Tips to avoid holiday delivery delays and hassles

SALT LAKE CITY — With online shoppers spending a record $5.29 billion on Thanksgiving, shipping trucks will be busy delivering all those orders.

In today’s Save More, Worry Less, KSL TV’s Tamara Vaifanua explores ways to avoid holiday package delivery hassles.

From porch pirates to crushed boxes, shipping experts with Consumer Affairs have five tips to make sure deliveries go smoothly.

• Don’t assume that your purchase will be delivered on time and in perfect condition. With millions of packages in the system, anything can happen.
• Don’t skip insuring your packages especially if they’re valuable or fragile.

“That is going to ensure that whether it’s theft, a missed package or a broken item you can then recoup those losses,” said WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez.

• Always get tracking numbers for your purchases.
• Track the real-time delivery progress. For example, Gmail users receive a simple view of package tracking and delivery information in their inbox. You can also download any carrier’s app, such as FedEx, UPS and USPS.

“There have been more packages getting lost. There have been more items not being fulfilled because of supply chain issues,” Gonzalez said.

• Beware of scammers. Don’t click on links you get via email, or text saying you missed a delivery.

If a real delivery company misses you, it will leave a notice on your door with instructions on how to pick up your order. If you know you’re not going to be home, ask to get a signature.

Sometimes that might be an extra charge, but it’s worth it so your package isn’t left on the porch and thieves aren’t tempted to take off with it.

You could also have it shipped to the store.

You want to make sure you open the box as soon as it’s delivered and look for any signs of damage or tampering.

If there’s any, contact the seller right away. That’s why it’s important you understand the seller’s return policy for damaged or unwanted items.