Are you unsure if the United States Postal Services (USPS) will deliver on Saturday? Perhaps you have seen mail carriers drop off packages on the weekend and wondered if this occurs every Saturday. There is no need to be unsure any longer, thanks to this guide that will answer your questions about Saturday delivery.
Do you rely on USPS delivery for your e-commerce business? Online retailers are under pressure to provide the best possible shipping experience. Shipping options should always be affordable, convenient, and fast. It is best to offer a weekend delivery to emphasize your customer service whenever possible. You can use the following information to your advantage and maximize the delivery of your packages.
What we’ll cover:
- Does the USPS deliver on Saturday?
- Does the USPS deliver all day?
- What time does USPS deliver on Saturday?
- How late does USPS deliver on Saturday?
- Does USPS Saturday delivery cost extra?
- What if my mail expected for Saturday does not arrive?
- Does USPS also ship on Sunday?
- Does USPS deliver seven days a week?
- What days does the USPS not deliver?
- Is delivery on the weekend at the same time as during the week?
- Is there a “rule of thumb” for estimating USPS delivery time windows?
- Do I have to pay for tracking on weekends?
- Can I schedule USPS deliveries to happen on the weekend?
- Final thoughts
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Does the USPS deliver on Saturday?
Yes, Saturday is a regular business day for the USPS. Priority Mail and First Class Mail can be delivered on Saturday, although Priority Mail is the only service you can choose for guaranteed delivery. Service may vary from city to city and depends on the capacity of each post office. The one exception is that USPS will not deliver Priority Mail Express when a holiday falls on a weekend.
Does the USPS deliver all day?
The USPS has regular business hours nationwide between 09:00 and 15:00 – local time. They usually make deliveries between 07:00 to 20:00. But there are days when there is no delivery at all. For example, when government offices and banks close, such as federal holidays, the USPS does too. This includes Christmas, New Year’s Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day. The Post Office is also closed on Sundays, except for Priority Mail package delivery.
What time does USPS deliver on Saturday?
The USPS says customers can expect most packages to arrive by 14:00 on Saturdays. During peak seasons or events such as winter storms, the delivery may come as late as 18:30. The distance between the warehouse and the destination may affect the delivery time. But, those using Priority Mail Express service can expect delivery by 10:30.
How late does USPS deliver on Saturday?
Are you waiting for a package from the USPS and wondering if it will arrive late after hours or late at night? The Postal Service sometimes delivers letters, packages, and parcels past the unofficial cut-off time of 17:00. This is especially true during peak post office seasons like Thanksgiving through the New Year. The Postal Service tries to deliver everything it can every day except Sundays.
The USPS is introducing a new service to help customers keep track of their mail delivery. The service, Informed Delivery, is free. It tells what mail to expect to arrive each day.
Does USPS Saturday delivery cost extra?
The USPS offers an excellent deal for those who want First-Class Mail, USPS Retail Ground, and Media Mail delivered on Saturdays, as you do not have to pay more for Saturday delivery. But, there is no guarantee that the USPS will consistently deliver the mail on the weekend. Instead, it may arrive the following Monday.
The USPS delivers Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express packages on Saturdays at no extra charge. The total cost for each USPS service depends on the weight of your parcel and the destination.
What if my mail expected for Saturday does not arrive?
If you have a package that you were expecting on a Saturday and it did not arrive, check to see the type of postage used. If it was Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express, you could request a refund by visiting USPS.com.
Read more about how long does first-class mail takes to arrive.
Does USPS also ship on Sunday?
As we mentioned earlier, the USPS is there for you if you need Saturday delivery. All Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express packages have no extra delivery charge. However, Sunday deliveries are generally not available with the USPS’s standard postage.
To receive Sunday delivery, you will need to pay an extra fee for Priority Mail Express. Priority Mail Express is a service that promises delivery in one to two business days. This includes delivery on a Sunday by the USPS unless it falls on a holiday.
Does USPS deliver seven days a week?
Mail delivery happens throughout America every week from Monday through Saturday. Delivery times for different days of the week depend on various factors. But customers can expect a consistent schedule.
What days does the USPS not deliver?
Regular mail is not delivered on Sundays and holidays. So what happens when you mail on a holiday? The USPS “skips” the holiday. Let’s look at an example. If you used Priority Mail Express service and sent something on July 3 before Independence Day, USPS would consider July 5 the “next day” under the Priority Mail Express service. If the holiday falls on a Sunday, the USPS closes on the following Monday, and the post office closes.
Here are the Postal Service holidays:
- New Year’s Day
- Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday
- Presidents’ Day
- Memorial Day
- Juneteenth National Independence Day
- Independence Day
- Labour Day
- Columbus Day
- Veterans Day
- Thanksgiving Day
- Christmas Day
Is delivery on the weekend at the same time as during the week?
