Is United States Postal Service (USPS) Operating on Black Friday?

The Postal Service provides mail processing and delivery services to individuals and businesses in the U.S. In this article, you will discover the answer and provide all the information you need about mail delivery on Black Friday. Read on our blog to find more about USPS international and domestic shipping delivery times for 2023 and 2024.

Black Friday is a special shopping day with great discounts. Some workers get the day off without asking, while others choose to take a break.

Since Black Friday comes after Thanksgiving, which is a national holiday, you might be wondering if the USPS opens up or stays closed.

Domestic USPS Delivery Times Per Service

Mail Class	Estimated Delivery Time	Estimated Cost
Priority Mail Express	Overnight delivery	$26.35
Priority Mail	1 – 3 business days	$7.50
Priority Mail Flat Rate	1 – 3 business days	$8.30
Priority Mail Regional Rate	1 – 3 business days	$9.98
First class Package Service	1 – 3 business days	$3.80
Parcel Select	2 – 8 business days	N/A
USPS Retail Ground	2 – 8 business days	$7.50
First-Class Mail – Letters	1 – 3 business days	$0.55
First-Class Mail – Large Envelopes	1 – 3 business days	$1.00

International USPS Delivery Times Per Service

Mail Class	Estimated Delivery Time	Estimated Cost
Global Express Guaranteed	1 – 3 business days	$67.80
Priority Mail Express International	3 – 5 business days	$5.95
Priority Mail International	6 – 10 business days	$36.35
First Class Package International Service	6 – 20 business days	$20.75
First Class Mail International – Letters	6 – 20 days	$1.20

About Black Friday

This year, Black Friday, which is the day right after Thanksgiving, is on November 29. It is a super busy day for shopping.

Lots of stores all over the country offer great discounts, and people can buy presents for Christmas.

But, apart from shopping, can you still send and get mail on Black Friday. You will find the answer to this question in the information below.

Is the US Postal Service Open on Black Friday

Yes, the US Postal Service is open on Black Friday. This is because, even though many people either take the day off or already have it off.

Black Friday is not officially recognized as a federal holiday. So, the USPS stays up and running. They are only closed on real federal holidays and Sundays.

But what about stores, are they open on Black Friday. Well, while most stores are closed on this day, many others stay wide open.

Black Friday is when lots of stores, especially retail ones, give big discounts on their stuff. It is a time when shoppers can save money, especially on things that cost a lot.

Some folks even see Black Friday as the real start of the holiday season.

Read Further

After Black Friday, some stores still keep their prices lower, though not as low as on that big day, to encourage people to keep buying from them.

It is a popular time for folks to do their holiday shopping.

Since they can get toys, electronics, and other stuff for less on Black Friday, it just makes sense for them to do most of their holiday shopping then.

Stores stay open on Black Friday because they want to make as much money as they can before the holidays kick in. And it is not just stores – some service businesses stay open too. They might offer low prices to draw in customers.

For example, a massage place might give discounted massages on Black Friday. Tired shoppers might think it is a great deal and get a nice massage after a long day of shopping.

Restaurants often stay open too, knowing that some shoppers will want to stop and eat after all that shopping. It is a day when businesses can make a whole lot of money right before the holiday season gets underway.

How Can You Tell if Your Mail is Delivered on Black Friday?

If you were waiting for mail or a package on Thanksgiving, you might be wondering if it will come on Black Friday instead.

Luckily, there is an easy way to find out if something’s headed your way on that day. It is called Informed Delivery.

To use Informed Delivery, you first need to make an account on the USPS website.

Once you have done that, you can sign up for Informed Delivery, when you do that the post office will scan and take pictures of some of the mail that is coming to you.

They will send you an email with these images or a message telling you that you have mail on the way. Informed Delivery is usually pretty accurate. So, if it says your mail is coming, you can expect it on that day. You can even see which mail is coming, though not everything will be shown.

But sometimes, the mail might not show up until the next day. Still, it is a handy service to figure out if you need to walk to your mailbox that day.

Since the USPS is open on Black Friday, you can also check your email to see if anything has arrived in your inbox.

Is it Possible to Track a USPS Truck?

You can not track a USPS truck if you are trying to find out when your mail will arrive before Thanksgiving or on Black Friday. Here are a few reasons why you can not track a USPS:

Federal or Private Documents

USPS does not allow tracking on their trucks primarily because they transport private documents. And many letters that contain personal and sensitive information about individuals or people.

These letters can include things like voter cards or letters with crucial data such as social security numbers.

If USPS trucks had tracking, it could potentially make it easier for criminals to target and steal this valuable information. This could include federal tax documents and other vital data. Without tracking, it becomes more challenging for criminals to plan and execute possible heists or robberies involving mail trucks.

While this lack of tracking might make it a bit harder to locate your mail or package. It ultimately enhances the safety and security of mail delivery, protecting people’s sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands.

Money

Another significant reason why USPS does not have tracking on its vehicles is that people send money to each other through the mail.

This makes USPS trucks attractive targets for certain criminals, who may be willing to steal even small amounts of cash.

Additionally, letters may contain checks, which can be valuable to criminals who could use the information on the check to steal money from the associated checking account.

