Problems with USPS delivering Amazon packages

[NJgal]

I am frustrated! We live in Richmond, and our postal worker leaves any Amazon packages that won’t fit into a locker back at the Lady Lakes post office. We just get a slip in our mailbox saying we must get it ourselves.Talking to a number of other Villagers, I find that many postal workers drop packages off at their doors. Most other places we have lived, Amazon trucks deliver everything. Here, much is carried “the last mile” by the USPS. Problem is - the contracted employees (not regular post office employees) negotiated a new contract that limits their responsibility to 1/2 mile from the postal boxes. We are 7/10 mi.! So 30+ minutes drive one way to retrieve our packages! Anybody else have this problem? Anyone find a solution?

[Kenswing]

That is unsatisfactory for sure. When we first moved into our new village the USPS probably delivered 90% of Amazon packages. They brought just about everything to our doorstep because the postal station boxes filled up so fast. On the bright side there is hope. Amazon will eventually start delivering most of their own packages. We seldom get anything from Amazon delivered by USPS now. I think I would be complaining loud and often to the local postmaster.

[macawlaw]

Not this exact problem. I had no idea that the USPS delivered Amazon packages. In Ohio, the Amazon van delivers directly to the house. I came down for a week to check on our home in TV. I found a pair of tennis shoes that I like and ordered a pair to be delivered to TV (I like to fly with slip-ons). Our mail is forwarded to Ohio until we come down this fall. The postal worker forwarded the Amazon package to Ohio. It took almost two weeks and I owed $13 in postage. Lesson learned.

[FloridaGuy66]

You can choose at checkout to have your larger items delivered to a specified "Amazon drop-off" locker location. The closest to you would be inside the "Save A Lot" in Wildwood.

Fortunately, in my Village which is also south of 44 our postal guy delivers the large items in person.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

I am frustrated! We live in Richmond, and our postal worker leaves any Amazon packages that won’t fit into a locker back at the Lady Lakes post office. We just get a slip in our mailbox saying we must get it ourselves.Talking to a number of other Villagers, I find that many postal workers drop packages off at their doors. Most other places we have lived, Amazon trucks deliver everything. Here, much is carried “the last mile” by the USPS. Problem is - the contracted employees (not regular post office employees) negotiated a new contract that limits their responsibility to 1/2 mile from the postal boxes. We are 7/10 mi.! So 30+ minutes drive one way to retrieve our packages! Anybody else have this problem? Anyone find a solution?

Imagine the frustration of the postal worker who gets informed that they MUST start delivering to the doors, all packages that don't fit in the lockers. Imagine that frustration during Christmas week, when their 8 hour day becomes 15 hours long.

Yours is not the only package to arrive at that postal station. The postal station has several hundred homes they're responsible for, and figure at least ten of them have oversized packages on any given day that is NOT Christmas week. Assume at least 30 per day during Christmas week. Now go ahead and demand that the postal worker deliver them all to everyone's house.

And what happens if they start doing that, and someone steals the oversized packages from your doorstep? You know you'll blame the postal worker for not putting it in the locker or bringing it to the Post Office where it can be held securely for you.

[MrChip72]

The root of the problem here is having to drive 30 mins each way to Lady Lake for the packages for the Villages that are part of Wildwood.

Wildwood has grown exponentially in a short period. The population was barely 7000 people ten years ago and now it's over 20k and growing fast. They have postal facilities in Wildwood, but somehow are not setup at the current time to handle deliveries to areas within TV. It just doesn't seem acceptable for anyone to be expected to drive 15+ miles each way to get their oversized package. I would've thought that USPS had a standard set for something like that.

Maybe someone that frequents this forum would know who to best contact to bring this issue up to.

[BrianL99]

The root of the problem here is having to drive 30 mins each way to Lady Lake for the packages for the Villages that are part of Wildwood.

Wildwood has grown exponentially in a short period. The population was barely 7000 people ten years ago and now it's over 20k and growing fast. They have postal facilities in Wildwood, but somehow are not setup at the current time to handle deliveries to areas within TV. It just doesn't seem acceptable for anyone to be expected to drive 15+ miles each way to get their oversized package. I would've thought that USPS had a standard set for something like that.

