The United States Postal Service (USPS) is an agency under the US federal government. It provides postal services to United States households. The agency has 633,108 employees, both career personnel and non-career personnel. Here you can see ‘What is USPS Article Number?’.
The agency provides a huge line-up of shipping services to its members. The huge lineup of services is to meet the different shipping demands of its customers.
What’s a USPS article number?
The article number is another term for the USPS tracking number. USPS provides the article number to every customer who has created a label whether remotely or physically.
What is the importance of the USPS article number?
- Allows a customer to track their packages either through the remote tracking tool or via the phone.
- Provides the personal identity of the owner. The number provides the recipient’s information including their addresses.
- The article number also gives the customer’s payment status
How does the tracking number work?
Whenever a customer creates a label, the post office will assign the label an article number. The article number is viewed differently by the customer and an employee at USPS.
After the sorting, the packages are distributed out to their recipients’ destinations. The mail carriers will use the number as identification of proof and residency, the customer will be using the number to track the whereabouts of the package.
In case of any dispute in regards to the package, the article or tracking number is always referred to as the reference point.
Where can one find the USPS article number from?
The article number can be found in several different places. The most common places to locate your USPS article or tracking number are,
- Mailed receipts.
- On the package.
- A confirmation e-mail about the shipping
- Sales receipt (for those who purchased insurance through the post office)
- E-mail confirmation, that is, if the package was shipped remotely.
- Under the barcode
- shipping receipt from the post office.
Additionally, one can provide their e-mail addresses during the in-store checkout. This makes it possible for the post office to send your tracking number via email. Having the number in the e-mail provides an alternative option for the physical receipt.
Customers will also find it easy to retrieve such e-mails in case of a dispute.
Both the parties (sender and recipient) need to have the tracking number. This is to allow easier coordination as the mail is in transit.
How can one get their tracking number without physically going to the post office?
A customer can have the tracking number by opting for USPS click n ship online. In the process of creating a label, a customer can choose to receive their tracking number via email notification.
Upon creating a label, an e-mail will be sent to the customer’s e-mail address with every information. The e-mail notification will also have the tracking number on it.
How can a customer identify the USPS article number?
If your package has already been prepared for shipping and you are probably wondering how to identify the article number, here is what you have to do,
- Identify a series of black lines with varying thicknesses (the barcode).
- Look for a series of numbers below the barcode. This is the tracking or article number.
The article number should precisely begin with the number nine (for all the packages delivered within the United States). Except for international shipping.
Why is an article number not functioning?
it is important to note that an article number might not start working immediately. The article number will function immediately after the package has been dispatched. Once the package reaches the post office, it is scanned and sorted out. After the scanning and sorting, one will be able to follow the progress of the package.
How long does it take for the article number to start working?
The process of scanning and sorting out the packages might take up to a day. After this is done, the package will be good to go. Moreover, one will be able to see the feedback from the tracking tool that the package is already on the move.
What does the USPS article number look like?
Currently, the USPS is using a barcode to scan packages. Below the barcode’s vertical lines, one will be able to identify the USPS article number. The article number is a series of 22 digits. The series starts with 9 for all non-international shipping.
An example of a tracking number is 9113 9012 7543 2141 5001 19.
Except for the Priority international and Global express Gr, all USPS article numbers are a series of 22 digits. The digits are grouped into fours with the last group having two digits.
Conclusion
The USPS article number is the tracking number used by customers to track their packages while in transit. The number provides key information about the package’s recipient and payment status.
FAQs
Q: How can one recover a lost article number?
A: one can visit the nearest local post office. The office will assist in providing all the info regarding the package.
Q: What should one do in case the post office can’t find their package?
A: In such a situation, one will have to file a claim if the package was insured.
