Forum Discussion

Community Alumni's avatar
Community Alumni
Dec 23, 2020

Mail Forwarding Cost. Virtual Mail vs Priority Mail

Hello

I am using Dakota Post in Sioux Falls SD for my mail forwarding and I am happy with them and the yearly service price. I am not planning on moving my mail forwarding service.

Over the years the cost of postage has gone up and up and now the cost for priority mail twice a month is $195.60 annually (postage only). I know I could cut that in half by a once a month mailing but I like the twice a month service.

So sans the yearly cost of Dakota Post just looking at the mailing costs:

Is there anyone out there that uses a virtual mail service and how do you like it and is it a cost saver?

Thank You
JimR
Seeking Advice
  • Grit_dog's avatar
    Grit_dog
    Navigator
    Dec 23, 2020
    Let me try to understand. You’re complaining about $8 and change to have a box mailed to you? Last flat rate box I sent, which is the cheapest mail, was more than that. It may have been big enough to hold 2 weeks of mail.
  • rk911's avatar
    rk911
    Explorer
    Dec 23, 2020
    not sure what you mean by virtual mail but if your forwarder allows you to pick and choose which mail they forward you might want to create an account with the US Post office and then sign up for their INFORMED DELIVERY SERVICE (free). you'll get a daily e-mail showing the front of the envelopes that have been processed for delivery that day.

    USPS Informed Delivery
  • Dutch_12078's avatar
    Dutch_12078
    Explorer II
    Dec 23, 2020
    rk911 wrote:
    not sure what you mean by virtual mail but if your forwarder allows you to pick and choose which mail they forward you might want to create an account with the US Post office and then sign up for their INFORMED DELIVERY SERVICE (free). you'll get a daily e-mail showing the front of the envelopes that have been processed for delivery that day.

    USPS Informed Delivery

    My understanding is that the Informed Delivery Service cannot be used for a commercial address such as a CMRA. Do you know of anyone that's able to use it with a CMRA account?
  • dedmiston's avatar
    dedmiston
    Moderator
    Dec 23, 2020
    I really like Informed Delivery, but it's very imperfect. We get things all the time that weren't included in their emails.
  • Community Alumni's avatar
    Community Alumni
    Dec 23, 2020
    Grit dog wrote:
    Let me try to understand. You’re complaining about $8 and change to have a box mailed to you? Last flat rate box I sent, which is the cheapest mail, was more than that. It may have been big enough to hold 2 weeks of mail.


    Grit Dog I am not complaining about anything. My post is aimed at those that have Virtual Mail and whether they like it or not and are they saving any money.

    I am currently paying about $345.00 a year and Virtual Mail may be a cheaper option at $239.00 a year plus any scan cost and a mailing fee of $2.00.

    JimR
  • rk911's avatar
    rk911
    Explorer
    Dec 23, 2020
    Dutch_12078 wrote:
    rk911 wrote:
    not sure what you mean by virtual mail but if your forwarder allows you to pick and choose which mail they forward you might want to create an account with the US Post office and then sign up for their INFORMED DELIVERY SERVICE (free). you'll get a daily e-mail showing the front of the envelopes that have been processed for delivery that day.

    USPS Informed Delivery

    My understanding is that the Informed Delivery Service cannot be used for a commercial address such as a CMRA. Do you know of anyone that's able to use it with a CMRA account?

    CMRA?
  • Community Alumni's avatar
    Community Alumni
    Dec 23, 2020
    rk911 wrote:
    not sure what you mean by virtual mail but if your forwarder allows you to pick and choose which mail they forward you might want to create an account with the US Post office and then sign up for their INFORMED DELIVERY SERVICE (free). you'll get a daily e-mail showing the front of the envelopes that have been processed for delivery that day.

    USPS Informed Delivery


    Virtual Mail is a service that some mail forwarding companies offer.

    They scan the mail and post the scan on the internet via their portal for you to view when you get notified of such a scan. They can if you want open the mail and scan the pages inside for an additional fee. You can choose what to have sent to you eliminating junk or not needed mail. You would have the ability to save up the mail and have it sent when you want. The ability to see the mail (unopened for me) may be the cost saver of only sending when needed, say once every 60 days thereby saving some postage.

    Not trying to be a tight wad but Virtual Mail may give me more options at a possible savings or even a break even with what I am paying now but with the ability to see any very important mail that needs attention.

    JimR
  • Community Alumni's avatar
    Community Alumni
    Dec 23, 2020
    rk911 wrote:
    not sure what you mean by virtual mail but if your forwarder allows you to pick and choose which mail they forward you might want to create an account with the US Post office and then sign up for their INFORMED DELIVERY SERVICE (free). you'll get a daily e-mail showing the front of the envelopes that have been processed for delivery that day.

    USPS Informed Delivery


    This is what the mail forwarding service does with there virtual mail for us folks that travel around the country but they add a little more for a cost.

    JimR
  • rk911's avatar
    rk911
    Explorer
    Dec 23, 2020
    JimR 1 wrote:
    rk911 wrote:
    not sure what you mean by virtual mail but if your forwarder allows you to pick and choose which mail they forward you might want to create an account with the US Post office and then sign up for their INFORMED DELIVERY SERVICE (free). you'll get a daily e-mail showing the front of the envelopes that have been processed for delivery that day.

    USPS Informed Delivery


    Virtual Mail is a service that some mail forwarding companies offer.

    They scan the mail and post the scan on the internet via their portal for you to view when you get notified of such a scan. They can if you want open the mail and scan the pages inside for an additional fee. You can choose what to have sent to you eliminating junk or not needed mail. You would have the ability to save up the mail and have it sent when you want. The ability to see the mail (unopened for me) may be the cost saver of only sending when needed, say once every 60 days thereby saving some postage.

    Not trying to be a tight wad but Virtual Mail may give me more options at a possible savings or even a break even with what I am paying now but with the ability to see any very important mail that needs attention.

    JimR


    ok. our mail service offers that as well. what about switching as much of your postal mail to e-mai to reduce volume? we got very little in the way of "real" mail last winter.
  • Community Alumni's avatar
    Community Alumni
    Dec 23, 2020
    rk911 wrote:
    Dutch_12078 wrote:
    rk911 wrote:
    not sure what you mean by virtual mail but if your forwarder allows you to pick and choose which mail they forward you might want to create an account with the US Post office and then sign up for their INFORMED DELIVERY SERVICE (free). you'll get a daily e-mail showing the front of the envelopes that have been processed for delivery that day.

    USPS Informed Delivery

    My understanding is that the Informed Delivery Service cannot be used for a commercial address such as a CMRA. Do you know of anyone that's able to use it with a CMRA account?

    CMRA?


    CMRA = Commercial Mail Receiving Agency

    JimR

About RV Tips & Tricks

Looking for advice before your next adventure? Look no further.25,101 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 14, 2025