Maybe someone that frequents this forum would know who to best contact to bring this issue up to.

Your problem isn't with TV or the US Post Office, it's with companies such as Amazon.

The USPS is a government agency and burdened by numerous regulations. Your "mailing address" and "delivery address" are 2 different addresses, based on the agreement with the Post Office. Your "delivery address" is the Mailbox in TV. That's where all your mail goes. If there's no room, it goes to the local Post Office.

If you don't like it, stop doing business with companies that us the USPS for deliveries. It's not complicated.

[FredMitchell]

If you set up your garage door on wifi, you can opt for Key In-garage delivery. Then it won't be delivered by USPS. Further, you won't need to worry about it being stolen.

[ThirdOfFive]

Never been a problem. Amazon delivers by far the majority of the stuff we get from them. Now and again they'll drop it off at the postal station, in which case it either fits in our mailbox or there is a key in our box that opens one of the larger boxes. A few times the stuff they dropped off was too large even for the big box in which case they delivered it to our door.

A nice gratuity at Christmas helps.

[jacksonla]

We have our second Florida home in the Villages and spend a week here and the next week in another Florida town. We didn't get a Village's post box.
When I order next day delivery from Amazon with special delevery instructions (only leave at front door) and give them my Villages address (because I am here) 1/2 the time it goes to a post box we don't have where it sits until USPS returns it to Amazon. I've spoken to USPS and several times to Amazon. I've repeatedly told Amazon that their sub-contractor, USPS does not deliver correctly nor read special instructions. They did agree that USPS does not get or read special instructions. Hopefully this will change soon.

[JGibson]

I could understand them putting a limit on how far they're willing to go to drop off oversize packages to people's doorstep.

USPS is already operating at a loss every year and I would expect even more service cutbacks in the future.

[retiredguy123]

Never been a problem. Amazon delivers by far the majority of the stuff we get from them. Now and again they'll drop it off at the postal station, in which case it either fits in our mailbox or there is a key in our box that opens one of the larger boxes. A few times the stuff they dropped off was too large even for the big box in which case they delivered it to our door.

A nice gratuity at Christmas helps.
When you order something from Amazon with a 1 or 2 day delivery, they rarely use USPS because I don't think USPS can meet the delivery schedule.

[RobertScott]

In Citrus Grove Amazon trucks deliver almost everything themselves. I am zero worried about porch pirates here. Amazon seems to use USPS only for smaller things, or it could be that some items are not "Prime" but "free delivery for Prime customers" and those vendors use USPS.

[retiredguy123]

In Citrus Grove Amazon trucks deliver almost everything themselves. I am zero worried about porch pirates here. Amazon seems to use USPS only for smaller things, or it could be that some items are not "Prime" but "free delivery for Prime customers" and those vendors use USPS.
Maybe, but when it takes a week or longer, the vender will lose a lot of business. I think Amazon has been so successful because they are able to deliver millions of items in less than 2 days. If an item will take longer than a few days, I usually won't order it.

[MrFlorida]

If it won't fit in the mailbox, or the larger mail box, my postal station brings it to my door. Yes , Amazon will use the postal service at times. Wonder why your postal station makes you go to the post office ?

[Marathon Man]

I am frustrated! We live in Richmond, and our postal worker leaves any Amazon packages that won’t fit into a locker back at the Lady Lakes post office. We just get a slip in our mailbox saying we must get it ourselves.Talking to a number of other Villagers, I find that many postal workers drop packages off at their doors. Most other places we have lived, Amazon trucks deliver everything. Here, much is carried “the last mile” by the USPS. Problem is - the contracted employees (not regular post office employees) negotiated a new contract that limits their responsibility to 1/2 mile from the postal boxes. We are 7/10 mi.! So 30+ minutes drive one way to retrieve our packages! Anybody else have this problem? Anyone find a solution?

How many homes are within 1/2 mile of the post box? Not mine.

[Dusty_Star]

How many homes are within 1/2 mile of the post box? Not mine.

