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As a European, I'm surprised that the postal services in the US just leave the packages outside, rather than ringing the doorbell and/or delivering it to a neig

As a European, I'm surprised that the postal services in the US just leave the packages outside, rather than ringing the doorbell and/or delivering it to a neighbor. Over here in The Netherlands, pickup points are common (my local groceries store is one), you can choose your delivery time (also in the evening) and they will deliver it to a neighbor when I'm not home. Why not avoid this whole problem with any of these options?

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
rtkwe 8y ago
You can totally have them delivered to a store for pickup and there's even Amazon Lockers in some places to make it easier. You have to request it though and in most cases you'll have to do that after the package is shipped because Amazon will use whoever is cheapest to ship a particular package.
dawnerd 8y ago
Half the time they'll just leave a not in the post box saying delivery attempted and to pick it up at the post office. Most new communities are switching to locking post boxes which have parcel lockers so that does help a lot. Problem is theres usually only two parcel lockers and during holidays they just toss the box at your door.
Brushfire 8y ago
This does happen in many places, but I think you underestimate how much of the US is spread out over large areas. Suburbs are huge places. For example, here in Chicago, the suburbs extend for at least 20 miles in every direction... so to say this is an "Easy" challenge to solve is underestimating a bit for companies like Amazon or organizations like USPS.
rconti 8y ago
Nobody's home during the day. What neighbor? How do you know which neighbor will be home, or which neighbor to trust? When 90% of your package recipients are not home, you spend 3x as much time per package delivery. Carriers offload responsibility by allowing the sender or receiver to opt-out of signature/package acceptance, so why would they care? Just one data point, but I've been having packages delivered to my home my entire life and never had a single one go missing. Seems like a really high cost to prevent something unlikely. On the other hand, I had never had a home or vehicle broken into until someone smashed my car window last night at the movie theater. So, there's a first time for everything.
- the8472 8y ago
  You can specify a neighbor in an online form. A commercial entity on the ground floor may be generous enough act as "neighbor", accept the packages in bulk and put them in the stairwell of the building. If neither of that works you still have pickup points in shops or dedicated lockboxes[0] in central locations. [0] https://i.imgur.com/F0sDNJO.jpg https://i.imgur.com/F0sDNJO.jpg
  - rconti 8y ago
    Huh, I haven't heard of shipping companies that allow you to designate a neighbor. That's cool. I've not shipped to myself using an Amazon locker since I've never had an issue with package theft, but if a package is worth more than $500 or $1000 I'll often have it sent to my office, which I suspect is what most people do if possible.
- Emma_Goldman 8y ago
  This is also the norm in the UK. If you're not in they try and leave the package with a neighbour. If that doesn't work, they'll try again, and if you're not there again, try for for a neighbour again. If that fails for a second time, they leave it at a nearby depot for you to pick it up. I've never heard of a package being stolen here in the UK.
  - King-Aaron 8y ago
    America: "It's a real problem! There is no solution!" Overseas viewer: "This literally never happens here. Try solution (a), (b), or maybe (c) and see if that helps?" America: "Yep there is no solution in the entire universe" Substitute "package theft" for: Gun crime / public healthcare / public education / insert social issue here
    - rconti 8y ago
      I agree with all of your points except for the package theft one. The package theft "solutions" proposed really are insanely inconvenient and unworkable* in most suburban environments. I've seen all of the reasons listed many places here, so I won't bother rehashing them. If I'm at work on Tuesday, for example, a redelivery attempt on Wednesday doesn't really help, does it? * unworkable in the sense that they're less efficient than the alternative of just allowing the rare package theft to occur
illegalsmile 8y ago
Any important package I have delivered to work.
lucb1e 8y ago
Dutchman here too. They don't usually deliver to a neighbour (hate it when they do that) but they just take it back to the parcel center, try again tomorrow, and if again unsuccessful you can just pick it up at your nearest parcel center. I don't keep track of different companies, but pretty sure it's DPD and PostNL that do it that way. Choosing when they deliver either costs money (when you can choose during checkout), or you have to create an account and agree to some funny terms (I'd happily save them the trip, but they won't allow me to tell them without agreeing to a whole litany of things).
bunderbunder 8y ago
My experience has been that it depends heavily on who's doing the delivery. US Postal Service staff usually do ring the doorbell when leaving packages, and, if nobody answers, they will make an effort to leave it in a concealed location if that's possible. UPS and FedEx people in our area typically leave it by the door without ringing the doorbell, but usually do still try to conceal the package. Amazon delivery people typically leave it out in the yard, next to the sidewalk. I'm guessing the difference has a lot to do with the deliveries-to-time ratio that each company's drivers get.
garfieldnate 8y ago
It's funny because I really feel like I had a big downgrade when I moved from Japan to Germany. In Japan they ask you what times you expect to be home and they try to deliver it then. If you are not home, they come back another time. If they try several times and you are not there, then the package is returned. I was shocked when our packages were left with a neighbor here (why would you leave my stuff with a stranger?) and another time was left in the garbage storage area with a note in our mailbox. I think Europe would have been a lot cooler if I had moved from the US straight there instead of coming from Japan :/

