USPS Shipping question

[downtown]

When I go to the Post Office to ship small packages via First Class I usually pay $1.05 for tracking. In the past 2 weeks I have sent a few small packages that I didn't pay for tracking. On the receipts, they had a Package ID #. When I entered it in on the tracking page on USPS.com, they worked exactly like a tracking #. What's up with this? Have I been wasting my money on tracking when I have been getting it for free all along? Someone shed some light on this please. Thanks.

[Spots]

They changed the rules awhile back so that all priority mail now has tracking on it. Tapatalk ate my spelling.

[downtown]

But I don't use Priority Mail, I usually send First Class only.

[scoutfsu]

Same deal.  Part of the overall price increase too.

[TNMTBik3r]

Post office has to stay open somehow, think of your $1.05 donation keeping the lights on for an extra hour.  :rofl:

Wasn't there a difference at one time between tracking and delivery confirmation? Could that be the confusion? I haven't shipped USPS in a while because have a UPS account at work.

[Oh Shoot]

When I go to the Post Office to ship small packages via First Class I usually pay $1.05 for tracking. In the past 2 weeks I have sent a few small packages that I didn't pay for tracking. On the receipts, they had a Package ID #. When I entered it in on the tracking page on USPS.com, they worked exactly like a tracking #. What's up with this? Have I been wasting my money on tracking when I have been getting it for free all along? Someone shed some light on this please. Thanks.

 

According to discussions on eBay sellers board,  PID number used to be just for USPS internal tracking and investigation after the fact, and it didn't work for customers on the regular public tracking database, but something has changed in the last 6 months or so and is indeed working there. But apparently it's not consistent, and some do and some don't.

 

Indeed is confusing, but that's the only thing I could find. Since I print all my USPS through PayPal seller shipping tool, it's not an option to NOT have tracking, so I haven't had any PO counter experience in years except to pick up packages that mostly for one lame reason or other didn't deliver to my digs.

 

- OS

Edited February 12, 2014 by Oh Shoot