Riley Panko — December 10, 2019 Experts predict that global e-commerce sales will total 3.46 trillion dollars by the end of 2019 — a 17.9% increase over 2018.
More e-commerce sales mean more packages shipped, and the high volume of deliveries is not without its challenges.
More than half of online shoppers say that at least one of the packages they ordered in the past six months has gone missing.
While most missing packages get lost in the mail or were never sent by the retailer, a recent Clutch survey shows that a full 16% of missing packages were stolen.
In this article, we show you three solutions to keep your deliveries safe from “porch pirates,” i.e., criminals who steal packages from your front porch.
1. Schedule and Track Your Deliveries
Package theft issues aren’t new to the e-commerce world.
In 2017, the need for the safe receipt of packages was already so great that one company, Doorman, attempted to profit from a premium service meant to “revolutionize” parcel deliveries by providing an evening delivery service in which customers could choose from a 2-hour time window.
Doorman ultimately failed for several reasons, but today, shipping companies such as UPS, FedEx, and USPS, are working toward providing similar solutions.
For example, UPS offers a delivery management service called “UPS My Choice” that allows you to track, schedule, and reroute your package deliveries — even after they’ve shipped. The service provides you with delivery calendars and email notifications when the package is on its way, and premium members can tailor their delivery time to a 2-hour time window.
UPS My Choice provides additional services such as allowing you to leave delivery instructions for the driver, leaving your package with a neighbor, or requesting a different delivery day.
Other shipping companies provide services similar to UPS My Choice, although the options vary for each company.
The U.S. Post Office allows customers to manage deliveries through its service, “Informed Delivery,” and FedEx shipping provides a “FedEx Delivery Manager” that offers tracking, redirecting, and package hold options.
Finally, Amazon offers a similar service. If you go to your order page and select “Track Delivery,” it will reveal your tracking number and shipping company. By following these links, you can discover how to best track and manage your deliveries.
Tracking your shipment and subscribing to text notifications is essential for safe deliveries. Nearly all shipping services offer package delivery confirmation by text, so you know within minutes that your package has been delivered.
Not all carriers provide package management services, though. Shipping companies minimize their costs by optimizing delivery routes to deliver the most packages in the least time, and it can be a challenge to both optimize and personalize all deliveries.
2. Pick Up Your Package at a Store or Install a Drop Box
Most major delivery carriers provide options that allow you to pick up packages at their facility, a designated delivery hub, or a nearby neighborhood store or pharmacy.
If you’re located in a suburban area without nearby pick-up options, you can consider installing a dropbox at your residence.
Drop boxes keep your deliveries in a locked container on your porch.
Picking up your packages or installing a secure parcel box on your porch are excellent options for keeping your packages safe from porch pirates.
3. Ask Your Facility to Install Parcel Lockers
Parcel lockers, commonly installed in apartment and office buildings, provide a secure, onsite delivery options. Parcel lockers are an excellent choice for high-traffic areas and an attractive benefit to potential tenants.
For example, Parcel Pending package management service installs temperature-controlled, secure delivery lockers in a variety of sizes and styles for both indoor and outdoor storage.
Parcel lockers allow tenants to pick up their packages at their own convenience and saves offices and receptionists from having to manage incoming deliveries.
Deterring Porch Pirates
Several package delivery options can help keep your parcels safe from thieves. Package management services provided by UPS, FedEx, and USPS help ensure that you’re home when packages are delivered. Package pick up services and locked parcel boxes provide a high level of security that’s especially helpful in high-traffic areas.
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