One-day shipping and higher online shopping volumes are pushing the limits.

If you are an Amazon shopper, you've probably gotten used to the fast shipping options the company provides. But ever since holiday shopping kicked into high gear on Black Friday, some people have complained about late or missing deliveries. Amazon implemented free one-day shipping for Prime members in April, and many customers were counting on getting those quick deliveries for holiday gifts. But winter storms in the Midwest and massive order volumes on Black Friday weekend and Cyber Monday left some disappointed.

Amazon has been busy building its own transpiration and delivery infrastructure in the past few years. The company has added planes, trucks, and vans driven by independent drivers to speed up delivery times. On December 17, 2019, Amazon announced it was suspending the use of FedEx Delivery by third-party sellers for the holiday season due to slow delivery times. In a statement to Reuters, Amazon acknowledged the lag.

“Some deliveries were briefly impacted by weather, but we worked quickly to re-balance capacity across our network,” said spokeswoman Rena Lunak.

Amazon predictive delivery map, courtesy Amazon

Amazon makes it easy for customers to track packages online, through the app, or simply by asking Alexa, “Where’s my stuff?”. The app even allows customers to pinpoint a package’s location on a map and predict a delivery window. If a package is lost or running severely late, you can cancel the order or request a replacement. 

The company is extending the return window for products bought between November 1 and December 31 until January 31, 2020. Just take those unwanted gifts to Amazon return locations like Kohl’s and Whole Foods. They’ll box and label them for you, and you’ll get a refund without having to make a trip to the post office.

Have you had trouble with package deliveries? Have you been the victim of porch pirates? Tell us your story in the comments!