I suppose if you really wanted to know you could look at the postal stations on Google Maps & draw a line to the half mile mark. A circle from that line would enclose all of the houses within the 1/2 mile limit. My guess is, if you did all of the postal stations you would find many houses within the limit.

[Stu from NYC]

If it won't fit in the mailbox, or the larger mail box, my postal station brings it to my door. Yes , Amazon will use the postal service at times. Wonder why your postal station makes you go to the post office ?

Same with us

[asianthree]

We have lived in 5 different villages. I would say Richmond would be the only one who the contractor refuses to deliver packages that are too large to fit in box. Sadly OP you will have to deal with the same contractor for 3-4 year contract.

[nn0wheremann]

The root of the problem here is having to drive 30 mins each way to Lady Lake for the packages for the Villages that are part of Wildwood.

Wildwood has grown exponentially in a short period. The population was barely 7000 people ten years ago and now it's over 20k and growing fast. They have postal facilities in Wildwood, but somehow are not setup at the current time to handle deliveries to areas within TV. It just doesn't seem acceptable for anyone to be expected to drive 15+ miles each way to get their oversized package. I would've thought that USPS had a standard set for something like that.

Maybe someone that frequents this forum would know who to best contact to bring this issue up to.
Most of TV is in Zip codes unique to TV, and these exclude addresses on major roads where most auto accidents occur. This keeps insurance rates low.

[jerryss]

We haven’t received a package in over 6 months in our post office box.

Unfortunately some people leave parcels in the lockers for several months.

We’ve been told that once the parcel lockers are full, we need to go to Lady Lake to pick them up.

Please complain to the usps site and your congress person. This is unacceptable. ( we live in Duval)

[Berwin]

I had a problem just this week with an Amazon package that was sent via USPS. I got the notification from Alexa that the package had been delivered to my front door. I looked out and no package. Checked on Amazon and the orders section said it had been delivered. Our neighborhood has problems with our regular mail carrier so I went online to see what I should do. Amazon said to give it 48 hours before starting a follow-up. Sure enough, it showed up on our doorstep the next afternoon.

[BookerBo]

When we first moved to Hawkins, UPS would deliver our packages to a new home that wasn't sold yet. (I found this out later, when an agent for the Villages dropped everything off at my house that had gone missing three weeks later! - After being replaced by Amazon) I called Amazon and asked them not to ship UPS and the problem was solved. You may want to do the same and try to exclude USPS from Amazon deliveries. I also noticed that Home Depot uses an app developed by UPS for their deliveries. That app pegs our house in a neighborhood just south of 466. We live south of 44. The UPS app would allow you to track your package in real time, like UBER, headed to the wrong house! I had to tell Home Depot to use Google or Waze to find us. We had no complaints with USPS.

[MandoMan]

I am frustrated! We live in Richmond, and our postal worker leaves any Amazon packages that won’t fit into a locker back at the Lady Lakes post office. We just get a slip in our mailbox saying we must get it ourselves.Talking to a number of other Villagers, I find that many postal workers drop packages off at their doors. Most other places we have lived, Amazon trucks deliver everything. Here, much is carried “the last mile” by the USPS. Problem is - the contracted employees (not regular post office employees) negotiated a new contract that limits their responsibility to 1/2 mile from the postal boxes. We are 7/10 mi.! So 30+ minutes drive one way to retrieve our packages! Anybody else have this problem? Anyone find a solution?

Yes, it’s a problem. I ordered eight 6’ lighting tracks from Amazon that came in individual cardboard tube. They were left in my postal station. Sure, a note was placed in my box. But 6’ tracks don’t fit in an oversized locker. So I had to make four trips the half mile to my postal station before getting there when some contract postal worker was there delivering mail and could let me have the tubes. As there was a weekend involved and also my schedule, it took me around six days to get them from the Postal Station. They should have been delivered to my house.

[Bill14564]

Yes, it’s a problem. I ordered eight 6’ lighting tracks from Amazon that came in individual cardboard tube. They were left in my postal station. Sure, a note was placed in my box. But 6’ tracks don’t fit in an oversized locker. So I had to make four trips the half mile to my postal station before getting there when some contract postal worker was there delivering mail and could let me have the tubes. As there was a weekend involved and also my schedule, it took me around six days to get them from the Postal Station. They should have been delivered to my house.

