Whenever we order something off Amazon or any other e-commerce platform, we’re usually given an estimated delivery date with the order confirmation. This is to give us an idea of when our orders will arrive.
If we’re lucky, our orders may arrive earlier than expected. How often does this happen with Amazon?
Here’s How Often Amazon Packages Arrive Early:
When you place an order on Amazon, it usually takes 5 to 8 days to arrive. That’s the regular number of days your order will take to be delivered once it has been shipped. However, many Amazon orders arrive earlier than expected, so it often happens.
How Many Amazon Packages Arrive Early?
Since Amazon usually gives you an estimated delivery date of 5 to 8 days from the date of shipment, you would be surprised to learn that Amazon orders frequently arrive early.
Most Amazon packages arrive early. They are usually delivered a day before their estimated delivery date.
Of course, this only applies to regular Amazon products. This doesn’t apply to Amazon Prime items because they’re always expected to arrive within two days.
Some would even arrive the next day.
The main reason why Amazon packages arrive early is because of the way that Amazon calculates the delivery date. When giving you an estimated delivery date, Amazon considers the package’s transit time.
This means they consider any possible delays or issues they may encounter while the package is in transit.
This includes uncontrollable scenarios such as bad weather conditions, natural disasters, road blockages, bad road conditions, and extremely high volumes of shipments.
If none of those scenarios occur and the package’s transit goes smoothly, your package will arrive early.
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How Early In The Day Can Amazon Packages Arrive?
We’re used to our mail and packages from the post office being delivered during office hours, typically 8 am to 5 pm, but it is different with Amazon.
Packages from Amazon can arrive as early as 6 am in your local time.
Amazon deliveries typically happen between 6 am to 10 pm in your local time. Since Amazon drivers do not want to disturb you, they’ll usually leave the package on your porch or by the front door.
They would only ring the doorbell, knock on your door, or call you about your package between 8 am to 8 pm unless the package requires a signature.
If you order something from Amazon, you can expect it to arrive at your delivery address as early as 6 am on the delivery date, or sometimes, on the day before it.
Your Amazon package may be handed over to the US Postal Service for delivery. For efficiency and to meet delivery windows, Amazon partners with USPS. This happens a lot in peak shipping seasons like Christmas.
So if your Amazon package has been handed over to USPS for delivery, you can expect it to arrive during post office hours, between 8 am and 5 am in your local time.
Do Amazon Prime Packages Arrive Earlier?
You may wonder what it is if you’re not an Amazon Prime member.
Amazon Prime is a paid membership that costs $139 per year.
If you don’t want to pay an annual fee, you can pay it month-to-month, which costs $14.99 per month. If you order a lot from Amazon, the fees may be worth it because they offer a lot of perks.
One main benefit of being an Amazon Prime member is faster shipping.
Amazon Prime packages do arrive earlier compared to non-Prime packages. With Amazon Prime, you can deliver your Amazon package within two days.
This applies to all Amazon Prime-eligible products, and the best part about it is that the shipping is free.
For some Amazon Prime products, you can even get free same-day shipping if you place the order before the cutoff time, if your order total reaches the minimum amount, and if your address is eligible for same-day delivery.
Take note that only residential addresses are qualified for same-day Delivery. Office addresses, P.O. Boxes, DPO, APO, and FPO addresses are not eligible.
There will be a countdown timer when purchasing an Amazon Prime item that’s available for same-day delivery. This timer gives you the window of time in which you must complete the order so that it will be delivered on the same day.
The delivery date may change if the item suddenly becomes out of stock or the designated Amazon driver has already reached maximum delivery capacity for the day.
Here is how to place an order for free same-day delivery with Amazon Prime:
- Sign in to your Amazon Prime Account.
- Set your default shipping address. This must be a residential address, and it should be located in a ZIP code that’s eligible for Amazon Prime free same-day delivery.
- Amazon will show you the items eligible for same-day delivery when browsing through the store.
- Add an item to your shopping cart while ensuring that you are within the cutoff time and that the order reaches the minimum amount. Select the option that says “Today Free” and choose “Buy now with 1-Click”.
- You will see the delivery time in the Order Summary when completing the purchase.
If you’re a Prime member, but your order did not reach the minimum amount required for same-day delivery, you can still get it on the same day by paying the same-day delivery fee of $2.99
If you’re not a Prime member, you can still get same-day delivery for eligible products. You have to pay the same-day delivery fee of $9.99.
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What Type Of Amazon Packages Typically Arrive Early?
We all know that Amazon Prime items always arrive early, and that’s because members pay a premium to get this benefit.
Most Amazon packages will generally arrive early, regardless of the package type.
As long as the item is in stock and there are no delays in transit, you can expect your Amazon package to arrive earlier than the expected delivery date.
How Often Is Tracking Data On Packages Updated?
After placing an order and shipping it, you will get an email from Amazon with the tracking number.
This lets you check the status of your order while it is in transit.
Most tracking data on Amazon packages are updated in real-time. Amazon provides Map Tracking that lets you see on a map the progress of shipped packages in real time.
Currently, not all Amazon packages have Map Tracking. Amazon will notify you if your package has this feature, and if it doesn’t, then you can just use the traditional tracking tool that Amazon has on its website.
Whether you have Map Tracking or not, you can still get accurate information on the status of your package.
Sometimes, updates on the tracking data may be delayed.
Here’s how to track your Amazon package:
- Log in to your Amazon Account and go to Your Orders.
- Select the order that you want to track.
- Click “Track Package.”
- Then click “See All Updates” to view the tracking data.
Some instances where tracking information may be missing or not updated in real-time.
Here are the reasons why this could happen:
- Shipping volumes are abnormally high, so the first package scan may only happen on arrival at the regional Amazon hub near the destination.
- The package was not scanned when it was shipped and may not be scanned until delivery.
- The tracking database is being updated, which can cause delays in displaying recent tracking data.
- The marketplace or third-party seller failed to provide Amazon with the tracking information.
- Some packages, such as Standard International shipments, cannot be tracked.
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If it is already past the estimated delivery date for your Amazon package and the tracking data is still not updated, Amazon recommends waiting an additional day or two for the package to arrive.
If it still hasn’t arrived, you can take the first steps in locating your package by contacting Amazon.
If the tracking data shows that your package has been delivered, but you haven’t received anything, then go to the Amazon website and “Find a Missing Package That Shows as Delivered.”
This will show you what steps you can take to resolve this.
Sources:
Do Amazon Packages Come Early? (Explained)
What Time Does Amazon Deliver? Know Before You Order