So, who else got their head all confused by a sudden notification from your courier service or postal delivery agency saying your shipment got accepted at the post office? I know I had. What to figure out of this? Is the shipment being on the way to its receiver? Or are they now just processing for it?
Yes, it can get a little annoying. Shipment acceptance at the United States Postal Service means that the item/article in question has been physically received or “introduced” into the USPS network, which means that the post office has the package now.
This usually got notified to the sender when the payment for the shipment is made, and your postal service providers had it weighed and got your tracking number done.
So, let’s get a complete view of what Shipment Acceptance is and the things related that you should know about.
Procedure of Acceptance
Accepting and retaining the product or service provided by the supplier after inspection to confirm compliance with the contract specifications. It can be pre-delivery, at the time of delivery, or after delivery, depending on the contract terms.
It represents the recognition that the product or service meets the quality, quantity, and packaging requirements specified in the contract.
According to USPS shipment guidelines, this requirement is usually a common standard practice listed and followed by the postal service. Approval can be used to start the warranty period. Once approved, the Post can use the product or service for its intended purpose, meaning sending it to the receiver.
After inspecting the shipment, either one of three things is going to happen:
- total acceptance of the package.
- Rejection of shipment by the authority.
- Acceptance with some limitations.
Total Acceptance of the Package
“Accepted” means that the sender delivered it to the post office. This may be the nearest post office or distribution center where sorting occurs. It does not mean that other actions have occurred, but it is usually sorted, and the journey to the destination begins that same day.
Postal services typically accept a supplier’s product or service if it meets the specifications or standards of the contract. At the time of acceptance, there are no more apparent flaws. Paying a postal service to a supplier before the supplier’s product or service is rejected in time does not constitute acceptance.
Revocation of your acceptance in-whole or in-part
The Contracting Officer or the authority can revoke acceptance of a nonconforming product or service if original accepted. This can happen if somehow you lead the USPS or the service provider to correct the nonconformance, but you don’t or if some hidden irregularities are discovered later on.
Rejection of the Shipment by the Authority
Your shipment can get rejected if requirements are not met, or defined criteria and specifications are not satisfied. Although the postal service corrects minor irrelevance, they are bound to reject any correction that can’t be made within the delivery schedule
Products or services are generally rejected where the shipment affects or is in direct violation of security, health, reliability, weight, the appearance of the delivery against the postal codes.
Usually, in these cases, the sender gets a letter stating the exact problem, but if left unanswered, the Postal Service will return rejected items for correction, substitution, or refund. However, the additional cost is totally onto you.
Correction or Replacement
If there is something off with your parcel or shipment and it gets rejected, the postal service will give you an opportunity for correction and replacement within the delivery schedule. If correction or replacement is possible, there will be no extra cost to the Postal Service.
When alternative action is not possible within the period, the Contracting Officer may still provide you a chance to provide a satisfactory alternative if the shipment is still desired and replacement arrangement mitigates the loss suffered by the Postal Service.
Acceptance With Some Limitations
Acceptance with limitations happens when products or services partially conform to the contract specifications or criteria; nonconformities remain that can be worked around.
But usually, the postal service providers don’t allow such exceptions unless acceptance is obviously in the Postal Service’s interest and satisfactory to the Client. Though this kind of acceptance comes in writing by the officials binding both parties into a contract covering:
- Statement on the nature and extent of the nonconformance
- Recommendation from technological experts that the material is safe to use and will serve its intended objective
- The Supplier’s plea for approval of the product or assistance
- A proposal for approval by the intended user, with supporting justification
- Reasonable financial or other relations
Delayed Acceptance
The USPS may consider a special testing requirement after delivery and before acceptance (such as a pre-acceptance test) to deliver complicated equipment like mail-handling systems, telecommunications equipment, computers, etc.
Conditions for delayed approval must be comprehensively expressed in the agreement. This is mainly because some items are not available for a scrutinized inspection at the time of receiving. So, they do it later after the delivery.
Package Shipment Process
In USPS, one of the largest and well-known postal service providers out there, Acceptance is the responsibility of the contract agent or the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). However, in the case of direct shipment, acceptance can be performed by the customer.
If this liability is transferred to COR or another party, this person’s consent is binding on the USPS. The contract must indicate the place of acceptance.
Products received outside the destination may not be rechecked for acceptance at the destination (the verification process determines whether the purchase is accepted or rejected), but in quantity, at the time of shipment. You need to find out about damage and possible replacement or fraud.
Conclusion
So, whatever the thing is that you are sending to someone or is going to receive, accepted by the post means they are ready to send it right away. You cannot get your package rejected to check for the shipment guidelines. You can always call the given helpline to inquiry too. Wish you a problem-free shipment.