Online shopping is so convenient that many of us place orders and forget about them until the boxes show up at our doorstep. As satisfying as it is to get school supplies or groceries delivered in a matter of hours or days, you can't always ensure you'll be waiting at home.
Unfortunately, a package sitting on a front porch or in an apartment lobby is an easy target for theft. In 2023, 119 million packages were stolen, which equates to one out of every 180 deliveries. Most were snatched from homes in the Seattle, Memphis, and San Diego metro areas.
If you've ever had to rush home to collect a package, ask the neighbors to keep an eye on the door, or been a victim of porch pirates, consider these tips to help secure deliveries. Peace of mind can often be worth the price.
Set Up Amazon Delivery Days
The simplest way to prevent package theft is to make sure it arrives when you're actually home. Amazon Prime members can select the free Amazon Day Delivery option at checkout, which is also intended to cut down on the number of trips that Amazon delivery people make to your home in a given week.
(Credit: PCMag / Amazon)If you haven't set this up before, Amazon will suggest a delivery day. You can click Change delivery day to make changes. Choose the preferred day of the week and click Save and continue to make it stick. You can also select Save selected day for future orders to save the day for future use. Choose Make Amazon Day my preferred delivery option for future orders to set it as the default delivery preference moving forward.
(Credit: PCMag / Amazon)Send to Remote Pick-Up Locations
Most delivery services offer access to a remote pick-up location like a secure locker, post office, or retail counter. Amazon boasts hundreds of Amazon Lockers and pickup counters across the country—free to access for Prime members.
(Credit: Amazon)At checkout, click Change next to your shipping address and click Find a pickup location near you to see your nearby pickup location options. You'll get a notification or email when it's been delivered. Use the code to retrieve your package from the locker or third-party pickup location. Certain items may also be returned at participating pickup points.
(Credit: PCMag / Amazon)Schedule Garage Deliveries
This one takes an added layer of trust. But if you're comfortable with a delivery person entering your garage when you're not home, try Amazon Key. You'll need a Prime account and the Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Hub or Aladdin Connect Genie Wi-Fi RetroFit Kit to take advantage of Key Delivery for Amazon, Amazon Fresh, and Whole Foods Market orders.
(Credit: Amazon)Garage deliveries are available in select areas and for select garage door brands; check your eligibility on Amazon's website. Add a Ring Indoor Cam or Ring Stick Up Cam to watch deliveries in real time for a sense of added security. Note: Amazon will add a $1.99 fee if you opt for In-Garage Delivery on a non-Amazon Day delivery slot.
Provide a Smart Delivery Box
Several companies offer physical boxes that allow deliveries to be dropped off and stored discretely. Of course, that means you'll need to communicate to delivery people that they need to use the box (and how to operate it). We reviewed the $280 Yale Smart Delivery Box, and liked it. However, we've also seen other options come and go over the years. You probably don't want to rely on something only for support to suddenly end.
Set Up Outdoor Security
If no other options work, consider an outdoor security camera that can keep an eye on packages while you're away. Set up the camera near where packages are typically delivered—the front stoop, the side door, or the back garden. If it can be installed in a visible location (yet inaccessible to would-be package thieves), all the better. In a pinch, an indoor camera set up in a nearby window can also work.
If a security camera isn't your style, consider a video doorbell, which allows you to remotely talk with visitors, and in this case, berate whoever is trying to swipe packages.