Express mail

I have been working in the transporation logistics industry for 9 years. I deal with shippers of all sizes frequently. Nobody calls anything Express Mail unless it's USPS. Why? It's a trademark for starts. "Express" is a very common term used for many services, but when you add the MAIL suffix you're ONLY talking about USPS. This article should probably be deleted.

Express mail is a specific classification of United States Postal Service (USPS) mail. Items shipped using this service can be delivered within the 48 contiguous United States and the District of Columbia within 1 to 2 business days.

Many transportation logistics firms offer similar services. UPS, DHL and FedEx are the most popular alternatives. Those carriers offer even faster delivery with their Early AM delivery services.

One advantage of Express Mail is that USPS will deliver 365 days a year, including Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays at no additional charge to some locatoins. USPS competitors charge for delivering on anything other then a weekday. This however is not always the rule, and USPS does not offer an automated way of checking delivery commitments. They do have a 800-number, but that's it.

In fact, one common complaint about Express Mail is that USPS is notorious for delivering late. The competition guarantees overnight delivery by as early as 8:30AM. USPS does not guarantee the delivery time, and frequently requires more then one day to deliver.

Another issue with Express mail is that USPS does not offer the same level of monitoring for the delivery. Competitors usually offer sites that allow shippers and recipients to view their shipments while they are in transit. UPS, DHL and FedEx can send you an email to your work or cell phone when the item is on their drivers truck for delivery. This status update lets recipients know that their shipment will be delivered within a few hours at most.

USPS also offers a different service called Global Express, which is commonly confused with Express Mail.

Major transportation logistics providers include:

See also