If you see an Amazon Logistics driver taking pictures outside your home it’s proof of delivery photos. Amazon have also updated all of their apps and online platforms to display these images to customers.
“Amazon Logistics (AMZL) may take a photo on delivery when a package is left unattended. Capturing delivery photos is intended to help customers see that their package was safely delivered and where. The photo will focus on the placement of the package. If a photo on delivery is captured, it may show up when you track a package from Your Orders”.
– Amazon
You’ll only be able to see these photos if you’re securely logged into your account and the image should only focus on the package placement. It’s intended to be helpful so that if your package is in a hidden location or outbuilding the consumer will easily be able to identify where it has been left.
A corollary benefit is taking proof of delivery photos will naturally reduce the temptation to leave packages in unsuitable places. Customer Services may look at the image to troubleshoot any delivery issues and use them for quality checking purposes.
Amazon Logistics are by no means unique in using proof of delivery photos – DPD have routinely done this for some time with photos displayed in the DPD app and myHermes also announced that they would be using photos as proof of delivery. Royal Mail have also announced that they will take pictures of parcels when they are left in the customer’s nominated safe place.
Amazon do offer one feature to consumers that we’ve not seen from other carriers – the ability to opt out of ‘Photo on Delivery’. It’s a nice privacy choice but it’s hard to see why consumers would object when other carriers will be taking photos anyway. The photos won’t be made publicly available and can only benefit consumers if a parcel goes missing or is left in the rain.
2 Responses
So photo taken and driver then picks it up and takes it down the pub to sell?
It would help if when delivering an item Royal Mail indicated if the item was delivered to the actual address or a neighbour and if a neighbour, which house number.
At the moment they have not got a clue.