Canada Post Needs To Do This
Here’s a service that makes receiving postal mail as easy and convenient as email.
You set up a post office box on the service (or use one of their physical addresses if you get packages), and they receive and scan all your mail. You get an email alert that shows you a list of the day’s mail, and you’re able to request that your mail items be opened and scanned, recycled, shredded, or archived directly from the message. It’s genius. No more stopping by that Super Mailbox every day.
I use it for my US mail, and it costs me $20 month.
This type of service could actually re-invent Canada Post – if the unions could get their heads into the 90′s and allow it. The environmental savings alone could save them millions.
Or, maybe they’ll open up shop in Canada before Canada Post gets their act together.
October 27th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Sounds like a great idea for people who are frequently travelling but need to stay on top of managing their household. However, for $20/month, I think I can still manage the walk across the street to the mailbox to pick up my mail!
Rather than having a service open and scan mail, is it not better to simply reduce mail by encouraging companies to move to electronic billing? I receive all of my bank, credit card and utility statements in PDF format directly from the provider, it saves paper and postage, and it doesn’t cost me anything.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:54 am
There are some serious privacy and confidentiality issues with this – there’s no way I’d allow anyone to open up my mail.