Apologies if this has been covered somewhere. I searched, but didn’t find answers. Looking at one of the recent v1.3.7 PRs about USPMOs, there are a few things that I’m wondering about:
"…write the BTC Seller’s name in both the Payer and the Payee’s fields"
This is surprising to me. Is it a matter of privacy for the buyer? What about the return address on the envelope?
"…take a high-resolution photo of the USPMO and envelope with proof of tracking before sending."
Might need some clarification here. First, what constitutes proof of tracking? And second, it’s not just one photo, right? You only get a paper tape receipt showing the tracking number after submitting the item, so that would have to be a separate photo.
If I send by Certified Mail, there is a separable receipt that comes attached to the label, so I suppose that counts. I can have the receipt postmarked, but of course I don’t get that until I’ve submitted the item. Also, I usually leave it attached and let the clerk detach it (otherwise, I assume they’d have to waste time comparing its number to the one on the label to make sure it’s the right one), and it happens to cover the recipient’s address on the envelope until detached; so, I guess that means another photo?
While on the topic, is there any suggestion about the use of a return receipt? If this is used, then upon delivery, the person receiving (or an agent) must provide a signature, which is then provided to the sender. Note the “agent” part. If the recipient is renting a non-postal mail box (like at a UPS Store, Mail Boxes Etc., or whatever), then the signature is guaranteed to be that of a store employee.
There are two types of return receipts: hardcopy and electronic. The former, of course, is more expensive, and usually takes at least as long to be sent back as the original item took to arrive. Given that First Class Mail typically doesn’t arrive until after the halfway point of a Bisq USPMO trade, this might be an issue. (In fact, I’ve had a couple of return receipts delayed for several days after they supposedly arrived at the post office, for some reason.) The electronic type is one I haven’t used, but I understand it involves an email, where one can view the signature.
So, is any of this even necessary with Bisq, or is Certified Mail by itself (or even just tracking) enough?