It’s hard to predict when your mail will arrive on the weekend because the USPS has a 5/1 work week. This means that your regular mail carrier delivers packages and parcels five days a week. These professionals usually have a fixed route and fixed delivery time windows. Then there’s the sixth day when a “floater” delivers your mail. So it will likely be at different times when they deliver mail on the weekend.
These temporary employees work on a rotational basis, filling in for your full-time mail carrier during the week when they are off. Those who have a day off during the week are then given a weekend shift, and since they are your regular mail carrier, you can expect them to deliver the mail at the same time as you are used to during the week.
You can contact your lost post office to ask about their rotation schedule and how it will affect your delivery times.
Is there a “rule of thumb” for estimating USPS delivery time windows?
Trying to figure out when your USPS delivery will occur can be a bit of a headache. There are no guaranteed delivery time windows like FedEx, UPS, DHL, etc. But the USPS does everything it can to make sure your package arrives on time. Sometimes it even gets delivered sooner than you think. When the postal service cannot deliver on time, it can be for various reasons. These include severe winter storms, floods, natural disasters, and power outages.
Choose Priority Mail Express if you want your package delivered faster than standard mail. This will guarantee delivery within one to two business days and 365-day delivery (excluding weekends).
Do I have to pay for tracking on weekends?
Want to know when the USPS will deliver your mail? You can do so if your service has tracking included. The USPS offers tracking as standard with Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express weekend shipments. It gives you access to the same information on the weekends you receive during the workweek. Tracking is not included with First-Class shipments, but you can add it at checkout. So pay attention to this detail when you buy postage.
The USPS’s tracking service is a must for all online retailers. It provides end-to-end tracking and is available for most domestic mail products. The label of your trackable shipment will be scanned many times throughout the mail run when the recipient or agent delivers or picks up the package. You can access this information in several ways by using the USPS tracking number associated with the shipment.
Can I schedule USPS deliveries to happen on the weekend?
You cannot schedule USPS deliveries for the weekend. But, you can find out if you can expect a Saturday or Sunday delivery. This depends on the carrier you choose and the shipping method. If you use Priority Mail for something that ships on Tuesday or Wednesday, it will arrive on either Friday, Saturday, or Monday. Priority Mail Express sent on Thursdays will almost always arrive on Friday or Saturday (or Sunday at the latest).
The USPS delivers Priority Mail shipments earlier than Tuesday or Wednesday or no later than Thursday or Friday. Therefore, Priority Mail Express mailed earlier in the week is almost sure to arrive before Thursday or Friday.
Let us take a detailed look at the shipping options offered by the USPS:
– Priority Mail Express will arrive the next day or within a time frame of at least two days by 6 PM the same day. The USPS delivers seven days a week with a money-back guarantee.
– Priority Mail will arrive within one to three business days. This depends on where you are shipping from and to. This service includes tracking and insurance.
– First-Class Mail will arrive within one to five business days. Small packages are likely to be faster and arrive within one to three business days.
– Media Mail takes between two and eight business days to ship.
– USPS Retail Group will arrive within two to eight business days.
Shipping can be slow at certain times of the year. For example, the weeks between Black Friday and Christmas Eve are the busiest. Mother’s Day is another time when the Postal Service is slower because of the large volume of mail.
If you want your packages or parcels to be delivered faster, do not send them during these time slots. If you order during this time, there is a good chance that your products will experience delays.
When it comes to the USPS, customers need to know about insurance and cut-off times. All USPS weekend deliveries come with $50-100 worth of insurance. If you need more protection, you can top it up. Cut-off times for dropping off merchandise at the post office are between 15:00 and 16:00. If you worry that your package will not be delivered on time, arrange to pick it up during the day.
Final thoughts
If you are an online retailer, you know how important it is to get your products to your customers.
To do this, you may need to expand your delivery hours and days to include Saturday and Sunday. The USPS recognizes the need for small businesses to provide this service. Hence, they offer weekend delivery options. So if you want to deliver on a Sunday, you can do so and still stay within your budget.
Check out how to automatize and send direct mail at your preferred rate using free Postalytics tools.
You may be wondering, “Does USPS deliver on Saturday?” If you are a USPS-focused online retailer that only sells a few products per day, then weekend delivery is unnecessary. You can offer Priority Mail Express as an option for those customers who want it. Priority Mail is not available on Sundays but does offer Saturday delivery. If you’re going to provide this as an extra option, it’s up to you. Be careful. Customers may get overwhelmed and abandon their cart if you give too many options.
About the Author
Dennis Kelly
Dennis Kelly is CEO and co-founder of Postalytics. Dennis joined Boingnet, the predecessor to Postalytics, in 2013. Boingnet was focused on providing print and direct mail marketing service providers the ability to add digital marketing channels to their direct mail campaigns. Postalytics is Dennis’ 6th startup. He has been involved in starting and growing early-stage technology ventures for over 30 years and has held senior management roles at a diverse set of large technology firms including Computer Associates, Palm Inc. and Achieve Healthcare Information Systems.