Does USPS deliver on Saturday and Sunday? A guide for Amazon sellers

Shipping can make or break your Amazon business. Most shoppers consider shipping a crucial factor in their overall shopping experience. Customers are also unlikely to shop with a brand again after a poor shipping experience.

Amazon’s marketplace is particularly unforgiving with shipping mistakes. Late deliveries quickly cascade into customer complaints, declining feedback scores, damaged seller metrics, and in serious cases, account restrictions or suspension by Amazon itself.

If you’re managing your own shipments or supplementing Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) with merchant-fulfilled (FBM) orders, the United States Postal Service (USPS) offers a bunch of delivery options that could help maintain your performance metrics. But does USPS deliver on Saturdays and Sundays? Let’s break down the weekend delivery schedules and how savvy Amazon sellers can use them to keep customers happy.

What is the USPS?

The United States Postal Service reaches every address in the country—all 167 million residential and business locations plus Post Office Boxes. Founded in 1775 (with Benjamin Franklin as the first Postmaster General), it became the Post Office Department through The Post Office Act of 1792. Congress later replaced it with the United States Postal Service in 1971.

Today, the USPS operates as a non-military government institution with the country’s largest physical and logistical infrastructure. It’s entirely self-funding and receives no tax dollars, generating revenue solely through product sales, services, and postage. With over 33,000 offices nationwide, the USPS boasts the largest retail network in America.

USPS delivery services

The USPS offers several domestic mail and shipping options, each with different speeds, prices, and features:

• Priority Mail Express: Urgent packages with next-day to two- or three-day delivery, starting from $31.40
• Priority Mail: Packages arriving within 2-3 business days, with prices varying by envelope or box size
• USPS Ground Advantage: Affordable shipping for packages up to 70 lbs within 2-5 business days, including hazardous materials, starting at $4.20
• Media Mail: Budget-friendly option for books and educational materials, starting at $4.47 (specific eligibility requirements apply)
• First-Class Mail: Standard-sized envelopes with 1-5 business day delivery, starting at $0.78

The USPS also handles international shipping, with delivery speeds and costs affected by:

• Package weight and size
• Distance traveled
• Service type selected
• Weather conditions
• USPS holidays
• Traffic conditions
• Staffing fluctuations
• Carrier route changes

You can estimate shipping costs with the USPS Retail Postage Price Calculator and track packages using the tracking number on your mailing label or receipt.

Does USPS deliver packages on Saturday?

The short answer is: Yes, USPS delivers on Saturdays as a normal delivery day, though with limited hours. Deliveries should be completed by 5 p.m. local time, with exact timing depending on your location.

On Saturdays, USPS delivers:

• USPS First Class Mail
• First-Class Package
• USPS Ground Advantage
• Priority Mail Express

Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express are the primary services delivered on Saturdays, while other services don’t have specified Saturday delivery times. Saturday delivery can be affected by mail volume, distance between USPS facilities and the delivery address, and your chosen service level.

Does USPS deliver on Sundays?

Yes. However, Sunday delivery is limited to:

• Priority Mail Express items
• Certain Amazon parcels
• First-Class packages (during Sunday holidays)

Sunday deliveries depend on package volume levels, and USPS doesn’t charge extra for Sunday delivery unless customers select expedited service.

USPS Sunday delivery hours

For Amazon sellers using Priority Mail Express, packages should arrive at recipients’ addresses by 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. The latest Sunday delivery time is typically around 6:30 p.m., with customers eligible for a full refund if their package doesn’t arrive by this time.

Amazon shipments specifically may be delivered as late as 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., with exact timing affected by location and mail volume.

Picking up packages from the USPS

Customers can pick up packages directly from USPS before the scheduled delivery time if they have a valid reason, such as:

• Urgent need for the item (requires canceling home delivery and contacting USPS customer support with the tracking number)
• Missed delivery with no one available to receive the package
• Use of the USPS Hold Mail request service, which can hold all mail for up to 30 days (minimum three days)

Leaving packages at the post office

Depending on your local Post Office, sellers can typically leave packages before 5:00 p.m. or 6:00 p.m. You can also schedule a pickup to ensure immediate dispatch, especially for overnight service packages.

Amazon and USPS’ negotiated service agreement (NSA)

USPS began shipping Amazon packages on Sundays in 2013 through a partnership that benefits both Amazon sellers and shoppers. USPS carriers use the Postal Service’s Dynamic Routing Tool to create efficient routes for Amazon Sunday deliveries across multiple ZIP codes. By April 2014, this service operated in over 400 Postal Service hubs across 22 districts, delivering more than 2.7 million Sunday parcels in just four months.

Amazon integrated USPS Ground Advantage shipping into the Amazon Buy Shipping program in 2023. This service consolidates several current shipping methods:

• First-Class package service
• Parcel Select ground shipping
• Parcel Select Cubic shipping

Once implemented, sellers will have access to:

• USPS Ground Advantage Light: Designed for packages under 1 lb.
• USPS Ground Advantage Heavy: For packages between 1 lb. and 70 lbs.
• USPS Ground Advantage Cubic: Pricing based on package size and distance rather than weight.

In 2022, Amazon introduced the Send to Amazon workflow to help FBA sellers save time creating shipments and replenishing inventory. Benefits include saving reusable shipment details, packing single-SKU and mixed-SKU boxes before creating shipments, and selecting optimal shipping options.

How to access USPS weekend delivery services

USPS weekend delivery is available to every mailing address in the country, as long as the type of shipping you chose falls under the categories that include it. So, to access these services, all you need to do basically are:

1. Create a USPS account
2. Fill out a form specifying shipment details, checking costs and dates
3. Select Priority Mail or Priority Mail Express for weekend delivery
4. Pay for postage
5. Schedule package pickup or drop-off
6. Apply shipping labels to your packages

For sellers without label printers, USPS offers a Label Broker service that delivers shipping labels to your address (for a fee) or allows printing at your local Post Office.

Shipping best practices for Amazon sellers

To ensure smooth deliveries through USPS, follow these best practices:

• Choose the fulfillment model that matches your business needs (in-house, third-party, FBA, multi-channel, or dropshipping)
• Use Amazon FBA to avoid common fulfillment issues like incorrect labeling or improper packaging
• Prioritize Amazon Prime orders, especially if you’re in the Seller-Fulfilled Prime program
• Personalize service with product recommendations in customer communications
• Use USPS First-Class package service for items under 1 lb. to save costs
• Ensure each box has the correct, clearly visible shipping label
• Protect items with Amazon-approved dunnage (foam, air pillows, bubble wrap, full paper sheets)
• Schedule delivery appointments at least 24 hours in advance
• Avoid placing shipment labels on box seams where they can be damaged
• Include warning labels in visible locations for packages over 15 kg
• Keep shipments separate—don’t combine items from different shipments in one package

Remember, Amazon offers guaranteed delivery for eligible products and delivery speeds, with shipping fee refunds if packages aren’t delivered by the guaranteed date.

Grow your Amazon business with smart shipping

Smart shipping decisions directly impact your Amazon seller performance. Fortunately, USPS weekend delivery options give you the flexibility to keep packages moving even during traditionally slow periods. This helps maintain customer satisfaction and protects your seller metrics in the long run.

But while optimizing your shipping strategy with USPS is one piece of the puzzle, truly successful Amazon sellers leverage comprehensive tools to maximize efficiency across their entire operation.

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