Patent ID: 7991704

Claim:
In a mail system having one or more posts, a method of providing mailpiece related information to an interested party, comprising: Receiving an information request from said interested party, said information request including at least one of an identification of a mailer and an identification of a recipient; Determining, by a computer processor, whether information relating to each of one or more mailpieces that matches said at least one of said identification of said mailer and said identification of said recipient is stored by at least one of said one or more posts; if it is determined that information relating to each of one or more mailpieces that matches said at least one of said identification of said mailer and said identification of said recipient is stored by at least one of said one or more posts: (i) receiving, by the computer processor, said mailpiece related information for each of said one or more mailpieces, (ii) charging said interested party for said mailpiece related information, and (iii) providing said mailpiece related information for each of said one or more mailpieces to said interested party; and if it is determined that information relating to each of one or more mailpieces that matches said at least one of said identification of said mailer and said identification of said recipient is not stored by at least one of said one or more posts, not charging said interested party for said information request.