Amazon has been at the forefront of e-commerce in the United States for many years and although online purchases are relatively easy, they have a risk of porch piracy.
Between 43% to 51% of customers reported Amazon package stolen. Of these numbers, more than 60% said they’ve been victims more than once.
If you’ve been in this pair of shoes, this article will explain how you can retrieve these stolen packages with little hassle.
Quick Fact:
Amazon Package Stolen: What Should I Do?
Because of the daily delivery traffic of Amazon, a recurrence of porch piracy is expected. However, you don’t have to give up on Amazon packages that were stolen.
There are a few methods in place to track down your missing parcel.
When you open your Amazon account, you can sign up to receive updates on your package tracking.
You can choose to receive these updates through emails or text messages. This enables you to be notified if your package was delivered and when.
Usually, your stolen packages can be tracked due to a measure Amazon put in place. You can begin this process to retrieve an Amazon package stolen after you’ve confirmed on your account the order has been delivered.
What Should I Do If My Amazon Package Is Stolen?
If you are a victim of porch piracy, you should know that there are some steps you need to take to ensure that your Amazon package was stolen from your porch before contacting Amazon to report a stolen package.
Here are the steps to take if your account says an order has been delivered but you cannot find it:
1. Track the Amazon lost packages.
If your package was marked delivered before it arrives, you needn’t worry on the spot. Amazon sometimes does that and the package shows up at your front door within 48 hours.
After waiting 48 hours and the order hasn’t arrived, you can check your property for a possible drop-off place for the package.
This can happen if the order was delivered late at night and the driver didn’t want to interrupt your sleep. Usually, they hide it in the most unexpected places to minimise the risk of theft.
Search your porch and surrounding area carefully to ensure that you don’t find it in an unusual place before you report the Amazon package stolen.
You should contact your courier after 48 hours of waiting if you cannot find the package. Your package could still be in the hands of the shipping company.
Ask them to track the package with the tracking number. However, if the courier company is certain the package was delivered but stolen, you should proceed to report to Amazon for a stolen package.
2. Check with your neighbours. At times they help you keep them.
Before taking the next step, ask your neighbours if they saw or managed to record a video of your package delivery on their home security cameras.
It is possible that your package is with them and not stolen at all. If you cannot find it with them, you can proceed to the next step.
3. Contact Amazon to ask about a replacement or a refund
If the package is truly stolen, you can contact Amazon to request a refund or compensation.
Usually, Amazon customer service will ask that you wait for 48 hours to ascertain the delivery notification wasn’t a mistake. In that case, you’ll get an updated delivery notification that says Amazon package not delivered, with instructions about what to do next.
If this wasn’t a mistake, you can try your luck by reporting the case to the local Police. To be fair, there is only so much they could do. However, it is worth a try.
For expensive items, Amazon will require you to submit a Police report.
4. Contact your bank
Your bank may offer purchase protection services that will refund the cost of a stolen purchase. You should try to give them a call and talk to a representative about what services your card provides and learn how to activate them.
As with sellers, the bank may require a theft report from the police, so plan to get a copy of that report to provide to your bank.
How To Report A Stolen Package And Request A Refund On Amazon?
If you’re a victim of Amazon package stolen, you can follow these steps to request a refund on Amazon:
- Sign into your Amazon account and look for Your Orders.
- Select the order that was stolen and click Problem with Order.
- Select the option that says the package didn’t arrive.
- Then select Request Refund. If requested, fill out the additional information.
- You can then track your refund request by using the Amazon Pay tab. When your payment claim is approved, you’ll know.
What Is Amazon’s Stolen Package Policy?
Amazon has very strict policies against package theft. The retailer offers an A-to-Z Guarantee Protection for eligible items.
If your package was stolen, you can file a claim with Amazon and they will investigate the matter. Ideally, Amazon will refund your purchase price, including shipping costs.
However, should the package be returned to Amazon or the seller, you may only be refunded the purchase price as Amazon does not cover the cost of returning the item to the seller.
Because package theft has been on the rise in the United States with over 210 million packages stolen in 2021 alone, Amazon is committed to protecting its customers from thieves.
Will Amazon Replace My Stolen Package?
Usually, Amazon provides replacement or compensation for stolen packages. The company takes package theft very seriously and offers the A-Z Guarantee for customers.
The guarantee ensures that your packages are covered up to $2,500. It doesn’t matter much if you bought from a third-party seller.
When you file an Amazon package stolen case, they will refund you up to that amount. With third-party sellers, they are likely to replace the product, but if they aren’t cooperating with you or responding to your request, then Amazon will also cover that reimbursement.
Ensure you report stolen items as early as you could to increase your chances of getting a refund.
How Can I Avoid Package Theft?
Although Amazon has policies in place for stolen orders, it’s best to not fall victim to package theft. Take these precautions to minimise the risk of porch piracy on your orders:
- Use Amazon key delivery. Amazon key packages will be delivered right to your garage. Unless a thief has the passcode, it’s almost impossible to steal this package from inside your garage while you’re away. You can learn more about key packages from here.
- Send packages elsewhere if your porch isn’t safe. If you’ve been a victim of Amazon package stolen once, send your subsequent orders to a friend’s location until you’re certain your location is secure.
- Require a signature on orders. Usually, you will need to sign before collecting expensive packages. This ensures the driver is delivering to the right person. Use your order settings to enable signature on all of your orders.
What To Do When Packages Aren’t Trackable?
Most Amazon packages can be tracked. However, there are a few exceptions that aren’t trackable.
With trackable packages, you can check on your Amazon account for information on its previous locations and if it was put on your porch.
However, with non-trackable packages, you don’t have that option. In that case, you should check your surroundings and wait for 48 hours before requesting a refund from Amazon.
How Common Is Porch Piracy In The United States?
Porch Piracy has been on the rise in recent years. In 2021, more than 210 million packages were reported to be stolen. Relatively, that is between 43% to 51% of the total deliveries made per day.
You should try out Amazon Key Delivery to steer clear of piracy and protect your packages especially if they’re expensive.
Final Thoughts
Porch piracy isn’t new. It plagues many online retailers and courier companies. However, there are measures you can take to minimise your risk of falling victim.
If you’ve been a victim in the past, you can file a report with Amazon to compensate for the loss.
