# Well, that about wraps it up for Amazon **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 1, 2017, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896 "2017-06-01T23:20:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/61 "2017-06-05T13:22:02Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Has that ever worked? It has for me with UPS, after I lost a $200 laptop battery to thieves in my apt bldg. in Chicago. The USPS never left anything unattended, so the hassle was going to the local PO to get the package and they were just a couple of blocks away. I dunno about my current sitch. Here in rural KY they just leave the package on your porch, but I’ve missed packages because well-meaning neighbors see it and take it home with them, then tell me the next time they see me - whenever that is. It’d almost be less annoying if the packages _were_ stolen. At least here they knock or ring the bell - in Chicago I’d get a text/e-mail that I missed a delivery, though I was sitting in my living room. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/62 "2017-06-05T14:08:32Z")
If you live in a single family house you can simply put up a parcel delivery box to hold these deliveries. ---
**Author:** ![Evan\_Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b487fb/32.png) [@Evan\_Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evan_Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/63 "2017-06-05T14:41:18Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Why would you expect them to walk up to your apartment, especially in a 152 unit building? Because that’s what they’re paid for ? > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Did we know the nearest locker was 2 miles away from you? :dubious: > > And if it was only coming from 4 miles away, why didn’t you just go get it yourself? Some people here don’t have a clear handle on what **delivery** means. > [@PastTense](#): > > If you live in a single family house you can simply put up a parcel delivery box to hold these deliveries. I would then advise the OP to erect a single family house in their 152 unit building. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/64 "2017-06-05T14:43:19Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > > Did we know the nearest locker was 2 miles away from you? :dubious: > > > > And if it was only coming from 4 miles away, why didn’t you just go get it yourself? > > Because that’s what they’re paid for ? > Some people here don’t have a clear handle on what **delivery** means. Again, if something is being delivered to you, why do you mention or care that it’s coming from four miles away? ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/65 "2017-06-05T16:11:28Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Am I the only was who is confused here? Chimera complains that Amazon delivers his/her packages to an insecure location so that they can be stolen before he/she retrieves them. I suggest, “Hey, why not have them delivered to an Amazon Locker location? The service is free and the packages are secured until you get them.” Chimera asks, “Why would I want to use that?” > > I should think the why would be obvious, but in case it is not, you would want to use this service if you want your packages to be secured until you can retrieve them. Does that make sense? If not, I can speak more slowly. How about Amazon just delivers to the secure location at Chimer’s residence (the apartment office)? Why have to deal with an extra stop when there is a perfectly workable solution? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/66 "2017-06-05T16:51:28Z")
Some apartment building managers don’t want to be in the business of accepting packages for tenants. Liability for one, and also a lack of space. Plus I know my building manager is often not in the office. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/67 "2017-06-05T20:52:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Some apartment building managers don’t want to be in the business of accepting packages for tenants. Liability for one, and also a lack of space. Plus I know my building manager is often not in the office. If you read the rest of the thread, Chimera said that everything else that’s delivered by other retailers is left in the office and isn’t a problem. So in this case, the building manager is clearly fine with being the drop-off point for packages. The fault is with Amazon (and/or the delivery company but it’s still ultimately Amazon’s fault). I lived for 6 months at an apartment complex with a similar arrangement. All packages were delivered to the main office. If they weren’t I’m sure I’d have lost items through theft. I’ve had problems with Amazon orders before. Generally with shipments where they said my address was incorrect. Which is laughable because I probably order at least one item a month through Amazon, probably more, and almost never have problems. Which tells me that those orders are probably this system where an amateur delivery person tries to drop things off and screws up because they have no idea what they’re doing. I’ll say that every single time I had the situation resolved happily by contacting Amazon directly. A phone call works or doing the online chat. No waiting for a response because you’re having an immediate conversation. Don’t do the “report a problem” because that just sends an email that they’ll take forever to get to. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/68 "2017-06-05T22:10:21Z")
