Blockchain postal services!

After nearly 30 years, there is still no simple way to do an automated change-of-address over the Internet.

Given all the magnificent Internet innovations over the past three decades—online auctions, one-click ordering, real-time driving directions—it is hard to believe we don’t have a simple way to send a change-of-address (COA) to everyone who needs to be notified. Just in the U.S. alone, over 40 million people move every year. At an average cost of USD $6.00 for operational processing costs alone, change-of- address notifications cost businesses billions of dollars per year.

So, one important use for blockchain in postal services is in the area of digital identity—specifically addresses. Blockchain-based identity services can enable the decentralized, yet trustworthy, exchange of identity attributes like addresses.

Postal services depend on addresses and are the source of verified addresses for a variety of purposes. They are the source for trustable change of address information. The postal service could be sure that change of address was coming from the person at a particular address, the organization receiving a change of address or shipping address could verify that the address was real and the one that the postal service uses.

All of this identity information has value: for the postal service, for people, and for organization. Not only can we save money on COA, but we reduce shipping fraud and errors. We reduce risk. Because it has value, businesses would be willing to pay for verifiable address information that can be delivered digitally. A new revenue source for the postal service, less risk for people and businesses—everyone wins.

Source: Phil Windley