Amazon is always amazing me with how quick their deliveries are. It seems you place an order and it appears on your doorstep within hours.
But when exactly does Amazon start delivering? How early can you expect an Amazon package? We looked into it and this is what we know…
What Time Does Amazon Start Delivering?
Amazon starts delivering as early as 4 AM. You can typically expect Amazon deliveries to arrive from 6 AM onwards and up to 8 PM at night. Amazon is also doing overnight deliveries that start at 4AM, if your order meets the minimum payment requirement or you opt to pay a small shipping fee.
The only exception to this is if you opted for a signature delivery. In this case, your items will arrive only between 8am and 8pm.
It’s important to remember that there are a number of things that can affect the delivery time of your package.
This article takes a quick look at the Amazon delivery process from beginning to end and the issues that can occur along the way.
Do Amazon Do Early Morning Deliveries?
Amazon’s early morning deliveries depend on when you made your order in the first place and what type of Amazon membership you have. If available, you can opt for an overnight delivery, which would have the item delivered before 8AM.
Amazon have a help and customer service page where you can check the details of your order and the status of its delivery.
For example, if you are an Amazon Prime member, and you choose overnight delivery, then you should receive your package by 8am the next morning – but only if you make that order by midnight the night before.
Speed of shipping depends on the type of delivery you choose, your location, and the size (and availability) of your order.
You will notice on the Amazon’s help page, that Saturday and Sunday delivery is only available in certain locations, and costs extra.
Does Amazon Deliver Before 8AM?
It is common for Amazon deliveries to arrive before 8am. If delivery drivers have not been held up, and if your package is not large and bulky, your address has been added clearly and correctly, and you don’t need to sign for your stuff – then your early morning package should arrive ok.
Things that might delay your delivery include:
- Weather conditions
- Delivery drivers unable to find your location
- Obscured or damaged package labels
- A recipient refuses the package thinking it is not for them
- You have a PO box and your package is too large
- You have a PO box and you have ordered perishable items
- There was nobody available to sign for your package (this option is added during the ordering process)
- You have used a restricted address
- You have used a business address
- Your package was damaged during transit
- The number of packages to be delivered by the courier is very high
- You did not select early morning delivery at checkout
- You did not order in time to access the early morning delivery option
Items that are unable to be delivered are classed as undeliverable and are returned to the company. If this happens, Amazon issue full refunds and direct you to make a new order if you would like to.
Does Amazon Deliver At 4 AM?
Yes, Amazon has started doing some overnight deliveries that start at 4AM. It is possible that you may spot an Amazon courier beginning a day of deliveries very early in the morning.
However, it is important to realize that the courier you see is beginning a round of deliveries; this won’t be the time you can expect an actual drop off. Overnight deliveries can be expected between 4AM and 8AM.
Parcels and groceries are more typically dropped from about 6am onwards, and at 8am onwards if your items need your signature.
When Does Amazon Stop Delivering Each Day?
Amazon drivers stop delivering each day when they have reached the end of their delivery schedule. Because schedules rely on a clean drop off run with no issues, and this often doesn’t happen, delivering may not be completed until quite late each night.
So, if you spot an Amazon courier still working late at night, it’s likely they are a little behind schedule, and this probably because of the number of packages they have.
Most deliveries are completed on weekdays with the weekend options only available for Amazon Prime members.
Remember, also, that weekend days are not counted as business days when you select your shipping speed.
Is It Possible To See Where My Amazon Package Is During Delivery?
Amazon lets customers see where their package is on a map only when it is about to be delivered. When the package is a couple stops away, you can see where the delivery driver is in real time.
However, it’s not possible to locate your item as it’s traveling along in a delivery van at any other point for safety reasons. It is possible to find each location that it has just left.
You can track your package by going to Shipping and Delivery on the Amazon help and customer service page.
This is where you can check the delivery status of your order.
Click on track your package and select the order you are investigating. Clicking on the track package button next to this order, which should take you to the tracking information page.
Here you will see the tracking number and the estimated date of delivery. You should also see whether or not the courier has picked up your item and whether it is out for delivery or arrived.
Want to learn more about Amazon? Check out these articles to learn if you can use Google Pay on Amazon, what to do if your Amazon order says delivered but you haven’t received it, and can you return opened items to Amazon?
Conclusion…
Trying to work out how and when your Amazon package should arrive is confusing. The shipping and delivery processes are complex and are influenced by multiple factors.
However, if you’re expecting a package from Amazon, you can typically expect the deliveries to start around 6AM, unless you opted for overnight delivery which can be as early as 4AM.