The classification of items delivered by Amazon through services like Amazon Logistics, UPS, FedEx, and USPS raises questions about their status under legal definitions of “mail.” The United States Postal Service (USPS) maintains a specific definition of mail, generally encompassing items transmitted through its system. Understanding this classification hinges on who physically handles the package at different stages of its journey.
The distinction carries significant implications for legal protections afforded to items in transit. Mail enjoys certain safeguards against interference, search, and seizure under federal law. Further, understanding the nature of Amazon’s delivery network, including its reliance on various carriers, sheds light on the applicable rules and regulations that govern its operations and liabilities. The historical context of mail regulation, initially designed around a centralized postal service, adds nuance to the contemporary scenario with multiple competing delivery services.