> [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > Because that’s what they’re paid for? No. It depends on where you live. Sometimes packages are delivered to the office, sometimes they are left in the lobby, sometimes they are on your front porch, sometimes they’re in a “cluster box” down the street. I’ve never heard of a change in the delivery fee based on that. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/69 "2017-06-06T03:46:39Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Why would you expect them to walk up to your apartment, especially in a 152 unit building? > [@Evan\_Drake](#): > > Because that’s what they’re paid for ? I’ve lived in apartments where the driver just stuck an infonotice in the front hall and left without even attempting to knock on my door (in a 6 unit condo style apartment. He would have had to walk less than 30 feet. It seems to be different in different places, on UPS . com, I’m finding this " **Will UPS deliver my package if I am not at home?** /// Shipments that do not require a signature can be left in a safe place at the driver’s discretion,\ with a neighbor _or leasing office_ (which would be noted in a yellow UPS InfoNotice® left by the driver). Also, while I’m not sure if it would work in this situation, the OP could try playing around with UPS mychoice. > [@PastTense](#): > > The apartment manager should have a policy about how shipments are handled at the building. Have you talked to them? Maybe they need to post the policy at the door or something. I’ll bet they do, I’ll bet the policy is that they accept packages. At all the apartments I’ve lived at, that was actually a perk, it meant being able to get your stuff that day instead of who knows when (or it being left who knows where or missing it totally and having it sent back). > [@bikerdruid](#): > > If Amazon accepted Paypal, I would deal with them. If you’re driving at asking for a refund from the processor, that’s no different than disputing the charge with your credit card. But still, start with the seller. It’s going to be, by far, the fastest way to get anything done. In the end, IME, what it comes down to is, policy or not, the drivers all sort of do their own thing, but something they all pay attention to is how fast they’re moving. Based one some driver’s I’ve talked to (I have a daily pick up at my store) and the documentaries I’ve seen, speed seems to be the most important thing to them. There’s a reason you see youtube videos of UPS guys lobbing packages out the window. In fact, my favorite WTF story is when a driver had to drop up about 30 (good sized) boxes at my store and decided a good place for them was directly inside the back door. I _could not_ convince him to move them or explain to him why blocking the door wasn’t a good idea. When I threatened to call his boss (I had the local number) and report him to whoever answered at the 800 number he told me to I should go ahead. He seemed pretty sure this was kosher. Funny thing was A)He showed back up about 10 minutes later to move them so he clearly got in trouble for it and I never saw him again and B)one of the people that I spoke to asked for the camera footage to see how stupid it actually was and when I pulled it I found that it was blocking the back door so badly he actually had to climb over his 4 or 5 foot stack to get back out…and still stood by it being okay. Final thought: a nice touch for landlords would be to text tennets when they have a package waiting way when they get a text that says “Hi joey, you have something from UPS in the office, we close at 5 tonight and open at tomorrow morning” you could grab it on your way home instead of getting all the way back up to your apartment just to have to walk back to the office. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/70 "2017-06-06T04:38:15Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > They had this thing called amazon lockers (or something like that) where I could go and pick stuff up at a lockers at the local supermarket or pharmacy using a code they emailed me when the package was delivered. > > [Parcel locker - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Locker) > > I think the local businesses gave away the space to amazon to get the foot traffic. > > Do other deliveries fare better than Amazon? > > ETA: Ninjaed… in post 4…54 posts ago. I can actually see post 4 without scrolling down from the OP. /smack head It might be worth pointing out that the service is only available in a little over 50 cities. There are in the neighborhood of 20,000 cities in the US. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/71 "2017-06-06T05:37:03Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > It might be worth pointing out that the service is only available in a little over 50 cities. There are in the neighborhood of 20,000 cities in the US. Yes, but some cities are near others, even right next to them. And, we don’t know where **Chimera** lives. It could be that he lives in one of the 50+ cities that have Amazon lockers or in a city adjacent to one that does; we don’t know. That’s why we asked. ---
**Author:** ![Debillw3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Debillw3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debillw3)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/72 "2017-06-06T06:15:45Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Notice I buy from the manufacturer’s shop. I’m not trusting an unknown third party that’s fulfilled by Amazon. Your money may be going to the manufacturer, but that doesn’t mean that’s where the item’s coming from. FBA allows for the commingling of inventory. > [@running\_coach](#): > > The high ratings and number of transactions also has to do with not stealing credit cards numbers The obvious solution to this is not give the sellers your credit card number. If you are, you’re doing something very, very wrong. > [@running\_coach](#): > > or not shipping and disappearing. No, instead they just ship you a damaged, knock-off, or counterfeit item and disappear, which I guess is somehow better? > [@Doug\_K](#): > > It might be worth pointing out that the service is only available in a little over 50 cities. There are in the neighborhood of 20,000 cities in the US. And, despite those odds, I’m within 15-20 minutes of 2 of those cities. Who’s to say **Chimera** isn’t in a similar boat? ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/73 "2017-06-06T08:05:57Z")
I recently had occasion to receive a couple of checks via FedEx courier. They told me that a signature would be required and I would need to be home to meet the courier. As a matter of fact they were for quite a lot of money, more than I had ever received, or ever will again receive at one time. You could justly say this was the most important FedEx delivery I’ve ever had. So I’d been watching the tracking, and when it came close to the “at-the-latest-by” designated time, I decided to go down and wait for the driver. I almost bumped into him coming out of the elevator on the first floor, holding an envelope. Is that for \? I asked. He answered in the affirmative. You need a signature? He nodded and handed me the little electronic gadget. I signed. He gave me my envelope. And then he went his way without having verified I was who I said I was! ---
