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Progress for Travelers Receiving Packages

Recall the question I once posed to a couple RVers at a laundromat: which is the worst form of hell, 1) spending eternity using or working at an RV dump, or 2) using a public laundromat.

It was unanimous that #2 would be the ultimate hell.

In recent years a third option has crept in: receiving a package from Amazon. The difficulty arises from Amazon not letting you choose to have your package shipped to a General Delivery address at a post office. Most of the time they use UPS, but you can't count on it. 

Once they were on a "hot streak" with the UPS, so I addressed the package to the poorly manned service counter at the local UPS warehouse. Amazon saw their opportunity, so they sent the package via the US Postal Service. Hence it was rejected at the UPS warehouse.

I bring you good news! I just got back from GNC, the vitamin/nutrition/health fad store at a local mall. Just last week they began the service of being an official "Amazon Hub Counter."


Do not confuse this with an "Amazon locker." I've been hearing about Amazon lockers for years, but I've seen no improvement with getting them into the small cities/large towns that I hang out at.

An Amazon Hub Counter is just a normal (and probably struggling) brick and mortar store. The Amazon package arrives via UPS, FedEx, or the US Postal Service. Then the employee sticks the package under a counter somewhere in the store. You come in, show them your email with the bar code on it, and then walk out with your package. 

They don't charge anything for the service! So what's the catch?, you should ask. Of course they hope you look around in the store and buy something, and I did.

Of course this service is only available when the store is open. I don't know if an Amazon Hub Counter will help with a return.

All I can say is Hooray! for Amazon and GNC. Let's hope Family Dollar jumps on this bandwagon!

Comments

Ed said…
YES! I would hope that Family Dollar becomes a Counter Partner. The is NO Counter pickup anywhere near Springerville, AZ. The closest GNC Counter to Wickenberg, AZ is in Surprise which is not too bad. But both of those towns have Family Dollar stores.

But being able to pick up at a GNC beats the sorry delivery that Amazon has provided to those of us that are 'homeless'.

Thank you, thank you for the heads up. You best post during 2019!!
Ed, it isn't just full time RVers that are inconvenienced by Amazon's anti-post-office-general-delivery policy. Think about short term travelers, vacationers, salesmen, etc. Near popular national parks there are thousands of people who need supplies that they prefer to get online.
Ed, it was the Amazon checkout page that alerted me to a nearby Amazon Counter (the GNC store at a local mall.)

On future orders, I hope that page suggests other stores than GNC.
Ed said…
I did some checking and the Stage store in Douglas is a Counter participant. They also have a Counter store in Bullhead City and Farmington, NM. Those stores might be good for you on your annual circuit.

There are a number of other Stage store in AZ but they do not show as being Amazon Hub Counter locations. However, I have also found that you get different stores shown when using Amazon's "Search for a new Amazon Pickup Location". If I enter the store location for GNC in Casa Grande, AZ I get a list that includes a lot of store that are not shown if I search using the store name (GNC).

In reading the fine print the Counter deliveries are ONLY for items shipped by Amazon. Since at least 50% of the products offered by Amazon are shipped by a participating vendor that reduces the value of this new service. However, it is better than what they have been offering!
Anonymous said…
I captured some information about how to get Amazon to ship to small General Delivery address. I think this came from the Canadian couple Kevin & Ruth. I have not had the need to use this myself but see no reason it would not work.
The package must be within USPS standards (Under 108 inch circumference and 70 pounds).

YOUR NAME
P O Box General Delivery
Any town, USA
XXXXX-9999

Of course you need to check to make sure that particular Post Office will accept general delivery packages. Hope this helps. Billy Goode
Ed, "In reading the fine print the Counter deliveries are ONLY for items shipped by Amazon. Since at least 50% of the products offered by Amazon are shipped by a participating vendor that reduces the value of this new service"

Ah, so that is the catch! Thanks for reading the fine print, Ed. It is another reason for a traveler to avoid the third party vendors on Amazon (Walmart and EBay). They don't necessarily follow the same shipping or return policies that Amazon does.

When doing the search in the main search box at the top of the Amazon screen, I recommend typing "Amazon Hub." You will get a page informing you of nearby LOCKER and HUB COUNTER locations and details.

OR wait until you try to checkout: a box will appear and list Amazon pickup locations BEFORE you finish the transaction.
Billy Goode, yes, I have done what you listed, and gotten inconsistent results. The explanation might be in Ed's comment: I was buying products shipped by THIRD PARTY vendors on the Amazon website. I should have restricted myself to products shipped from/by Amazon ITSELF.

If this is the right explanation, it is a terrible policy for Amazon (Walmart, eBay) to allow third party vendors on their website if they don't comply with the shipping and return policies of Amazon.
Ed said…
"OR wait until you try to checkout: a box will appear and list Amazon pickup locations BEFORE you finish the transaction."

I did some experiments and found that using this alternative is the best way to go.
IF the product is sold by a vendor OTHER than Amazon then the box does not appear that lets you search for a COUNTER pickup. i.e. I could buy and pickup another Amazon Fire at the GNC store in Casa Grande but could not do so if I bought some more GoPo.

Informative post and informative Comments.