My wife and I are both 75 and living in a one bedroom bungalow,a good bit smaller than Buckingham Palace.
We do have a door bell.It is obviously a door bell but not actually marked as a bell.
On one occasion last week we heard a knock on the door.By the time I got there (10 seconds ?) the van was disappearing around the end of the street.
On another occasion we found a parcel lying on the ground,soaking in the pouring rain with the contents destroyed.
Who is to blame for these working practices ? Amazon (and others like them) for imposing them or the drivers themselves for accepting them ?
I would say both are to blame…
With Amazon you can nominate a safe place to leave your parcel, ive never had a problem they always leave it where I’ve asked it to be left…
I used to be a postman and it always seemed a long wait for someone to answer the door, especially when you still have more than half the round to deliver.
Both really .
Like our industry truck driving. The quicker you get your jobs done the more work there give you.
Amazon drivers are probably paid per parcel so guess it pays to do it quicker.
If there paid by tho hour doubt they’d be rushing as much
iirc it used to be paid 40p a parcel and the deliveries were 4 minute slots, now I suspect it’s a lot less
I will often choose a locker if its an option for amazon. My address isn’t ideal to find within the last 6 flats so stuff left is a bit of a lottery over whos door it end up outside.
When I was doing Amazon myself if no sign of life after first knock and counting to 5, the pen would be out and starting the missed you card. Had no issue trying a couple of neighbours or safe place, anything that wasn’t delivered on day one would be back on board the next day.
This is on the out for delivery emails “To help ensure the safety of our customers and delivery partners, we will now leave packages at your doorstep where appropriate and move back before you collect your package.”
Problem I have found is their idea of moving back is to get back in the van and drive off, purely for their safety of course 
I believe Amazon gives you the option to deliver it to your local shop or post office. This is usually the best option.
You can just pick it up and your convivence.
Other than that, your only 75. Jump on a exercise bike get in shape and you can sprint to the door when the Amazon man knocks. 
But who is to blame? YOU ARE.
Anyone who uses Amazon is to blame. It is incredibly cheap, extremely fast delivery and often very convient. Who wouldn’t want an order by 1pm and get the same day delivery or next day delivery? It all comes at a price though.
It is why small shops are disappearing. They simply can not compete with the likes of Amazon. Who just have a few big hubs. Instead of hundreds of little corner shops. They have very little overhead. I have zero shops near me now that sell electrical components for computers. Because Amazon/eBay literally ran them out of business. They could not compete on the prices.
adam277:
I believe Amazon gives you the option to deliver it to your local shop or post office. This is usually the best option.
You can just pick it up and your convivence.Other than that, your only 75. Jump on a exercise bike get in shape and you can sprint to the door when the Amazon man knocks.
But who is to blame? YOU ARE.
Anyone who uses Amazon is to blame. It is incredibly cheap, extremely fast delivery and often very convient. Who wouldn’t want an order by 1pm and get the same day delivery or next day delivery? It all comes at a price though.
It is why small shops are disappearing. They simply can not compete with the likes of Amazon. Who just have a few big hubs. Instead of hundreds of little corner shops. They have very little overhead. I have zero shops near me now that sell electrical components for computers. Because Amazon/eBay literally ran them out of business. They could not compete on the prices.
Firms like Amazon Costa etc. Dont pay taxes either. Every little helps, their bottom line.
alamcculloch:
It is why small shops are disappearing. They simply can not compete with the likes of Amazon.
Small shops, in fact all shops on the high street that are disappearing are disappearing because they don’t sell what customers want. There are a lot of independent small shops in my town, including a computer shop, and because they actually sell stuff people want we have people coming here to shop from all over. Saw a guy I work with here with his missus one Saturday and he lives 30 miles away. She comes here to look round the shops, they go to the restaurant at the chippy for their dinner.
And I’d add customers are to blame for expecting way too much for too little
peirre:
iirc it used to be paid 40p a parcel and the deliveries were 4 minute slots, now I suspect it’s a lot less
Jesus, 4 minutes is an age, nowadays 90 seconds is the target
Fuzrat:
This is on the out for delivery emails “To help ensure the safety of our customers and delivery partners, we will now leave packages at your doorstep where appropriate and move back before you collect your package.”Problem I have found is their idea of moving back is to get back in the van and drive off, purely for their safety of course
Problem is if a driver waits an extra 30 seconds at each drop do 120 drops and that’s an hour longer and potentially drops falling off the end of your day and being taken back to warehouse for tomorrow, company getting fined by their customers, drivers potentially getting fined or losing bonuses, and end customers like you waiting longer. In that context just dropping and going isn’t so bad is it
As the OP,may I say that I concur with those above who are less than flattering about Amazon.I’ve never ordered anything from them but I frequently receive stuff from them.I’d receive more if I were quicker off the mark.
Another point is that so many of their products are of Chinese origin which makes it difficult not to help the Chinese economy in some small way.
youv got to fight fire with fire-if you can?- when it comes to the chinese.Mate of mine makes outdoor animal huts has a dozen employees and a chinese rang him up they wanted to make them for him ,in china.He isnt interested then the chinese said we will make them ourselves and be your competitor youll regret your decision. Theyre absolutely ruthless . Reminds me over from where i live chinese takeaway sometimes see a face at attic window 4 floors up, migrant? who knows its near the docks. Wouldnt suprise me if Amazon is already chinese owned .