What Happens When USPS Loses an Amazon Package? (The Complete 2023 Guide)

As an avid online shopper, I know how frustrating it can be when a package goes missing. And when it‘s an Amazon delivery that was being handled by USPS, it leads to even more uncertainty. What should you do? Who‘s really responsible? Will you get a refund or a replacement?

Not to worry – I‘ve got you covered! I‘ll walk you step-by-step through everything you need to know about what happens when USPS loses your Amazon package. Whether you‘re a Prime member or not, you‘ll know exactly how to get the situation resolved quickly.

Why Does Amazon Rely on USPS for Deliveries?

Before we dive into what to do when things go wrong, let‘s briefly review why Amazon partners with USPS for many of its deliveries in the first place:

Massive Reach: With over 31,322 post offices and delivery routes covering every address in the 50 states, USPS offers unrivaled geographic coverage. This allows Amazon to deliver to even the most remote customers.
Cost Savings: USPS provides affordable residential delivery rates, which keeps costs down on Amazon‘s huge volume of packages. Their pricing model focuses more on serving the public vs. profits.
Infrastructure: The USPS handles 523.8 million packages per year, giving them the infrastructure and workforce needed to accommodate Amazon‘s high package volumes.
Weekend Delivery: Unlike some other carriers, USPS delivers packages on Sundays. So reliance on USPS enables faster Prime shipping schedules.
Trusted Reputation: American consumers generally trust USPS to deliver their mail and packages reliably and securely. This reflects positively on Amazon as well.

What To Do If Your Amazon Package Gets Lost by USPS

If you realize your Amazon package is missing in action and suspect it was lost by USPS somewhere along the delivery route, here are the steps to take:

Double Check for Delivery

Before reporting anything, exhaust all possibilities that the package was actually delivered but is hiding somewhere not so obvious.

Check carefully at every entrance and all sides of your home, upstairs/downstairs, with neighbors, etc. Sometimes packages get delivered to odd spots!
If you have a mailroom or leasing office, verify the package isn‘t being held there for you.
Ask neighbors if they may have accidentally taken it or seen it delivered.
Look behind outdoor furnishings, in leaf piles, under doormats, etc. Delivery drivers sometimes get creative if deliveries begin running late.

Review Tracking Details

Check online or in your Amazon app to view the tracking information and status. See if it gives any indication of progress like "out for delivery" or a location it was scanned at.

Contact Amazon Customer Service

Don‘t delay in alerting Amazon if your package remains unaccounted for, especially if it‘s been more than 36 hours past the expected delivery date.

Call 1-888-280-4331 to reach their customer service team by phone.
Initiate a chat session on Amazon‘s website for real-time messaging help.
Tweet @amazonhelp to get assistance via Twitter.

Explain what‘s going on and provide any shipping details or tracking info. Amazon has 24/7 customer support, so they‘ll get back to you right away!

File a Claim with USPS

If instructed by the Amazon rep or if a week has passed with no delivery, submit an official missing mail request on the USPS website.

You‘ll need your tracking number and other shipment specifics.
Claims must be made within 60 days for domestic packages and 6 months for international.
Proof of postage may be requested if you didn‘t ship through Amazon.

This kicks off USPS‘s process for tracing the package and investigating what could have happened.

Request Refund or Replacement from Amazon

Provide all the details to your Amazon rep and inquire about replacement or refund options. In most cases:

Replacement item will ship quickly at no charge
Refund of your original payment will process within 2-3 days

Don‘t sit around waiting for USPS to find your box. Get Amazon working on a solution for you right away!

How to Track and Document Your Lost Package

When following up about a missing delivery, the more details you can provide, the better. Here are some tips on tracking and documenting:

Save shipping confirmation with delivery date and tracking number
Take photos of the packaged item before shipment
Hold onto receipt if you dropped off at Post Office
Print delivery address label showing where it was to be delivered
Take notes on package contents, value, size, etc.
Follow delivery progress with the tracking number prior to expected arrival
Screenshot tracking pages showing the last scan and status

The more evidence you have regarding what was shipped and its last known whereabouts, the easier it will be to demonstrate it‘s missing and get the situation resolved.

