The first name thread happened to jog my memory about something that happened one time when I shipped. Don't recall what it was, but it was USPS Priority. I let the receiver know that I had USPS notify him by email with tracking info. I have done that so many times before w/o a second thought. Never an issue. Until this time. Man, the man was quite upset that I provided the PO with his email info without his permission. Things that seem inconsequential to you might not be so to others, I guess.

Any of you would be upset, if the shipper provides your email, without asking you first, to the carrier for the purpose of item tracking?

Nope. Using my email address would be fine!

Sounds to me that you were doing the receiver a favor.

Maybe the guy has warrants?

I have no idea why someone would be bothered by that.
If that's a problem, why would he provide it to a seller he doesn't know?

A real puzzler, I know.

I used to be more protective about my email address than I am currently. I still tend not to give others’ email address or phone number out without clearing it with them first.

When I ship something to someone, I tend to send the tracking number and link directly to them. With that number or link, they can track and sign up to get notification if they want.

Considering that the USPS will already have their name and address having their email address seems inconsequential.

I wouldn’t think anything of it, but I can sort of understand someone that might. USPS seems pretty innocuous, but even there he might start getting spam about special stamps, etc. And I wouldn’t even put it past the USPS to sell their email list to bring in extra revenue.

Again, it wouldn’t bother me if you had given them mine, and I wouldn’t have thought twice about doing what you did.

That's why having multiple emails is a good thing.

I keep one generic email for throwaway things. Online shopping, etc. Another one is kept quite private within the family. The first I can just get rid of if it gets too polluted with spam.

I used to try to keep as much info about me as detached from anything government as possible. But at this point I figure all the agencies have all the info about me and I'm being monitored by their systems. Going to a new email would take them zero time to recognize as being mine.

quote:

Any of you would be upset, if the shipper provides your email, without asking you first, to the carrier for the purpose of item tracking?

Nope, not at all. Makes it much easier to track.

Maybe he was using his social security number and mother's maiden name as his email?

Nope, otherwise how the heck would they get shipping updates,

Will say that its a similar case in our HOA, we have about a half dozen home owners that refuse to provide the HOA with an email address for correspondence regarding the HOA meetings, bylaws, etc.

We don't have a "publication" that's sent out, only required documents, minutes, financials, elections, pending work etc.

So for them, to get the information they have to come to a board member and request a hard copy.
...

Their other option is for you to send them the tracking number and let them look it up themselves on the USPS website by manually entering the number each time.