host of other issues. In these situations, it’s a good idea to make sure that a return service has been requested through the USPS. Especially when a returned to sender service has been requested.
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There are a variety of different reasons behind why some mail never makes it where it was originally intended, but at the end of the day that 3% of all mail totals up to millions and millions of pieces on delivered. On the flip side of things, though, the USPS does do a lot to make sure that every piece finds its way to the address it was intended for – even if it takes a little bit longer than expected. On top of that, the USPS has a standing policy of making sure that pieces of mail that cannot be delivered bar returned to sender. While the United States Postal Service has a fantastic reputation for delivering mail consistently (and rather quickly), 3% of all mail pieces every year unfortunately don’t make it to their ultimate destination.