RALEIGH -- There's no question, more and more people are buying gifts online this holiday season. The United States Postal Service is forecasting that the agency will likely deliver more than 850 million packages this holiday season. And with each click, more and more people are falling victim to scams and porch pickers stealing their goods.
Alyssa Gutierrez of the Better Business Bureau serving Eastern North Carolina (BBB) sat down with Spectrum News Anchor Caroline Blair to offer help to consumers who are looking to safely order and receive items online.
BBB serving Eastern NC offers the following tips on receiving online deliveries:
Track your packages: Follow shipments from the seller to your front door with online, text message or phone call tracking offered through the delivery company. Sign up for alerts to be notified of delays or exceptions and when the package has been delivered.
Be available for delivery: Track packages and arrange to be available during estimated delivery times. Have a trusted friend or neighbor pick up the packages in a timely manner after delivery or ship to your work address (pending company approval). Package delivery thieves have been known to follow delivery trucks around town, stealing packages immediately after delivery.
Request a signature: This package delivery feature will likely come with a fee, but without a recipient’s signature, the delivery service won’t be able to leave a package exposed on a doorstep.
Personalize delivery: Schedule a certain day and/or time for your package delivery, including evenings and weekends or provide specific instructions on where a package should be placed to keep the delivery hidden from public view. Consumers can also request a package be held at a delivery center or shipped to a retailer’s nearest store location for in-person pickup. Fees for personalization do vary by delivery service.
Use your credit card: When making purchases online, use your credit card rather than a debit card or another form of payment. Credit card companies are more likely to offer refunds in the event of theft.
Insure valuable items: Purchase delivery insurance to protect merchandise against loss or damage. Contact your local police department if you do become a victim of package theft.
For more information you can trust, visit the Better Business Bureau's website.