Have you been waiting a long time for an important parcel to arrive? If you regularly purchase products fromAmazon, you are likely to find that they arrive at your door quite quickly. However, there may be certain times when it takes longer than usual for your items to reach you.
If the item you are waiting for is particularly important, you may start to feel a little anxious. You could question whether your parcel is still on the way, or if it has gotten lost or even stolen. If you are wondering, ‘why is Amazon shipping so slow lately?’, then it’s time to find out…
Reasons for the Delay
There are severalreasons why your parcel could be taking longer to arrivethan usual. In most cases, the delivery driver is doing everything in their power to bring your parcel to you. So, here are some of themost common reasons your delivery could be taking longerthan expected.
Transportation issues
There are several steps in the process, from the time that you order a product until it reaches your door. Each item has to be packed, labeled, loaded in a van, and sent on its way with a delivery driver. If there is even the smallest issue during any of those steps, your parcel could be delayed.
Bad weather conditions
Extreme weather conditions like storms and tornadoes could cause your parcel to be delayed. If the weather is particularly bad, the delivery driver may be instructed to stay off the road for their personal safety. While your parcel is still on its way to you, the process could take a few hours longer than usual.
Third-party vendor timelines
Products that are ordered directly from the company are subjected to strict standards on delivery timeframes. However, these standards are not applied to items offered by the company’s external partners. If there is a delay in order times, there is a chance that the third-party vendor is experiencing issues.
In this case, it is best to contact the seller directly and enquire about the shipment time frame. You can do this by going to the ‘Orders’ page after logging into your account. Locate your order and click on the Contact vendor icon to select your preferred contact method.
Small post office box
Delays can occur if you have chosen a post office box as your delivery address. If the post office box is smaller than the item you have chosen, this will pose a problem for the delivery driver. If you know that the product is larger than your post office box, it is best to choose a different address.
Parcel delivery strikes
Unless you are a Prime member, your parcel could be delivered by a wide range of package service companies. If the company’s delivery drivers go on strike, substantial delays are likely to occur. In some cases, all deliveries may be suspended until the end of the strike.
Driver shortages
The company regularly hires new delivery drivers to keep up with the growing number of orders. However, it takes time to hire and train new drivers, and many can take some time to get up to speed. Therefore, there are likely to be times when there simply aren’t enough drivers to provide a rapid delivery service.
Large volume of orders
Shipping delays can occur when there is alarge number of parcels to be processed and delivered. This is likely to happen around major holidays such as Christmas and Easter. If you are ordering a gift for someone special at these times, it is best to place your order as early as possible.
When you place your order at certain times, you may receive a warning that delivery can take longer. You then have the option of waiting longer for your item or canceling the order. If you decide to go ahead with the order, you will need to be prepared to wait a little longer for it.
There may also be an unexpectedly large volume of orders at other times of the year. If this happens after you have already placed your order, you will usually receive a notification. This will provide a recalculation of when you can expect your parcel to arrive.
Changing priorities
When orders are placed for items that carry critical needs,Amazonis obliged to prioritize those orders. These items include personal hygiene and health products during situations like global or national disasters. When this happens, it may take longer for non-essential items to be delivered. In this case, you are likely to receive a notification of the re-calculated delivery date.
Why is Amazon Shipping so Slow Lately? – How to Track your Order
If you are trying to work out where your parcel is, you can track your order. You can do this on the company’s website after signing into youraccount. Go to the ‘Your Orders’ page and click on ‘Track Package.’
You will see a status next to the description of your order. If it shows that yourparcel is out for delivery, you simply need to wait a while longer. However, if the status shows that your parcel has been delivered, you may need to take further action.
What to Do About a Delayed Delivery
After checking the status of your parcel, you may see that it has already been delivered. However, if you don’t actually have your parcel, there is a good chance that something has gone wrong. Here are some steps you can take to try and work out what the problem is.
Verify your shipping address
Make sure that theaddress you supplied for delivery is correct. You can do this by visiting your account and viewing the full address that you supplied. If you discover that the address is incomplete or wrong, it is best to contact the customer service team.
Look for an attempted delivery notice
The delivery driver may have attempted to give you your parcel while you were out. In this case, they will leave a notice of attempted delivery along with the rough time they will return. These notices can easily get misplaced, so make sure you have a good look for it.
Check with your neighbors
One of your neighbors may have accepted the parcel on your behalf. Alternatively, the parcel could have been accepted by another member of your household.
Check around the delivery location
The delivery driver may have left your parcel in a safe location to reduce the risk of porch pirates. If it was raining, your parcel might have been tucked somewhere to save it from getting wet. Make sure you check around the exterior of your home carefully for the parcel.
Ask for a refund
It is best to wait 48 hours before contacting the customer service team. If you aresure that your parcel has not been delivered, they should be able to help you. If the customer service team can’t locate your parcel, you may be eligible for a refund.
How to Get a Refund
You can ask for a refund if your parcel has been lost or is very late. You can do this from the comfort of your own home via the company’s website. To get started, you need to log into youraccountand go to the My Orders page.
Click on your order and select ‘Problem with Order’ from the drop-down menu. You can then click on ‘Request Refund’ and type in the reason for the request in the comment box. It is best to provide as much detail as possible so that the customer service team can help you.
Want to Know More about Amazon?
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Or, maybe you’re looking for more general information such asDoes Amazon Do Price Adjustments,Can You Hide Orders On Amazon, and what is theAmazon Order Cancellation Policy. Plus, if you’re thinking of starting a side hustle, find outHow To Buy Amazon Returns.
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Why is Amazon Shipping so Slow Lately? – Final Thoughts
Amazon typically offers a veryfast and reliable shipping service. However, no service is perfect, and your parcel may be delayed from time to time. While this can be frustrating, it is usually best to be patient and wait for your delivery.
However, it is worth looking into the issue if you have been waiting for a few days or even weeks. Most of the time, you will be able to identify the issue by looking at your account on the company’s website. Plus, if the delay has caused you a problem, it may be possible to contact the company and request a refund.
Happyshopping at Amazon, and all the best with on-time deliveries!
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