We worry about the important packages we send and receive through delivery services. Will we receive them? Will someone take the box from my home? Unfortunately, these concerns are valid, but there are ways you can help keep your packages safer.
From investing in FedEx insurance to choosing what boxes to send your items in and tracking your package along its route to monitoring your home with a video doorbell or security system, we’ve detailed nine ways to keep your packages safer.
1. Choose Shipping Insurance
We are constantly asked if we want to add shipping insurance. Our first instinct is to decline this added coverage. Some packages may not require it. The delivery service may include insurance up to a specific value.
However, if something has a higher monetary or sentimental value and cannot be replaced easily, investing in shipping insurance may be worth the additional cost. You should also consider whether the contents of the package qualify for insurance coverage. The chances are that you won’t need it, but what if you do?
2. Require a Signature on Delivery
To ensure that the person you send a package to receives it, you can opt for Signature on Delivery. The delivery driver will then have to physically hand over the box to someone who signs their name instead of just leaving it at the doorstep.
If you are receiving an essential package from someone else, you can ask them to send it with “signature on delivery.” While there is usually an added charge for the service, you have peace of mind knowing the package was delivered. In addition, some companies will allow you to request this service when you order with them for an added fee.
3. Leave Special Instructions
Delivery services have tools you can use to leave instructions for the driver dropping off your packages. The FedEx “Delivery Manager” allows you to tell your driver if there is a code to enter the building, for example. You can also leave instructions to drop the package off at a location other than your front door or with a different person, like a neighbor or property manager.
Having the package left somewhere else or with a trusted person makes it easier knowing it’s safe. The UPS “My Choice” tool and the USPS “Informed Delivery” app offer similar options.
4. Track Your Package Often
It’s hard to know what happened to a package if you didn’t receive it but didn’t know when it was supposed to have been delivered. By keeping an eye on your packages tracking numbers, you have an idea of when they are supposed to be delivered. If you are home, you can keep an eye out for it. If you aren’t, you can ask a neighbor to pick up the package if they see it so you can stop by and get it from them when you arrive.
If the package shows that it’s been delivered, but it’s not there, you should contact the delivery service as soon as possible. Many delivery notices will leave a note about where in the area it was left. You have the highest chance of finding the package if a claim is made as soon as possible.
5. Install a Doorbell Camera
If packages are delivered while you are at work or away from home, a video doorbell camera is a great way to keep an eye on what’s happening at your home. When you see that a delivery has been made, you can call someone to pick it up for you or let someone else at home know they should bring it inside. Video doorbells are being used more often in identifying porch thieves.
6. Keep the Delivery Area Well Lit
Video doorbells and security cameras aren’t as effective in dimly lit areas, so keeping your porch or other location well-lit is vital. More importantly, if your entryway is well lit, thieves are less likely to approach the area at night to pick up packages because neighbors may see them. Be sure there is adequate lighting and replace any bulbs if needed. Having lights on a motion sensor can help deter unwanted guests.
7. Get to Know Your Neighbors
Knowing your neighbors, whether you live in an apartment complex, a busy neighborhood, or a rural area, can help cut down on package theft. Even if you aren’t around, neighbors know who should be in the area and who looks out of place. When you are home, you can keep an eye out as well. By supporting each other and ensuring everyone’s packages, homes, and loved ones are safe, you create a stronger and better-protected neighborhood.
The next time you ship a package or place an order online, opt for FedEx insurance. You may not need to file a claim about your package, but if you do, you want to know that the box and its contents are covered against damage and theft.
