My question of the day is... if you print your postage online, are you able to get an acceptance scan of your package?
That's the scan that shows that the package has left your hands, and is now with the shipper.
It's my feeling that this scan is of great value to the addressee, because they can see that the package has actually been shipped (as opposed to just that a label has been created).
If you are getting an acceptance scan, how is that happening? Is your carrier scanning it upon pickup? Are you taking it down to the Post Office and are they scanning it there? Do you have to buy extra services (such as insurance) in order for them to be able to scan it?
This question just pertains to international packages, not domestic ones (which are apparently processed differently).