Getting Your Amazon Packages When You're on the Road
You're an expediter with an Amazon Prime account because you like the product selection, cost savings, and convenience.
But how do you get packages delivered to you while you're away from home for weeks at a time?
Amazon offers a service to solve this challenge that folks in the expedite industry are just beginning to notice-and use: Amazon Hub Lockers.
In fact, YouTubers Jerry McCallister and Don Clute with Expediter Boogie (watch video) and Heather and Jason Hutchens with The Crafty Trucker (watch video) recently posted videos about their experience with Amazon Hub Lockers.
The common theme from both videos: "This was super easy and convenient. Why didn't we start doing this sooner?"
Here's the process.
1. Adding Amazon Hub Locker as your shipping destination.
After you've placed your items into your "cart," proceed to "shipping and payment," where you'll see an option toward the bottom of the page to search for an Amazon Pickup location near you.
You can search by address, zip code, landmark, or by locker or store name. Then select the most convenient location for your shipping address.
2. Picking up your package.
Once your package has been delivered to the locker, you will receive an email with a unique six-digit code. When you arrive at your selected locker kiosk, either scan the bar code or enter the six-digit code on the locker's touchscreen. The locker door will open so you can remove your package.
But what happens if plans change-say, a load gets canceled, and you won't be heading to the area that you selected for your locker location?
Amazon says that you have three calendar days to pick up your package, after which time the item will be returned for a refund.
Limitations
Now, with all that said, there are limits to what you can have delivered to an Amazon locker.
Here are the company's guidelines for orders that qualify for locker delivery:
- Shipping weight less than 10 lbs
- Product dimensions smaller than 16 x 12 x 14 inches
- Sold or fulfilled by Amazon.com
- Valued at less than $5,000
- Contains no hazardous materials
- Does not contain items shipping from other countries
- Does not contain items for Release-Date Delivery.
There are no additional fees for using locker delivery. But the typical shipping options you've been used to with Prime may not be available, depending on where you're having the package delivered.
For example, standard shipping and free shipping may be unavailable at some lockers. And same-day delivery and one-day shipping are available in select areas only.
So, as you plan your purchase, factor in the confirmed shipping time-frame to ensure it matches your schedule.
For more details, check out the Amazon Hub Locker page at https://www.amazon.com/b?ie=UTF8&node=6442600011.