I suspect the USPS delivers to one of two places: Your delivery address or the post office that your mail goes through. In this case, rather than hold it at the post office they delivered it to the address - the box at the postal station.

Now, you could argue that keeping it at the station was wrong and they should have held it at the post office. Would that have been better for you or would you then be writing about the four trips you had to make up to Lady Lake?

If the contract employee hand-delivers anything to your front door that is a courtesy. UPS delivers to your door; FedEx delivers to your door; the USPS delivers to the mail stations.

[JanetH]

Amazon ships two ways:
Their truck who ONLYputs packages at door and postal service who is supposed to put in your mail box , if it doesn’t fit put in lower larger box and provide a key and lastly if too big for either then leave a pickup slip.
It’s exactly like that for me in chitty chatty .
Never had a problem not once 🤷*♀️
Seems you should talk to your mail carrier and/or post office.

[CosmicTrucker]

I am frustrated! We live in Richmond, and our postal worker leaves any Amazon packages that won’t fit into a locker back at the Lady Lakes post office. We just get a slip in our mailbox saying we must get it ourselves.Talking to a number of other Villagers, I find that many postal workers drop packages off at their doors. Most other places we have lived, Amazon trucks deliver everything. Here, much is carried “the last mile” by the USPS. Problem is - the contracted employees (not regular post office employees) negotiated a new contract that limits their responsibility to 1/2 mile from the postal boxes. We are 7/10 mi.! So 30+ minutes drive one way to retrieve our packages! Anybody else have this problem? Anyone find a solution?

These “workers” don't actually have or work under a contract. They receive zero benefits as a result. Your postal carrier is a lazy ass. I would report and complain until this is corrected. Let Amazon know too. I bet the postal worker marks your package as delivered too. Absolutely unacceptable.

[Deden]

Also Wawa's dropoff

[Carlsondm]

This is happening to us in Linden Isle also. We are 0.6 miles from Corbin Trail. I drove to Lady Lake 3x to pick up a hat and 2 pairs of running shoes. I spoke to the "Supervisor" two times. Since tracking apps tell us packages are coming and many of us stay home to receive the package, we get upset when the package is delivered to the mailboxes, an orange slip is left, and our small packages are taken to Lady Lake for pickup. I asked the Supervisor what happens if I ask for redelivery of the package. He said, the driver has the option of using the half mile rule. In other words, the package will go back to Lady Lake. Bad for medical supplies.

[lawngilander]

I am frustrated! We live in Richmond, and our postal worker leaves any Amazon packages that won’t fit into a locker back at the Lady Lakes post office. We just get a slip in our mailbox saying we must get it ourselves.Talking to a number of other Villagers, I find that many postal workers drop packages off at their doors. Most other places we have lived, Amazon trucks deliver everything. Here, much is carried “the last mile” by the USPS. Problem is - the contracted employees (not regular post office employees) negotiated a new contract that limits their responsibility to 1/2 mile from the postal boxes. We are 7/10 mi.! So 30+ minutes drive one way to retrieve our packages! Anybody else have this problem? Anyone find a solution?
If you live in Richmond, it’s only a 10 minute drive to the post office on 301.

[retiredguy123]

I don't think you can direct Amazon to not use USPS for deliveries, especially if the item is being delivered by a third party vender. They do it as a cost saving measure. And, I don't think you can direct USPS to do anything that they don't want to do. The best thing you can do is to try to order items with a short delivery time, so USPS cannot meet the short delivery schedule. Almost everything I order from Amazon has a 1 or 2 day delivery, so they rarely use USPS.

[Bill14564]

If you live in Richmond, it’s only a 10 minute drive to the post office on 301.

You might want to check whether that is your post office. I live near Eisenhower but my post office is in Lady Lake. and I suspect it is the same for the Richmond residents. Not sure about the folks down near 470.

[Stu from NYC]

If you live in Richmond, it’s only a 10 minute drive to the post office on 301.

