Mail items sent to addresses across the Earth Class Mail network must be collected and forwarded to our processing facility in Beaverton, Oregon. It typically takes between 1 to 5 days for mail to arrive at our processing facility from the original sender. Once the mail arrives, it typically takes us less than 24 hours to place the items in your inbox.
Several factors affect how long it will take for mail to arrive in your Earth Class Mail Inbox.
Factors That Impact Delivery Times
- Mail Class, or Type (bulk, first-class, expedited, etc.)
- Postmark date
- Location
- Weather
- Air delays
- Incorrect address information
- High usage
Mail Class or type
The U.S. Postal Service, and other carriers, control how long it takes each mail class, or type, to arrive at its addressed destination. Expedited mail, such as Priority Mail or FedEx Express, arrives sooner.
Postmark date
The USPS and other carriers observe holidays that affect delivery even if Earth Class Mail is open and processing mail items.
We do not process mail on New Years Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. On these days, mail will not be inducted or processed.
Additionally, on rare occasions, a weather-related event may delay deliveries to our facilities.
Location
Mail delivery timetables vary by carrier and depend on which address you use to receive mail from within Earth Class Mail’s vast network of addresses. All mail is routed to our processing facility in Beaverton, Oregon, and is typically processed within one business day after it’s received at the processing facility.
Weather
Major weather events can stall delivery because of impassable roads, staffing shortages, and power outages.
To find out if weather-related incidents are causing service disruptions in your delivery area, you can call 1-800-ASK-USPS or report a disruption at mailserviceupdate@usps.gov.
Air delays
USPS states shipping mail via airplane often causes more delay due to “unreliable” air cargo space and on-time air arrivals. However, in 2021, the USPS began decreasing its reliance on air transportation because of its unreliable nature.
Incorrect address information
An incorrect address, zip code, or suite number can postpone mail for days or weeks. When using your virtual mailbox, always provide senders your complete Earth Class Mail address, including your unique mailbox number.
Also be sure to include all recipients on your Earth Class Mail account.
High usage
During peak times, such as holiday seasons, more mail and packages get processed, an increase in demand from holiday shipments can slow down deliveries.
Earth Class Mail recommendations
Recommendations to take action on your mail sooner:
Mail items received at our premium addresses in New York and San Francisco are forwarded to our processing facility within 24 hours. Mail will also appear in your mailbox sooner if you decide to use our Beaverton, Oregon address for your Earth Class Mail account because it eliminates the need to forward your mail.
Setting up your account’s auto-scan rule will automatically scan the contents of your mail items the moment they hit your inbox, without requiring a single click. Click here to learn how to set up your account’s auto-scan rule.