Written on:
Every so often, eCommerce businesses will receive an order from a customer whose address is nearby. When this happens, many shippers find themselves surprised that carriers often don’t deliver local shipments on the same day that they receive them. This can be frustrating for some eCommerce business owners to see, especially since it may take a short amount of time to simply drive the box to their customers themselves.
Shipping Carriers Transport Packages to Regional Sorting Facilities
Regardless of where you’re sending a package to, shipping carriers transport parcels to regional sorting facilities once you drop them off. This is true whether you’re shipping a box across the country, or to someone in the next town over. Typically, carriers will take one business day to process a package through a regional sorting hub. From there, they will send out any local packages to nearby distribution centers. Finally, their workers will carry out the last-mile delivery.
So, when the tracking information for your package addressed to a local customer shows that it’s sitting in a regional sorting hub, rest assured that it will still reach them soon!
USPS Connect Local Allows Same-Day Delivery for Some Local Shipments
In 2022, the U.S. Postal Service rolled out a program called USPS Connect Local, which aims to help small businesses reach local customers through affordable same-day and next-day delivery. As part of the program, small businesses can drop packages off at designated postal facilities that will be delivered on the same day. However, to qualify for same-day delivery, Connect Local participants have to drop packages off early in the morning. If Connect Local customers miss this early morning cut-off time, USPS will deliver packages the next day as long as customers drop them off 30 minutes before the back dock closes at these facilities.
For more information on the Connect Local program, visit the USPS website.
Be the first to comment!