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

rtkwe 8y ago

You can totally have them delivered to a store for pickup and there's even Amazon Lockers in some places to make it easier. You have to request it though and in most cases you'll have to do that after the package is shipped because Amazon will use whoever is cheapest to ship a particular package.

dawnerd 8y ago

Half the time they'll just leave a not in the post box saying delivery attempted and to pick it up at the post office. Most new communities are switching to locking post boxes which have parcel lockers so that does help a lot. Problem is theres usually only two parcel lockers and during holidays they just toss the box at your door.

Brushfire 8y ago

This does happen in many places, but I think you underestimate how much of the US is spread out over large areas. Suburbs are huge places. For example, here in Chicago, the suburbs extend for at least 20 miles in every direction... so to say this is an "Easy" challenge to solve is underestimating a bit for companies like Amazon or organizations like USPS.

rconti 8y ago

Nobody's home during the day. What neighbor? How do you know which neighbor will be home, or which neighbor to trust? When 90% of your package recipients are not home, you spend 3x as much time per package delivery. Carriers offload responsibility by allowing the sender or receiver to opt-out of signature/package acceptance, so why would they care? Just one data point, but I've been having packages delivered to my home my entire life and never had a single one go missing. Seems like a really high cost to prevent something unlikely. On the other hand, I had never had a home or vehicle broken into until someone smashed my car window last night at the movie theater. So, there's a first time for everything.

the8472 8y ago
You can specify a neighbor in an online form. A commercial entity on the ground floor may be generous enough act as "neighbor", accept the packages in bulk and put them in the stairwell of the building. If neither of that works you still have pickup points in shops or dedicated lockboxes[0] in central locations. [0] https://i.imgur.com/F0sDNJO.jpg https://i.imgur.com/F0sDNJO.jpg
- rconti 8y ago
  Huh, I haven't heard of shipping companies that allow you to designate a neighbor. That's cool. I've not shipped to myself using an Amazon locker since I've never had an issue with package theft, but if a package is worth more than $500 or $1000 I'll often have it sent to my office, which I suspect is what most people do if possible.
Emma_Goldman 8y ago
This is also the norm in the UK. If you're not in they try and leave the package with a neighbour. If that doesn't work, they'll try again, and if you're not there again, try for for a neighbour again. If that fails for a second time, they leave it at a nearby depot for you to pick it up. I've never heard of a package being stolen here in the UK.
- King-Aaron 8y ago
  America: "It's a real problem! There is no solution!" Overseas viewer: "This literally never happens here. Try solution (a), (b), or maybe (c) and see if that helps?" America: "Yep there is no solution in the entire universe" Substitute "package theft" for: Gun crime / public healthcare / public education / insert social issue here
  - rconti 8y ago
    I agree with all of your points except for the package theft one. The package theft "solutions" proposed really are insanely inconvenient and unworkable* in most suburban environments. I've seen all of the reasons listed many places here, so I won't bother rehashing them. If I'm at work on Tuesday, for example, a redelivery attempt on Wednesday doesn't really help, does it? * unworkable in the sense that they're less efficient than the alternative of just allowing the rare package theft to occur

illegalsmile 8y ago

Any important package I have delivered to work.

lucb1e 8y ago

Dutchman here too. They don't usually deliver to a neighbour (hate it when they do that) but they just take it back to the parcel center, try again tomorrow, and if again unsuccessful you can just pick it up at your nearest parcel center. I don't keep track of different companies, but pretty sure it's DPD and PostNL that do it that way. Choosing when they deliver either costs money (when you can choose during checkout), or you have to create an account and agree to some funny terms (I'd happily save them the trip, but they won't allow me to tell them without agreeing to a whole litany of things).

bunderbunder 8y ago

My experience has been that it depends heavily on who's doing the delivery. US Postal Service staff usually do ring the doorbell when leaving packages, and, if nobody answers, they will make an effort to leave it in a concealed location if that's possible. UPS and FedEx people in our area typically leave it by the door without ringing the doorbell, but usually do still try to conceal the package. Amazon delivery people typically leave it out in the yard, next to the sidewalk. I'm guessing the difference has a lot to do with the deliveries-to-time ratio that each company's drivers get.

garfieldnate 8y ago

It's funny because I really feel like I had a big downgrade when I moved from Japan to Germany. In Japan they ask you what times you expect to be home and they try to deliver it then. If you are not home, they come back another time. If they try several times and you are not there, then the package is returned. I was shocked when our packages were left with a neighbor here (why would you leave my stuff with a stranger?) and another time was left in the garbage storage area with a note in our mailbox. I think Europe would have been a lot cooler if I had moved from the US straight there instead of coming from Japan :/