Reasons for Late Amazon Deliveries – And What To Do

While your first thought may be that USPS lost your package, there are other reasons Amazon deliveries can be delayed:

Reason for Delay	What You Can Do
Weather issues	Contact Amazon if no update after 1 day of severe weather
Heavy order volumes	Reach out to Amazon if no delivery within 48 hours of estimated date
Carrier errors	Verify with Amazon the correct carrier after 36 hours
Wrong address	Update address; may need to allow extra time for package to reroute
Customs hold	Wait for Amazon to resolve if international order; may take 1-2 weeks

Don‘t assume it‘s permanently lost right away. A short delay doesn‘t necessarily mean USPS misplaced your delivery. Let Amazon track and rectify as needed.

Helpful Tips to Avoid USPS Losing Another Amazon Order

Here are some positive steps you can take to help minimize the chances of USPS losing your package again:

Leave Delivery Instructions – Provide gate codes, which door to use, where to leave packages if you‘re not home, etc.
Meet Your Carrier – Quickly introduce yourself so they remember who you are and what your house looks like.
Select Secure Locations – Have high value packages sent to an Amazon Locker, UPS Access Point, or held at your local Post Office.
Require Signatures – For really important orders, enable the signature tracking option, so they can‘t just be left without someone present.
Set Up USPS Informed Delivery – Receive email images of mail and packages arriving each day so you know what to watch for.
Always Get Receipts – Request and retain tracking receipts whenever mailing packages from the Post Office.
Add Insurance – For expensive or fragile items, purchase extra delivery insurance for added protection.
Drop Off Returns – Rather than leaving returns in your mailbox, drop them off inside the Post Office for enhanced security.

Being proactive with delivery instructions, tracking options, documentation, and communication with USPS and Amazon makes a big difference. While nothing is ever guaranteed, these steps can help avoid more missing packages.

What If USPS Repeatedly Loses or Damages Your Amazon Packages?

Hopefully USPS losing or damaging one of your Amazon packages is a rare fluke. But if it becomes a pattern, you may need to escalate the matter. Here are some potential resolutions to repeatedly lost or damaged packages:

File official complaints with USPS Consumer Affairs regarding the ongoing problems
Contact Amazon Logistics to send replacements via UPS/FedEx instead
Discuss holding your packages at the Post Office for pickup with both Amazon and USPS
Consider renting a P.O. box where packages can be securely held
Reach out to neighbors to see if they‘re having similar experiences
Escalate to the Postal Inspection Service to report negligence if local post office doesn‘t address complaints
Last resort: File mail fraud report if issue is ongoing and unresolved

The more documentation you have regarding repeated issues, the better your case will be. USPS and Amazon both want to provide quality service, so hold them accountable.

What to Do If Your Amazon Return Is Lost by USPS

Returning Amazon purchases you don‘t want or need is a snap—unless the package gets lost in transit! Here‘s what to know if your Amazon return disappears:

For Amazon-fulfilled items, you‘ll automatically get your refund shortly after the return window closes, even without them receiving the return.
For third party sellers, you‘ll need to work with that merchant directly on next steps if USPS can‘t locate the package.
Take photos of the packaged return item before shipping for extra proof.
Insure expensive return shipments in case the unthinkable happens!
Get acceptance receipts when dropping off returns and save tracking details.
If issues persist, consider a backup return address other than your home where packages consistently go missing.

Amazon wants your return experience to be easy, so they‘ll make sure you‘re taken care of in the rare event USPS loses your return shipment.

What Happens When USPS Loses an Amazon Package? Recap

If you suspect USPS lost your Amazon delivery, here‘s a quick summary of what to do:

Check for your package thoroughly – it may be hiding nearby!
Review tracking details for any scans or updates
Contact Amazon ASAP and explain the issue
File a missing mail search request with USPS
Provide details to Amazon for fast refund or replacement
Track and document shipping specifics to support your claim
Consider preventative measures to avoid future losses

While occasional mishaps are inevitable, Amazon‘s customer service has your back. With some diligence on your part, any lost package situation can get resolved promptly!

The Bottom Line

Having an Amazon order get lost in transit can certainly be aggravating. But the good news is that Amazon‘s excellent customer support team is there to quickly make things right again with a refund or replacement. Be sure to provide them all the pertinent details up front, and they‘ll handle the rest for you!

I hope this guide gave you everything you need to know about why packages get lost with USPS, and exactly what to do about it. Just remember to contact Amazon ASAP, file a USPS claim, and provide tracking details. With millions of packages in motion, a few are bound to get misplaced. But you‘ll be back to happy online shopping in no time!