Why do Amazon not have an industry leading package tracking system?

For security reasons, for the safe delivery of your packages and the safety of the driver, I don't think that it is a particularly good idea, showing where a truck "full of loot" is currently located.

However, being able to receive an ETA text message, would certainly be welcomed. I see no reason, in this day and age, to receive a message early in the AM, that my package is out on the truck and would be delivered prior to 8 PM.

These could be very approximate, based on the delivery truck's scheduled stops. But, they could be updated every few hours, as the window for delivery narrows.

 

I can usually see that information when I buy via my Prime membership. The tracking always shows when the expected delivery will be (date and time) is going to be and also if there's been a delivery delay. What it doesn't show is exactly what time or roughly what time but it will say something like "to be delivered Friday 15th by 9pm"

 

That is not a great help. People want to know when something is being delivered, so that they can make proper arrangements to receive it, without sitting around and waiting all day.

It's great that we get two day delivery with Prime, but what purpose is served, wasting everybody's time every day. Even, a four hour window, is better than a twelve hour window. I seriously don't understand why Amazon does not think that these bits of information are important to their Prime customers.

Even SUB-Prime members, deserve to be better informed. If there was an alternate to Amazon, that basically offered the same products, pricing and customer service, I would order from them, if they could give me a more precise delivery time.

Since the underlying technologies are already in place, I don't get why they don't better work with their customer's on delivery.

 

If the package was shipped via UPS, you can pay to be a UPS Choice member and get a shorter delivery window.

Amazon does also have partnerships with many businesses to receive packages...Amazon locker. I have one just a few doors down from where I live. If I wasn't in a building that drivers can access when I am not there, I would use the Locker service and simply pick up my packages after work.

 

Yeah, there are multiple Amazon Locker locations in my immediate neighborhood, and a brick and mortar location on Comm Ave about 15 minutes' walk away where I could either get packages delivered or do returns.

But since I work from home and my front door has a mail slot that CDs or books can fit through (and a recycling bin on the stoop that drivers have learned to stick LPs and larger packages in so they're not visible from the street), it's kind of a moot point. Although I'm glad it's not like it was when I used to live in an apartment complex and the UPS driver decided that since I was home all the time, I could be the point person for every delivery in the building.

 

I have heard of the Amazon locker thing, just didn't know how it works. UPS shipping today cost a lot these days. I don't think that I will be paying them any further monies to be doing what they should be doing in the first place. (But Thank's for the info).

One thing that I thought might be useful is if customers could request either a morning or evening delivery, at the time that their order is placed. If somebody worked from 9-5, they would be able to request a delivery during office hours. Since UPS delivers to businesses, usually during the daytime hours, it might make it easier for a lot of their customers.

Being able to have an article delivered to a UPS or FedEx store for customer pick-up is also a better option, than, "I hope that I am around to receive their package".

Still, I can't see why they cannot tell you that your package is on the truck and it is expected to be delivered early in the morning, or late in the afternoon?

That would simplify a lot of things for a lot of their customers. This is something that would be a positive benefit to the store, the shipper and the customer.

I run a small motel, so I work where I live. Getting packages is not that much of a concern, I just resign myself to lay in a good supply of extra pale ale, and I do this, while I am waiting for packages that I am expecting. But it would be nice, if I could better plan my day.

 

It used to be that FedEx was the most careful with packages, getting them on time and to me personally. But now, it seems that they have taken to be dropping off packages outside of the front door (which remains locked, until I answer the door). It used to be, that they would knock on the front door, when there was a package for me, or my other guests at the motel.

Now, they don't require a signature for every package, like they did in the past. On larger purchases, the sellers usually require (but not always!), a signature, when the package is delivered.

Often now, they deliver a package by just leaving it outside of the front door of the motel, on the front porch. And... they don't even bother to knock. I'll often walk to the front door to look out and just happen to see a package sitting outside on the ground. I have saved and retrieved packages for my guests that way. Sometimes my phone will beep at me, I check my text messages, only to find out that my personal package has been delivered.

I end up running to the front door, only to find my package, sitting on the ground outside!

I find this to be unacceptable and uncalled for. Out the front door of my office, I have a 4' tiled porch then straight-in individual parking spaces, the sidewalk and then the street. Since we are located on the beach, the street is A1A. During the daytime, there is usually no cars parked in front of the building. Besides that, directly in front of the door is a Handicapped parking space, which takes up two of our parking spaces.

Any package left on the front porch, is clearly visible to anyone who may be walking on the sidewalk, which is only the length of a parking space away.

My US Mail carrier, will always knock on my front door. If I am unavailable, he will stop back later in the day, if time permits, or he will hold our mail delivery to the following day. Our UPS driver will knock on our front door and if I don't answer, he will come through our gate and leave the delivery at my rear office door, which is inside of our fenced in pool and deck area.

Somehow, and I don't quite know how, I seem to have managed to get 100% of all deliveries, for myself and our guests.

 

I'm shocked that some of the drivers don't knock on the door or ring the doorbell.

 

One other piece of advice, though I find that there are sometimes notification delays:

You can install Amazon's app (they have a few; I think it's their Shopping app) on your phone and it will text you when a package is delivered. So if you're expecting something and didn't get a knock or doorbell ring, you'll know to go retrieve your package from wherever the driver usually leaves things.

 

The shock is a FedEx driver doing something that I view as being remarkably stupid! Leaving a unattended package outside of the front door of a business, where it is in plain sight of pedestrian's walking on a sidewalk.

To better illustrate how I feel about beach area pedestrian foot traffic: I turned off the electric to the motel sign on the post between the office and the sidewalk. I took down the electric "OPEN" sign, that was in the front window. We no longer have landline phone service, so we are not listed in the "telephone book". The glass on the doors and windows has been reinforced. The front door is secured 24/7, by two half inch bolts. I do not deal with any travel reservation company's and I personally book our reservations, only from the 800 number on our web site.

This is what I have resorted to doing, in order to keep the rif-raff, outside from getting inside.

So no, I really don't get the logic of their doing this. As I indicated, I am amazed that nothing has gone missing, yet!

Thank's for the tip, on the phone app.

Our 800 number is directed to a Blackberry Priv, that I really only use for texting, the calculator and calendar apps, the camera and viewer. I have my voice calls forwarded to a separate flip phone. I don't have any Internet service on the Priv.

I do get the Amazon text messages, after a delivery has been made. That is how I know to check to see what is been left outside of the front door.