Schedule USPS Pickup

Have USPS collect your packages from your address instead of driving them to the post office. USPS is the only carrier you can book a pickup for inside atoship.

Before You Start

You need USPS labels you have already bought and not yet shipped. The pickup form builds its package list from those labels — if you have none, the list is empty and the Validate Pickup button stays greyed out.

So the order is: buy your labels first, then book the pickup.

Eligibility

Eligible Services

Pickup is available for:

• Priority Mail
• Priority Mail Express
• Ground Advantage (formerly First Class Package)
• Media Mail
• USPS Returns

Not eligible:

• First-Class Mail letters
• Marketing Mail
• Periodicals

Location Requirements

• Valid US address (residential or business)
• Accessible pickup location
• Safe area for packages
• Clear instructions provided

Scheduling a Pickup

Step 1: Open the Pickups page

Go to Dashboard > Pickups. USPS is selected by default in the carrier dropdown at the top right.

Step 2: Choose the pickup address

Pick an address from your address book, or click + to add a new one. This is where the letter carrier will come, so it must be a real address you can meet them at.

Step 3: Choose free or on-demand, and pick a date

atoship offers both of the pickup types USPS sells, on two tabs:

Sundays and federal holidays are greyed out in the calendar for both.

Step 4: Select the packages

The list shows the USPS labels you have bought but not yet shipped. Tick the ones you are handing over — Packages and Weight fill in automatically from your selection. Use Select All if you are giving them everything.

You can add a note for the carrier (gate code, "leave at back door", building entrance, and so on).

Step 5: Validate, then confirm

Two buttons, in order:

1. Validate Pickup — checks the address and date with USPS and shows the fee if you chose on-demand.
2. Confirm Pickup — books it. USPS returns a confirmation number (it looks like EMC717051054).

The confirmation number appears on screen and in the pickup list below. atoship does not send a confirmation email for pickups — keep the number from the page if you want it.

Pickup Day Checklist

Before Pickup

Print and attach all labels

• Labels clearly visible
• Barcodes scannable
• Forms properly attached

Prepare packages

• Securely sealed
• Properly cushioned
• Correct weight

Position packages

• In designated location
• Easily visible
• Protected from weather
• Accessible to carrier

During the Pickup Window

• Free pickup happens with your normal mail delivery, so the time varies by route
• On-demand pickup happens in the window you selected

After Pickup

• Tracking updates in atoship
• First scan at the sorting facility

Managing Pickups

View Scheduled Pickups

Go to Dashboard > Pickups and look at the list below the form. Statuses are:

• Validated — checked with USPS, not yet booked
• Scheduled — booked and confirmed, awaiting pickup
• Completed — packages collected
• Cancelled — you cancelled it
• Failed — USPS rejected the request

Reschedule a Pickup

Open the pickup in the list and choose a new date. You do not have to cancel and start over.

Cancel a Pickup

Open the pickup in the list and click Cancel. Cancel before 2 AM CT on the pickup day.

Troubleshooting

The package list is empty

You have no USPS labels in a bought-but-not-yet-shipped state. Buy the labels first; already-shipped and voided labels never appear here.

Carrier did not show

Possible reasons:

• Address issue
• Carrier schedule changed
• Packages not visible

What to do:

1. Check the pickup status in atoship
2. Contact USPS: 1-800-ASK-USPS
3. Book another pickup

Packages left behind

Possible reasons:

• Not all packages had labels
• Packages in the wrong location
• Weight/size issue

What to do:

1. Check which packages have scans
2. Verify all labels printed correctly
3. Book another pickup
4. Consider a drop-off location

Wrong packages picked up

1. Note the confirmation number
2. Contact USPS immediately
3. File a claim if needed
4. Check tracking on your other packages

Other Carriers

UPS, FedEx, DHL and OnTrac pickups cannot be booked in atoship. Your labels from those carriers are perfectly valid — the pickup is just a separate booking you make with the carrier directly.

Switch the carrier dropdown at the top right of the Pickups page and atoship shows you the right link and phone number for each one. In short:

Fees and options are set by each carrier, not by atoship.

Drop-Off Locations

Find nearby locations:

• USPS Post Offices
• USPS Collection Boxes (blue boxes)
• Approved retail partners
• Self-service kiosks

Retail Partners:

• Staples
• Office Depot
• Safeway
• Albertsons
• CVS (select locations)

Tips for Success

For Home Shippers

1. Use a consistent pickup location
2. Protect packages from weather
3. Leave clear instructions in the note field
4. Check camera/tracking for confirmation

For Business Shippers

1. Designate a pickup area
2. Print your labels in the morning, then book the pickup
3. Have a backup drop-off plan

For Volume Shippers

1. Contact USPS directly about regularly scheduled stops — that arrangement is made with USPS, not through atoship
2. Consider a postal unit on-site
3. Manifest mail for faster processing

USPS Contact

For pickup issues:

• Phone: 1-800-ASK-USPS (1-800-275-8777)
• Website: usps.com/pickup
• Email: Through the usps.com contact form

Need Help?

• Live Chat: Quick pickup questions
• Email: [email protected]
• Support Ticket: Create Ticket at /dashboard/support