The absence of tracking on USPS trucks contributes to making the delivery of such valuable and sensitive content a bit safer, reducing the risk of theft and fraud.

Limited Funds

The USPS faces significant financial constraints. They often struggle to afford new trucks when old ones are break down. However they may even face challenges in paying their employees, leading to reductions in postal workers.

One major obstacle to implementing tracking is the limited budget. Tracking equipment and software can be costly, making it unaffordable for many businesses. Additionally, handling tracking information requires dedicated personnel.

While some aspects of tracking can be automated, there needs to be someone available to answer customer questions and provide assistance.

Unfortunately, some post offices lack the funds to hire staff for such purposes.

The high expenses associated with tracking hardware, software, and employment can pose significant budgetary challenges for many post offices, making it difficult to provide tracking services.

Is it Possible to Pick up Mail Before it is Delivered?

Absolutely, there are ways to get your mail before the USPS delivers it. Here are a few options you can consider:

Hold Mail

Placing a hold on your mail is a highly effective method for getting your mail before it reaches your doorstep.

When you request to hold your mail, it tells the USPS not to deliver it to your home during that time.

This is often used by people who are going on vacation or will be away for an extended period. During the hold period, the USPS stores your mail.

When the hold period ends, the USPS delivers all the gather mail to you. If you want to pick up your mail before they deliver it, you can simply request a one-day hold.

Then, you can go to the post office and get your mail before it closes.

Since there is no mail left to deliver the next day, the USPS will give you the mail that arrived at the post office on that day.

Allowing the USPS to hold your mail is a great way to ensure that it is not delivered to your home, giving you the option to pick it up yourself.

Delivery Interception

Another service you can use to pick up your mail from USPS is called “Intercept a Package.” However, timing is crucial when using this service.

You would not be able to pick up your mail or package if it is intercepted, while it is at a distribution or sorting facility.

These places are like factories and are not open to the public.

You need to have the USPS intercept, your mail or package while it is on its way to another post office.

Then, you can go to that post office and collect it yourself.

You can also try to time it so that the interception happens at your local post office. However, there is a chance they might load it into a delivery truck for your home before you can request the interception.

Because you do not always know exactly where your mail or package is in the system, timing an Intercept Package can be tricky.

That is why it is usually best to request it either shortly after your mail is sent to the USPS or just before you expect it to arrive.

When you request an Intercept Package, the USPS will hold your mail or package for you. They will usually ask what you want to do with it after they intercept it, whether to hold it or deliver it to another location. Intercept Package is another option to consider if you want to pick up your package before it is delivered.

Luck

With a bit of good fortune, you might have the chance to pick your mail directly from the post office.

If you know when your mail or package is scheduled to arrive at your post office, you can arrive there early, before it gets loaded onto the delivery trucks.

Once at the post office, you can simply ask the staff for your mail, and they will retrieve it for you. This way, you can get your hands on it before it is sent out for delivery.

Another strategy is to make it a routine to arrive at the post office early. If the postal worker anticipates your daily arrival, they might set your mail aside for you. This gives you the option of picking up your mail before it is delivered to your home.

Is Friday a Working Day for the US Postal Service

You might be wondering if the USPS is open on Black Friday because you are not sure about their regular schedule. Well, here is the answer: Yes, the USPS is open for business on Fridays.

From Monday through Saturday, they are operational. The only day they officially take off is Sunday. Since, Black Friday is not a legal holiday and falls on a Friday, you can rely on the USPS to continue their regular operations and make deliveries.

Is it Possible to Have Packages Delivered on Black Friday

While the USPS will be open and delivering regular mail on Black Friday. You might be curious about whether you can also expect to receive packages on that day. The good news is that yes, USPS delivers packages on Black Friday.

If you placed an order and it did not arrive on thanksgiving, you may be wondering if it will show up on Black Friday. Whether it does or not depends on whether it made any progress on Thanksgiving itself. While the USPS is closed on thanksgiving, some package carriers remain open.

However, this situation, they might have delivered your package to the local post office on Thanksgiving.

On Black Friday, the package could get sorted along with the regular mail and be delivered to you on that day.

However, if the carrier was closed on Thanksgiving, your package might still be on its way to the post office. However, it may not arrive on Black Friday, but you might expect it to be available for delivery on the following day.

How to Get Packages Delivered from the USPS on Black Friday

You do not have to take any special steps to receive your package on Black Friday because the USPS is open for regular business on that day. You can use Informed Delivery to check if you will be getting a package delivered.

If not, you can still use standard shipping options, which will be available on Black Friday. However, if you want your package to arrives on Black Friday, consider choosing Priority Express Mail as your shipping method.

This option guarantees delivery within one or two days. So, if you made a purchase on Thanksgiving or the day before, using Priority Express Mail will ensure your package arrives on Black Friday, if not even earlier.

Conclusion

Since Black Friday is not considered a federal holiday, the USPS remains open for business.

To check if a package will arrive on Black Friday, you can easily sign up for Informed Delivery on the USPS website.

If you prefer to pick up your mail before it is delivered to your home, you can request a hold on your mail and collect it at your local post office on Black Friday.

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