**Author:** ![Debillw3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@Debillw3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debillw3)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/74 "2017-06-06T08:18:17Z")
Most restricted delivery shipments also allow for delivery to an agent. Unless this was sent with an “addressee only, no exceptions” service I’m not familiar with, that sounds perfectly acceptable to me. If you had said “Whose that for?” instead of “Is that for [name]”, I’d agree with you, but I see no problem as this was done. Heck, even process servers don’t check IDs. That said, I did get a few alcohol shipments from UPS that didn’t involve ID checks, even though the box, the service, and the law expressly require them (not for identity, but age). That surprised me. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/75 "2017-06-06T13:36:55Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > > [@Doug\_K](#): > > > > It might be worth pointing out that the service is only available in a little over 50 cities. There are in the neighborhood of 20,000 cities in the US. > > Yes, but some cities are near others, even right next to them. > > And, we don’t know where **Chimera** lives. It could be that he lives in one of the 50+ cities that have Amazon lockers or in a city adjacent to one that does; we don’t know. That’s why we asked. He (she?) told us that there’s an Amazon locker location just a couple of miles away. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/76 "2017-06-06T13:52:25Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Did I miss the _Where Amazon Went Wrong_ and _Some More of Amazon’s Greatest Mistakes_ threads? Colluphid just covered those in the first few chapters. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/77 "2017-06-06T15:19:08Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > He (she?) told us that there’s an Amazon locker location just a couple of miles away. Thanks; I missed that post somehow. In that case, it makes no sense not to use a locker for deliveries. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/78 "2017-06-06T15:32:02Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > I recently had occasion to receive a couple of checks via FedEx courier. They told me that a signature would be required and I would need to be home to meet the courier. As a matter of fact they were for quite a lot of money, more than I had ever received, or ever will again receive at one time. You could justly say this was the most important FedEx delivery I’ve ever had. > > So I’d been watching the tracking, and when it came close to the “at-the-latest-by” designated time, I decided to go down and wait for the driver. I almost bumped into him coming out of the elevator on the first floor, holding an envelope. > > Is that for \? I asked. > > He answered in the affirmative. > > You need a signature? > > He nodded and handed me the little electronic gadget. > > I signed. > > He gave me my envelope. > > And then he went his way without having verified I was who I said I was! [Regardless of whether of not the shipper knew this] All that’s needed when UPS or FedEx requires a signature is a signature, that’s it. Anyone at all can sign for it. It’s not to make sure the named recipient gets it, it’s just a proof of delivery. If a shipper wants to make sure the person who’s name is listed is the only person that can accept the package they need to set use the Hold For Pick Up option. You’ll get a door tag and have to go to FedEx/UPS and pick it up there, where they’ll require a photo ID that matches the name on the label. At least with UPS, requesting a signature is pretty expensive 4 or 5 bucks. Holding at the UPS depot is free, but I’m sure people would throw a fit about that. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Anconia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@D\_Anconia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Anconia)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/79 "2017-06-06T20:57:01Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > It might be worth pointing out that the service is only available in a little over 50 cities. Do you have a cite for that? I live in a village of 40,000, and there at least two Amazon locker locations that I’m aware of. (A grocery store and a gas station) ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2017, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896/80 "2017-06-06T22:28:23Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Do you have a cite for that? I live in a village of 40,000, and there at least two Amazon locker locations that I’m aware of. (A grocery store and a gas station) A cite for what? If you’re disputing Doug’s claim that Amazon has lockers in 50+ cities, you’d have to take it up with Amazon, that’s a nearly direct quote from the wiki article that was included in what quoted and it comes (linked) right from Amazon’s page about the lockers, with a map showing dots on the cities with lockers. If you have a problem with something else, you’ll have to be more specific. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/well-that-about-wraps-it-up-for-amazon/787896.md?page=5)