USPS Gets OK to Test Market Grocery Delivery

As a postal service worker, you deliver mail. Now, you may be delivering groceries.

The Postal Regulatory Commission approved a proposal from the United States Postal Service to test and develop a grocery delivery program, with hopes of scaling it to a nationwide market.

In an Oct. 23 proposal, USPS explained its experimental product, called “Customized Delivery,” in which the postal service would “provide customers with delivery of groceries and other prepackaged goods, primarily during a 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. delivery window” to locations designated by consumers.

Participating grocery stores would have to drop off their orders to post offices between 1:30 and 2:30 a.m.

USPS has already tested the program on a smaller scale, delivering to 38 zip codes in the San Francisco area, averaging 160 deliveries per day.

The green light from the PRC stipulates that the annual capped revenue for the expanded program is $10 million. USPS would have to request an exemption to exceed that amount.

The market test will help determine the price of the service.

In the past, USPS partnered with Amazon.com for Sunday delivery at regular rates, as well as with Staples as an exclusive mailing and shipping service.