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Same-day delivery is one of the most talked-about frontiers of the shipping industry. While Amazon was one of the first companies to offer it for certain Prime customers, other carriers are racing to jump into the same-day delivery space. In fact, USPS began offering same-day delivery options in 2021. Now, most businesses in the United States can access this level of service through the USPS Connect Local program.
USPS Offers Same-Day Delivery for Local Shipments through the USPS Connect Local Program
You’ll never find a shipping option with same-day delivery offered at your local Post Office. The only way to access same-day delivery is through the USPS Connect Local Program, and it is only available for local shipments.
USPS Connect Local provides same-day local delivery and next-day regional delivery. As part of the program, businesses buy their labels through USPS Click N’ Ship and affix them to their packages before dropping them off with USPS. For same-day and next-day delivery through USPS Connect Local, all shipments travel via USPS Ground Advantage Service.
Once the labels are affixed on their packages, customers can access same-day delivery by dropping their local packages off early in the morning (cut-off times vary based on the location). Per USPS, the cutoff time for next-day delivery is 30 minutes before the back dock closes at the USPS location.
A Brief History of USPS Connect
The Postal Service rolled out USPS Connect in 2021 to help small businesses better service customers in their area with quicker-than-normal delivery at affordable rates. First beginning as a pilot program in Texas, USPS Connect is now nationwide and services 163 million addresses daily, according to USPS.
How Can I Sign Up for USPS Connect Local?
To sign up for USPS Connect Local, you’ll need to submit a contact request form on the USPS website. Once you fill out the required information, a Postal Service representative will follow up with you to help you get started.
USPS Connect Isn’t Available through Any Online Shipping Software Options
Unfortunately, USPS doesn’t provide USPS Connect Local service through any online shipping software providers that sell discounted labels. So, the Commercial Pricing discounts offered through shipping software aren’t available to Connect Local customers.
While USPS doesn’t offer Commercial Pricing rates with Connect Local, customers can access “reduced rates” on their Click N’ Ship labels, according to the USPS website.
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