A couple of weeks back a long time customer/friend placed an order for two bottles of her favorite perfume Majenty Hidden Cove. She works long hours and was concerned about her beloved perfume being stolen from her mailbox so I made arrangements to personally deliver her precious perfume. While we chatted in her driveway I told her about our recent move and that I had to change my mailbox service and was now using a UPS Store to receive my personal mail and shipments instead of having mail delivered to my house. While she was quite familiar with the UPS Store, she wasn't aware that she could get her mail and packages delivered there.
So thought I would share this again... especially considering that I heard this morning on my local Nextdoor that there was a mail theft issue just a couple of blocks away from our house. Seems the thieves were following the UPS truck and when he made a delivery, they picked it up after he drove off. That sucks!
Save yourself the hassle and get a personal mailbox. Either from a local mom and pop business that offers rent-a-box or from the UPS Store. Just a reminder, this is different from getting a PO Box at the Post Office. A rent-a-box place will receive mail from all couriers (DHL, UPS, USPS, FedEx, etc). They will sign for your packages so you don't have to wait all day at home and still miss a delivery because you didn't "hear" the delivery guy ring your door bell (or so they say they do).
While I've got your attention, let's talk about Signature Confirmation. It's become a bit of a thing, especially during the holiday season and I want to explain it from a retailers point of view in hopes that you (or some of you) may have a bit more understanding of why it "appears" that we inconvenience you. Mail Theft and Fraud are big business. While you may be inconvenienced by having to call the retailer and your credit card company - the retailer loses the inventory, the money, the shipping and if they do end up reshipping the second inventory cost. If you're purchasing the last of an item - it may or may not be replaceable in a timely manner either.
For tracking purposes, Delivery Confirmation is good - the USPS now offers GPS coordinates of where a package has been left so they can tell you if the package actually made it to your mail box or the neighbors BUT Signature Confirmation is best because someone has to actually Sign and Receive the package. I use Delivery Confirmation on all orders (including First Class) and Signature Confirmation when shipping to apartments, office buildings, freight forwarders, large business with mailrooms, or when a shipping address is different than the billing address. This ensures that someone MUST sign for it or it will be returned to me.
But back to the rent-a-box - you can pick up your mail 24/7 with a lockout key and you pick up packages from the front desk during normal business hours. You will never have to worry about missing a delivery again or get mad because a vendor has requested that you sign for a package. The convenience, security and ease of use is so worth the monthly fee. When I got my mail box at UPS Store last month, I prepaid the year and got a month free!! Hey, every bit helps.
Happy Holiday Shopping!!
Love, laughter and friendship,
Lisa
Beauty Cafe
