USPS Streamlines APV Postage Discrepancy Dispute Process
USPS is making it easier to dispute Automated Package Verification (APV) postage discrepancy adjustments, launching online form shippers can submit to request overpaid postage refunds.
The APV system allows the post office to recover postage discrepancies in an automated fashion, rather than the cumbersome, manual "postage due" process.
After detecting discrepancies and calculating the postage adjustment, the system submits a file to Vendors with data to support postage adjustment. Vendors pay or collect the adjustment amount and enable customers to dispute postage adjustments.
Previously, those disputes had to be filed either by email or by phone with USPS but a recent Postal Pro Industry Alert reveals updates to streamline the process.
Effective October 23, 2024, a new APV Dispute process will beavailable for customers to submit their APV disputes electronically instead of contacting the APV Helpdesk.
Customers will need the Revenue Assurance ID (RAID) and the last 4 digits of the Intelligent Mail Package Barcode (IMpb) to start the dispute process. Users will receive an error message if the incorrect Revenue Assurance ID and Intelligent Mail Package Barcode combination is entered, if there is already an existing Dispute matching the entered Revenue Assurance ID/Intelligent Mail Package Barcode, over 60 days, or trying to dispute an overpaid refund.
Once the dispute has been submitted, USPS says the customer will need to check with their PC Postage Entity for the status of their dispute after 15 days and they will also receive an email notification confirming the submission of the dispute.
The new AVP dispute form can be found on the USPS website at:
What do you think of the new USPS Automated Package Verification (APV) dispute process? Let us know in the comments below!
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