When you’re waiting for your Amazon order to be delivered, it can be a bit stressful when you learn that your package was “Handed Directly to a Resident”… only you weren’t handed any package at all!
If you’ve gotten this alert, don’t worry. Here’s everything you need to know — and everything you should do.
Why Does Amazon Say “Your Package Was Delivered. It Was Handed Directly to a Resident.” When It Was Not?
If your package was delivered and “Handed Directly to a Resident”, even though it was not handed to you, check to see if your package is at the front door. Often, mail carriers say this happened when it didn’t. If your package isn’t there, you can contact Amazon.
Keep reading to learn more about all your options if you’ve found yourself in this situation!
Check if the Package Is at the Front Door
If you’ve noticed that your package has been delivered and “Handed Directly to a Resident”, the first step you should take is to check to see if your package is at your front door.
Unfortunately, it seems that delivery drivers from various carriers will mark that they have handed a package to a resident… only that’s not the case. Instead, they just leave the package at the front door. Sometimes they ring the doorbell; sometimes, they do not.
Whether delivery drivers hit this option by mistake or on purpose is always up for debate. But if you’ve been alerted that this has happened, you shouldn’t start stressing until after you check to see if your package is at your front door.
More often than not, it is! Your delivery driver just securely left the package there at the door rather than handing it to you. If this is the case, then you needn’t worry any longer about your package, as you now have it.
What to Do if Your Amazon Package Is Not Delivered
Unfortunately, sometimes your package is said to be delivered and “Handed Directly to a Resident”, only you then find that the package hasn’t been delivered at all. It’s not at your front door.
Sometimes, this is done by mistake. A package is marked as delivered even though it hasn’t been yet. However, this does often mean that it will be delivered soon, likely by the end of the day, as it may currently be on the delivery truck on its way to you.
You can always contact the mail carrier that currently has your package to learn more about where your package is. If a day goes by and your package still hasn’t been delivered, then you should definitely get in contact with the mail carrier.
You can also get in contact with Amazon, though they often don’t have any access to information that your mail carrier does.
But if enough time has passed and your package clearly wasn’t — and isn’t — being delivered, you can call their Customer Service and inform them of the situation.
Can You Be Compensated if Amazon Says “Handed Directly to a Resident” When It’s Clearly Not?
If your package still hasn’t been delivered, even though it says it was “Handed Directly to a Resident”, you can always get in touch with Amazon’s Customer Service and let them know the situation.
On average, wait about 48 hours. If your package still hasn’t arrived, contact your mail carrier and Amazon to learn what you should do next.
Amazon often says that you should wait 30 business days to see if your package arrives — but you can definitely get in contact with them well before then to see your options.
It’s up to Amazon whether or not they’ll refund you for this issue, but if you haven’t received your package at all, they often will.
If you’re seeking compensation for a delivered package that was stated to be “Handed Directly to a Resident”, even though it clearly wasn’t, you’ll have a tough time receiving it. Likely, the only thing you can do in this situation is just to file a complaint.
Who Is to Blame – Amazon or the Driver?
Again, who is to blame for this situation is always up for debate. Often, the blame falls on the delivery driver. But did the driver mean to hit this option on delivery — or did they mistakenly do so?
It really just depends. It may also be a logistical or technical error that says it was “Handed Directly to a Resident” when it clearly wasn’t!
Conclusion
If your Amazon order says it was “Handed Directly to a Resident” upon delivery, even though it clearly wasn’t, you should always check your front door to see if your package is there. If not, get in contact with your mail carrier and Amazon to see where your package is.