The U.S. Postal Service plans to unveil three new enhancements to the agency's electronic bill payment service today.
Launched in April 2000, eBillPay allows consumers to make electronic payments to a variety of merchants.
Reportedly, one of the new additions to the service will be an electronic postmark. This will allow consumers and businesses to see exactly when their e-bills or e-checks were sent.
Another expected enhancement is called Send Money, which allows eBillPay subscribers to send electronic checks to anyone, anywhere as long as the recipient has a bank account. Currently, if recipients of e-checks are not set up to receive electronic transfers, they get paper checks. Send Money verifies recipients' identities, then allows them to enter bank account numbers to have the funds transferred electronically.
The other feature reportedly will be Pay@Delivery, which combines Send Money, electronic postmark, Priority Mail and electronic collect with delivery verification. After making a purchase on eBay, for example, the buyer sends the seller an electronic check. The postal service holds the money in escrow until the merchandise arrives via Priority Mail with delivery confirmation.
