In the last couple of weeks, we’ve gotten tracking info from Amazon that seems to indicate they have developed time travel.
F’rinstance, I ordered an item on March 4, and even though it was eligible for free two-day shipping, the expected delivery date was given as March 9. (We chalked it up to it being an in-demand item.)
Yesterday morning (March 6), I got an e-mail notification from Amazon saying they were sorry, but they had to adjust their initial delivery date of March 9 because of the release date of the item, and it was now scheduled to deliver on March 6. WTF?
Then this morning (March 7), I got a shipping notification. The tracking info at Amazon said the item was scheduled to deliver Friday, March 6 by 8 p.m. However, according to their info, the item didn’t arrive at the carrier facility until this morning.
I haven’t had that, but for that first item, I would pull up a chat window and let them know that it didn’t show up on time and they’ll typically give you a free month of Prime. On the one hand I feel kind of silly complaining that I didn’t get a pack of AA batteries on Thrusday (when I can see they’ll be here Friday and I really don’t care). OTOH, I’m more than happy to get a free month of Prime for a 2 minute conversation with them.
I do usually give them some slack with weekend purchases though, especially if the expected date is less than 2 days. I’ve had times where I order something late Saturday night and the delivery date is set for Monday. Half the time it (somehow) shows up on Monday but it usually gets to me on Tuesday. Even though it’s a day past it’s delivery date, it’s still within the 2 day window.
I had a FedEx package that arrived two days late due to weather problems (in Tennessee?). An Amazon package ordered the same day and qualifying for Prime is a day late already, although the expected delivery date online says yesterday.
Mrs. FtG and I both places orders on Tuesday. Hers in the AM, mine late in the afternoon. Mine arrived before 11am the next day. Woohoo. Hers has been sitting in Texas. “Weather”. Well, the weather is over. No updates, nothing. And it’s something we really wished we had gotten in two days.
Prime works great except when it doesn’t.
Oh, another one of my usual complaints: Amazon affiliates that list something as “shipped” when all they did was print a shipping label. It could be days, a week later before it actually enters the shipping system. Amazon needs to can that nonsense. (Which they are guilty of once in while as well.)
Oh, yeah. Weather. I had a Prime item arrive 5 days late because of “weather or natural disaster” at the end of February. It was shipping out of Phoenix and it had been over a week since our last storm here…
The customer service person I chatted with said my item was absolutely guaranteed to arrive before Tuesday. It arrived this morning (Sunday). So, one day earlier than their original estimate. I still don’t know what all that delivery on March 6 was about.
Amazon Prime now sometimes (always?) offers you an option to have an item shipped more slowly, in return for a 99 cent credit that can be used for digital purchases.
Monday of this week, I ordered an item which was “sold by xxx” and “fulfilled by Amazon”. I took them up on the 99 cent offer. I was told it would be here around the 18th.
It was on my doorstep the following morning - quite literally 24 hours after I placed the order.
I too have gotten packages delivered by the USPS on Sundays at least once in recent months.