# How does UPS decide to leave a package or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2018, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923 "2018-03-20T23:08:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/1 "2018-03-20T23:08:04Z")
It doesn’t seem to make sense to me which packages get left on my doorstep and which ones I have to go pick up myself. I once had a $1000 computer get left on my doorstep in the ice and rain( Luckily no damage), but today I had a “sorry we missed you” notice put on my door for a $5 book. The weather today was quite nice. How do they make these decisions, it doesn’t make any sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![Tzigone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Tzigone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tzigone)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/2 "2018-03-20T23:10:58Z")
I wouldn’t be surprised if they aren’t keen on leaving any packages right now. At least in some locales. Don’t want to freak people out. ---
**Author:** ![snfaulkner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snfaulkner/32/433_2.png) [@snfaulkner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snfaulkner)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/3 "2018-03-20T23:12:18Z")
Depends on the driver’s allocated number of daily fucks to give. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/4 "2018-03-20T23:20:05Z")
[From UPS](https://www.ups.com/us/en/help-center/sri/need-signature.page) > [@](#): > > You only need to sign for packages in certain areas or when it’s required by the sender. ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/5 "2018-03-20T23:39:55Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > It doesn’t seem to make sense to me which packages get left on my doorstep and which ones I have to go pick up myself. I once had a $1000 computer get left on my doorstep in the ice and rain( Luckily no damage), but today I had a “sorry we missed you” notice put on my door for a $5 book. The weather today was quite nice. How do they make these decisions, it doesn’t make any sense to me. I find that the likelihood that they leave a missed delivery slip is in direct proportion that I need the package that day. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/6 "2018-03-20T23:46:15Z")
If you would like to control when and where packages are left for you, sign up for [UPS My Choice](https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/tracking/mychoice.page?). There is a free version and a premium version with additional services. Both will let you request that a package be held at the UPS depot or a UPS Access Point. If you don’t want your package to be held, both will let you authorize a release to leave it at your house. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/7 "2018-03-20T23:48:59Z")
Do they still let a neighbor sign for it and hold the package? Around Christmas some people send stuff to their office but a lot of places are not happy about that . Especially if it’s a big place and they have a central mail room because then your package goes there and that’s more work for them. ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2018, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/8 "2018-03-20T23:52:46Z")
> [@Bijou\_Drains](#): > > Do they still let a neighbor sign for it and hold the package? Around Christmas some people send stuff to their office but a lot of places are not happy about that . Especially if it’s a big place and they have a central mail room because then your package goes there and that’s more work for them. Deliver to Neighbor is one of the [UPS My Choice](https://www.ups.com/us/en/services/tracking/mychoice.page?) options. ---
**Author:** ![Dereknocue67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/6de8d8/32.png) [@Dereknocue67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dereknocue67)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/9 "2018-03-21T08:25:56Z")
UPS has designated areas as either safe or unsafe to leave a package based on, among other things, the incidence and history of packages stolen or reported as not delivered/received. ---
**Author:** ![mikeb33](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@mikeb33](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mikeb33)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/10 "2018-03-21T11:07:24Z")
I thought the shipper decided if “signature required” was indicated? I have a friend who receives many packages per week for his work and he never received one that UPS claimed was delivered. It was worth less than $100 and he filed a claim. UPS paid but said it must have been stolen and for the next year, they would leave nothing without a signature. Nobody is home during the day so this caused quite a issue getting his work supplies. In hindsight, he wishes he never bothered with it. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/11 "2018-03-21T15:11:47Z")
> [@mikeb33](#): > > I thought the shipper decided if “signature required” was indicated? > > I have a friend who receives many packages per week for his work and he never received one that UPS claimed was delivered. It was worth less than $100 and he filed a claim. UPS paid but said it must have been stolen and for the next year, they would leave nothing without a signature. Nobody is home during the day so this caused quite a issue getting his work supplies. In hindsight, he wishes he never bothered with it. +1 I thought it was all about the signature/no signature required. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/12 "2018-03-21T15:14:39Z")
Actually, it’s not only up to the shipper, the recipient can also require that a package be signed for or not. So if I’m waiting for a package, I can tell UPS or whomever the carrier may be whether or not they can leave it on my porch or if they have to obtain a signature. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2018, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-ups-decide-to-leave-a-package-or-not/810923/13 "2018-03-21T15:18:13Z")
> [@snfaulkner](#): > > Depends on the driver’s allocated number of daily fucks to give. I know our guy pretty well and largely agree with this. 😉 > [@Patx2](#): > > +1 I thought it was all about the signature/no signature required. Our driver will scribble something and leave it by the door. He knows we’ll get it. And he doesn’t want to come back a second time.