I would complain to the local post office honcho that you are not getting it delivered to your door. Big packages have always been delivered to our door

[KatieRN]

I am frustrated! We live in Richmond, and our postal worker leaves any Amazon packages that won’t fit into a locker back at the Lady Lakes post office. We just get a slip in our mailbox saying we must get it ourselves.Talking to a number of other Villagers, I find that many postal workers drop packages off at their doors. Most other places we have lived, Amazon trucks deliver everything. Here, much is carried “the last mile” by the USPS. Problem is - the contracted employees (not regular post office employees) negotiated a new contract that limits their responsibility to 1/2 mile from the postal boxes. We are 7/10 mi.! So 30+ minutes drive one way to retrieve our packages! Anybody else have this problem? Anyone find a solution?

I live in Richmond also. We were given the opportunity to fill out a card giving them permission to keep our packages at the mail room at Clarendon postal station and then you can pick them up there when Stephanie is there. Leave her a note in your mail box telling her to leave you a card to fill out. You have to pick up your packages when she is there which can be tricky. She is usually there around 2:00 pm.

[Mollusk29]

I am frustrated! We live in Richmond, and our postal worker leaves any Amazon packages that won’t fit into a locker back at the Lady Lakes post office. We just get a slip in our mailbox saying we must get it ourselves.Talking to a number of other Villagers, I find that many postal workers drop packages off at their doors. Most other places we have lived, Amazon trucks deliver everything. Here, much is carried “the last mile” by the USPS. Problem is - the contracted employees (not regular post office employees) negotiated a new contract that limits their responsibility to 1/2 mile from the postal boxes. We are 7/10 mi.! So 30+ minutes drive one way to retrieve our packages! Anybody else have this problem? Anyone find a solution?
These central mailbox location delivery system was most likely worked out between the developer and the USPS. USPS prefers this system as it save them loads of $$$$ to use contract delivery people. Does anyone think these contract carriers swear "to protect the sanctity of the mail" as is done by city and rural mail carriers upon the start of their careers.? NOT! Too bad RFD(rural free delivery)mailboxes are not permitted at the street in front of our homes. Parcels not being delivered to the house would no longer be an issue.

[asianthree]

If you live in Richmond, it’s only a 10 minute drive to the post office on 301.

Packages and mail come from Lady Lake Post Office. You do not have an option to have it taken to Wildwood Post Office.

[sianagers@att.net]

We have our second Florida home in the Villages and spend a week here and the next week in another Florida town. We didn't get a Village's post box.
When I order next day delivery from Amazon with special delevery instructions (only leave at front door) and give them my Villages address (because I am here) 1/2 the time it goes to a post box we don't have where it sits until USPS returns it to Amazon. I've spoken to USPS and several times to Amazon. I've repeatedly told Amazon that their sub-contractor, USPS does not deliver correctly nor read special instructions. They did agree that USPS does not get or read special instructions. Hopefully this will change soon.
Don’t we all get a mailbox for $150 when we buy here???

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Don’t we all get a mailbox for $150 when we buy here???

Yes, those boxes aren't large enough for big packages. This thread is a complaint about the logistics of large packages that don't fit in the mailbox, OR in the larger lockboxes in the postal stations. For mid-sized packages, they put them in those lockboxes and put a key to it in your mailbox. You use the key to unlock the lockbox and get your package, and the key remains stuck in the lock until the worker releases it for the next use.

But for large packages - they might leave the package inside the postal station, where residents have no access, and can only get their packages if a worker happens to be there to get it for them.

The only alternative is to return the package to the post OFFICE - (not the postal station) - requiring the resident to go to the Lady Lake post office on La Grande at Griffin, and get it there.

SOMETIMES postal workers will deliver to the person's house. They are contractors and aren't required to do this. But perhaps if one of them gets finished early with their delivery to the postal station, they would hand-deliver some packages on their way out of the community. Again, it's not required. Some people think it should be required.

And that's what this thread is about.

[JimLtravels]

As mentioned previously, if you ask for 1-2 day delivery, I’ve found that it usually does not go to my mailbox. The other way i seem to effectively get rid of usps, is to get Sunday delivery from Amazon. You may have to play with delivery dates a little, but I’ve found it fairly effective.

