Techniques for tracking mailpieces and accounting for postage payment

A method of tracking and accounting for a mailpiece, the method comprising:

• receiving a mailpiece from a mailer at a mail processing site associated with a carrier;
• scanning the mailpiece to obtain a mailpiece identification (MI) code and a destination code, the MI code uniquely identifying the mailpiece, the destination code signifying at least part of an address associated with a destination related to a recipient;
• sending a mailpiece message from the mail processing site to a postage vendor site associated with a postage vendor,
• the mailpiece message including at least information associated with the MI code, the destination code, and a current location;
• receiving the mailpiece message from the mail processing site by the postage vendor site associated with the postage vendor;
• determining a mailer account based on at least information associated with the mailpiece message, the mailer account being associated with the mailer;
• determining whether the mailpiece message is the first communication for the MI code to the postage vendor site;
• and
• if the mailpiece message is the first communication for the MI code,
• debiting the mailer account associated with the mailer by a first amount;
• crediting a carrier account associated with the carrier by a second amount;
• wherein
• the mailer is different from the recipient;
• the mailer is different from the postage vendor;
• the recipient is different from the postage vendor;
• and
• the postage vendor is different from the carrier;
• generating the MI code at the postage vendor site associated with the postage vendor;
• determining a third amount at the postage vendor site;
• debiting the mailer account associated with the mailer by a third amount;
• and
• after the debiting the mailer account by a third amount, sending the MI code from the postage vendor site to a mailer site, the mailer site associated with the mailer and remote from the postage vendor site.

A method of tracking and accounting for a mailpiece, the method comprising:

• receiving a mailpiece from a mailer at a mail processing site associated with a carrier;
• scanning the mailpiece to obtain a mailpiece identification (MI) code and a destination code, the MI code uniquely identifying the mailpiece, the destination code signifying at least part of an address associated with a destination related to a recipient;
• sending a mailpiece message from the mail processing site to a postage vendor site associated with a postage vendor, the mailpiece message including at least information associated with the MI code, the destination code, and a current location;
• receiving the mailpiece message from the mail processing site by the postage vendor site associated with the postage vendor;
• determining a mailer account based on at least information associated with the mailpiece message, the mailer account being associated with the mailer;
• determining whether the mailpiece message is the first communication for the MI code to the postage vendor site;
• and
• if the mailpiece message is the first communication for the MI code,
• debiting the mailer account associated with the mailer by a first amount;
• and
• crediting a carrier account associated with the carrier by a second amount;
• wherein
• the mailer is different from the recipient and the postage vendor;
• the postage vendor is different from the recipient and the carrier;
• and
• the first amount and the second amount are different.