ePacket Shipping - All you need to know about ePacket.

ePacket, also known as ePac by some, is a postal shipping option offered since 2011.

This option was initially only offered by Hong Kong Post together with eBay China, allowing packages from China and Hong Kong to post small packets into USA with a delivery tracking without the requirement for any signatory upon delivery. This service is known as USPS (United States Postal Service) First-Class Package International Service within USA.

As the name, "E"Packet suggests, this shipping service is desgined for Ecommerce merchants. This option is suitable for small and lightweight parcels wthin 2 kg (2000 grams), within a dimension limit of length + width + height below 90 cm and and length not exceeding 60 cm.

Essentially, ePacket is a Post to Post arrangement. The service is billaterally agreed between the sending country Post Office Network and Receiving Country Post Office network. ePacket delivery does not require signature upon delivery. Packages will be delivered to the letterbox, a commmunity locker, door-step, or a venue that is deemed safe by the destination postal worker.

From 2012, ePacket is made available in Singapore. In the same year, USPS made the decision to terminate tracking of Registered Package from Singapore into USA. Since then Registered Package only has dispatch proof, followed by a bulk arrival scan status, with no further tracking updates within USA. A Singapore Registered Package Item Number will not return any status updates on USPS website at all.

At The Postal Connect, we roled out ePacket options to our customers in 2014. With the ePacket, this provides Ecommerce merchants with a peace of mind, meeting the demands of customer wanting to have point to point tracking of their packages till final delivery. On average, an ePacket package to USA will take between 10-24 working days with a successful delivery scan rate of more than 95%.

Screenshot status of ePacket shipment status from Singapore to USA (on USPS)

Aside from USA, The Postal Connect has added the option of ePacket to a total of 12 countries as follows:-

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • Germany
  • Japan
  • Malaysia
  • Netherlands
  • New Zealand
  • Poland
  • Russia [suspended]
  • Sweden
  • United Kingdom
  • United States

Popular ePacket countries are Australia, Canada and United States, as these 3 countries' Postal Service do not extend tracking for incoming Registered Package originated from Singapore.

Feel free to contact us if you wish to find out more about ePacket as a shipment option that you wish to add to your delivery option for your customer.