[Dusty_Star]

I am frustrated! We live in Richmond, and our postal worker leaves any Amazon packages that won’t fit into a locker back at the Lady Lakes post office. We just get a slip in our mailbox saying we must get it ourselves.Talking to a number of other Villagers, I find that many postal workers drop packages off at their doors. Most other places we have lived, Amazon trucks deliver everything. Here, much is carried “the last mile” by the USPS. Problem is - the contracted employees (not regular post office employees) negotiated a new contract that limits their responsibility to 1/2 mile from the postal boxes. We are 7/10 mi.! So 30+ minutes drive one way to retrieve our packages! Anybody else have this problem? Anyone find a solution?

You can use Amazon Locker. Find the closest Amazon locker to your house & direct all deliveries to the locker. It is not as convenient as 'to the house delivery', but it is safe from porch pirates & is closer than Lady Lake. Your closest one might be the Save a Lot in Wildwood. Or you can choose any locker site you like. You choose a pickup location during Amazon checkout. You can make it your default delivery. If your item is too large for delivery to that locker location you can search for others with larger lockers. Another option would be the 'in garage delivery', if your garage is compliant. Look in the Your Account option on Amazon.

[retiredguy123]

You can use Amazon Locker. Find the closest Amazon locker to your house & direct all deliveries to the locker. It is not as convenient as 'to the house delivery', but it is safe from porch pirates & is closer than Lady Lake. Your closest one might be the Save a Lot in Wildwood. Or you can choose any locker site you like. You choose a pickup location during Amazon checkout. You can make it your default delivery. If your item is too large for delivery to that locker location you can search for others with larger lockers. Another option would be the 'in garage delivery', if your garage is compliant. Look in the Your Account option on Amazon.
There is an Amazon locker location at the 7-Eleven on Rt 466A near Colony Plaza.

[retiredguy123]

Don’t we all get a mailbox for $150 when we buy here???
I didn't pay anything for mine.

[retiredguy123]

You can use Amazon Locker. Find the closest Amazon locker to your house & direct all deliveries to the locker. It is not as convenient as 'to the house delivery', but it is safe from porch pirates & is closer than Lady Lake. Your closest one might be the Save a Lot in Wildwood. Or you can choose any locker site you like. You choose a pickup location during Amazon checkout. You can make it your default delivery. If your item is too large for delivery to that locker location you can search for others with larger lockers. Another option would be the 'in garage delivery', if your garage is compliant. Look in the Your Account option on Amazon.
I could be wrong, but, if Amazon decides to use USPS, I don't think you can change their decision and have them deliver it to an Amazon locker instead.

[retiredguy123]

These central mailbox location delivery system was most likely worked out between the developer and the USPS. USPS prefers this system as it save them loads of $$$$ to use contract delivery people. Does anyone think these contract carriers swear "to protect the sanctity of the mail" as is done by city and rural mail carriers upon the start of their careers.? NOT! Too bad RFD(rural free delivery)mailboxes are not permitted at the street in front of our homes. Parcels not being delivered to the house would no longer be an issue.
I don't think the developer has any say in how the USPS mail is delivered. One solution would be for the USPS to build more and larger lockers at the postal stations. But good luck getting that done.

[asianthree]

I live in Richmond also. We were given the opportunity to fill out a card giving them permission to keep our packages at the mail room at Clarendon postal station and then you can pick them up there when Stephanie is there. Leave her a note in your mail box telling her to leave you a card to fill out. You have to pick up your packages when she is there which can be tricky. She is usually there around 2:00 pm.

Not always true. You can leave the card, but doesn’t mean your package will remain there to pick up. Recently informed that if not picked up same day, you drive to LL.

[asianthree]

I didn't pay anything for mine.

Everyone pays for keys, unless it was different prior to 2009

[retiredguy123]

Everyone pays for keys, unless it was different prior to 2009
I bought a new house in 2016 and paid nothing for my keys or mailbox.

Note that I just looked at my settlement statement. There was a charge of $190 for a mailbox fee, but that was paid by the seller (the developer), not by me.