What happens when you cancel an Amazon delivery?

Fingerbobs

Apologies if this is the wrong place to put this post, but I couldn't see anwhere more suitable. Hopefully a mod will move it if there's a better place.

I just received an email from Amazon telling me that a package is out for delivery and will be delivered today before 9pm. That's useless because it's going to my work address, and their mail room is closed at the weekend.

I clicked to update delivery instructions, but the only options are to leave with a neighbour or leave in a safe place - neither are any use.

I clicked to cancel the delivery, expecting to be able to put in a reason and reschedule the delivery for next week, but there were no options to even say why I wanted to cancel the delivery, and it looks like the entire Amazon order has been cancelled.

All of the delivery options assume that the package is going to a domestic house, and don't cater for delivery to a business premises.

The courier is "Delivery by Amazon" - I didn't even know they had their own courier.

I can't find any information on their Help pages as to what happens when a delivery is cancelled. Does anyone know?

want_to_save

go on to chat with them and aks them to reschedule

Inner_Zone

Fingerbobs wrote: »

Apologies if this is the wrong place to put this post, but I couldn't see anwhere more suitable. Hopefully a mod will move it if there's a better place.

I just received an email from Amazon telling me that a package is out for delivery and will be delivered today before 9pm. That's useless because it's going to my work address, and their mail room is closed at the weekend.

I clicked to update delivery instructions, but the only options are to leave with a neighbour or leave in a safe place - neither are any use.

I clicked to cancel the delivery, expecting to be able to put in a reason and reschedule the delivery for next week, but there were no options to even say why I wanted to cancel the delivery, and it looks like the entire Amazon order has been cancelled.

All of the delivery options assume that the package is going to a domestic house, and don't cater for delivery to a business premises.

The courier is "Delivery by Amazon" - I didn't even know they had their own courier.

I can't find any information on their Help pages as to what happens when a delivery is cancelled. Does anyone know?

I use my work address as my primary delivery address and have it set-up as:


"Is this address closed for deliveries on Saturdays and Sundays?" Both are ticked as "Closed"

RFW

Fingerbobs wrote: »

The courier is "Delivery by Amazon" - I didn't even know they had their own courier.

Most Amazon deliveries are by their own drivers.
If they can deliver it, ie through a letter box, and it doesn't need signing for then they'll deliver it there.
If it can't they'll look for a neighbour or take it back.
Selling on Amazon I get a lot of Amazon fulfilled deliveries that are returned as "undeliverable shipping address".
As above, your best bet is to contact them by Live Chat or call them. They may be able to contact the driver.
They usually won't entirely cancel an out for delivery order.

Fingerbobs

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't aware that there was an option to say that the delivery address can't be used outside office hours - I'll look for that and make sure it's set up correctly ready for next time.

The entire order had been cancelled, returned to Amazon, and a refund issued, just because I attempted to save them some hassle by telling them they would not be able to make a delivery at the weekend. <facepalm>

mgdavid

Fingerbobs wrote: »

Thanks for the replies. I wasn't aware that there was an option to say that the delivery address can't be used outside office hours - I'll look for that and make sure it's set up correctly ready for next time.

The entire order had been cancelled, returned to Amazon, and a refund issued, just because I attempted to save them some hassle by telling them they would not be able to make a delivery at the weekend. <facepalm>

not 'just' because but also because you didn't have your delivery options set up correctly. One might have expected you to have considered these circumstances happening when using a work address for deliveries.

Fingerbobs

mgdavid wrote: »

not 'just' because but also because you didn't have your delivery options set up correctly. One might have expected you to have considered these circumstances happening when using a work address for deliveries.

I've had hundreds of items delivered to the same address over many years, and I've *never* had to explain to the courier or sender that the site is closed at the weekend. How am I supposed to know that (a) Amazon does its own deliveries, and (b) expects me to tell them that the delivery address cannot be used outside of office hours?
It's just not something I've ever had to consider before. Surely it's something the courier should know anyway and should have processes in place to deal with.

custardy

Fingerbobs wrote: »

I've had hundreds of items delivered to the same address over many years, and I've *never* had to explain to the courier or sender that the site is closed at the weekend. How am I supposed to know that (a) Amazon does its own deliveries, and (b) expects me to tell them that the delivery address cannot be used outside of office hours?
It's just not something I've ever had to consider before. Surely it's something the courier should know anyway and should have processes in place to deal with.

Most couriers dont operate weekends.
So its not an issue.
You are thinking small scale.
Large carriers operate on a one size fits most. planning a route and having drivers veer of to get to businesses in office hours costs time

soolin

Fingerbobs wrote: »

I've had hundreds of items delivered to the same address over many years, and I've *never* had to explain to the courier or sender that the site is closed at the weekend. How am I supposed to know that (a) Amazon does its own deliveries, and (b) expects me to tell them that the delivery address cannot be used outside of office hours?
It's just not something I've ever had to consider before. Surely it's something the courier should know anyway and should have processes in place to deal with.

A courier is contracted to deliver within a set time, it is not their responsibility to check whether the business is open or not. There is no list of opening hours that couriers have- who's to say if business X is open Saturdays or Sundays, whether they have early closing on a Wednesday etc.

Fingerbobs

soolin wrote: »

A courier is contracted to deliver within a set time, it is not their responsibility to check whether the business is open or not. There is no list of opening hours that couriers have- who's to say if business X is open Saturdays or Sundays, whether they have early closing on a Wednesday etc.

As a customer buying something from a vendor, I don't usually have any control over what courier the company I am purchasing from chooses to use to send my goods to me, and I usually have no way to specify the opening hours for the delivery address. Why would I magically know that Amazon want me to tell them if my delivery address is closed outside of office hours?

mgdavid

Fingerbobs wrote: »

As a customer buying something from a vendor, I don't usually have any control over what courier the company I am purchasing from chooses to use to send my goods to me, and I usually have no way to specify the opening hours for the delivery address. Why would I magically know that Amazon want me to tell them if my delivery address is closed outside of office hours?

you seem unable to see this from the other side. It's common knowledge (but obv not yet with you) that Amazon's business model includes delivery at extended hours and extended days compared to the old-fashioned concept of most courier companies who still only collect and deliver in 'office hours'. The latter is increasingly irrelevant - when I worked home-based my 'office' was open from 0800 to midnight seven days a week. Amazon also target the home consumer working to telescoped timescales (the now generation), hence you can order something lunchtime and have it that evening. To give this sort of quick service they have to use their own delivery vans working locally from their regional fulfilment centres thus bypassing the multi-handling concept of pickup, hub sorting location and delivery runs of tradition couriers. It's not magic. You've given little detail - if you can give the URL of the website you ordered through, someone may be able to give more accurate, specific and targeted advice.