You pay for Amazon Prime because you shop on Amazon so often it doesn’t make sense to pay the shipping costs, right?
Plus who doesn’t love being able to order something in the morning and have it on your doorstep by evening? Millions of products are available for same-day, next day or two-day shipping if you’re a Prime member.
But lately, Amazon Prime orders haven’t been showing up on time and it can be frustrating. What Amazon doesn’t want you to know is there is something you can do when your Amazon Prime order is late.
What Is Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime members pay $119 a year for expedited shipping. There are other benefits like access to Amazon Fresh, Prime Now, Prime Wardrobe, Prime Video, and Prime Music too, but most people join for the fast and free shipping.
Amazon Prime members usually have a few options for shipping.
Free Two-Day Shipping
This is the most common Amazon Prime shipping method. Your order is delivered within 2 days, but how you interpret that two days matters. Amazon says it’s 2 days from the fulfillment date, but many people take it as 2 days from the date you order it. There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason as to how it works as some products arrive within 2 days of ordering and others take a few days.
Free Same-Day Shipping
Amazon offers free same-day shipping on thousands of items. Same-day shipping is possible if you order eligible items by noon, you’ll receive them by 9 PM that evening.
Free One-Day Shipping
Some Amazon items are available for free one-day shipping which means if you order it by the afternoon (cutoff times vary), you’ll receive your product by 9 PM the following day.
Amazon Scheduled Day Deliveries
If you have multiple orders and aren’t in a rush to get any of the items, you can choose Amazon scheduled day delivery and choose your delivery day to receive all your items at once. This can save on packaging and the delivery drivers’ time and gas, which is a good option when you aren’t in a rush.
No Rush Shipping
If you choose no-rush shipping, you may earn a small credit for your patience. Most orders offer a $1 digital credit for your next Amazon digital purchase, but the rewards vary. If you aren’t in a hurry, it pays to check out the reward you can earn.
Quick Tip: Click here to learn What are Amazon No Rush Rewards and How do they work.
Why Would Amazon Deliver Prime Orders Late?
With all the promises Amazon makes, you’d think the orders would show up on time, right?
Lately, they haven’t and it’s not just an Amazon problem, deliveries have been delayed everywhere for various reasons. Here are just a few reasons your order may not ship on time.
The Item wasn’t in Stock
This is the largest reason Amazon orders deliver late. Some products go viral, especially when they’re shared on social media pages by influencers. Since they only have a limited stock of each item, sometimes they oversell and have to get more product in before they can ship to you.
If this happens, you may have to wait a couple of days for the product to restock so they can ship it out to you. Once they ship it, you’ll usually receive your product within 2 days, but sometimes even faster.
There was a Transportation Issue
Companies everywhere are dealing with labor shortages and the inability to follow through on their orders. If a truck broke down or Amazon sent your order through the USPS, it may not deliver as quickly as it promised.
This is something outside of Amazon’s control, but they still do their best to try to keep you happy and make sure you get your products.
Bad Luck
Sometimes it’s just a series of unfortunate bad luck that causes your delivery to be late. Whether the circumstances were preventable or not isn’t for you to decide. But in most cases, you get your product eventually and Amazon will usually make it right with you.
What to do if your Amazon Prime Delivery is Late
Knowing why your Amazon Prime delivery is late is one thing, but what you want to know is what can you do if it’s late? Will Amazon reimburse you?
A few years ago, we’d say that Amazon would give you an additional free month of Prime! They would allow up to 4 free months per 12-month membership if your order was late. That’s not the case anymore, though.
While Amazon still reimburses you some of the time, it’s not clear when they do and when they don’t. But here’s what you can do to try to get some type of reimbursement if your item doesn’t show up on time.
Contact Customer Service
Everything at Amazon is fairly automated, so they first send you through a chatbot to help with your delayed order. The bot first confirms which order you’re talking about and confirms that it is late.
You can then select to chat with a representative or have a representative call you. The representative will go over the details of the order and find out why it’s delayed. Based on the reason, they will either tell you that you can wait for the product or cancel it.
If you wait for it, they may offer you a small credit ranging from $5 – $10, but it varies by order and sometimes even the representative.
Wait for the Package
Sometimes Amazon’s automated bot doesn’t give you the option to contact customer service quite yet. It varies by product. If they know there is a common issue with the product, such as the supply is low or there was a transportation issue in a specific region, they may just ask you to wait a day or two for the product.
When you click the product in the drop-down box, it may say ‘please allow until X/X/X to get your order. If it doesn’t show by then they will usually give you the option to talk to a representative at that point.
Cancel your Order
Canceling your order may be an option, but you won’t know until you try. Amazon allows you to cancel most orders but only if they haven’t shipped.
When you click on the item on your ‘Orders’ page you can see if there is a ‘cancel’ button or not. If there isn’t a ‘cancel’ button, you can’t cancel the order because it’s likely been shipped.
FAQs – What to Do if Your Amazon Prime Order Is Late
Does Amazon deliver at 11 PM?
Some Amazon Prime deliveries may show up at night, especially same-day deliveries, but they usually try to complete deliveries by 9 PM. You can track your order when you sign in to your account and click on ‘orders’ and then ‘track order’.
When does the 2-day Amazon Prime window start?
Your Amazon Prime 2-day shipping time starts when the order is shipped. Unfortunately, when you order a product it doesn’t tell you how long it may take to fulfill the order. When you checkout, though, you’ll see the estimated delivery date. This is the date you can expect your product or when you can be in touch with Amazon about why your product didn’t deliver.
Can you get a refund for late delivery?
Unfortunately, you can’t get a refund for late delivery, mostly because you didn’t pay for shipping when you’re an Amazon Prime member. But, most of the time, Amazon will provide some sort of credit to use on your next order. Even if it’s only a few dollars, it’s a few dollars toward your next order.
How fast is Amazon Prime delivery?
The speed of Amazon Prime delivery depends on the product ordered and the shipping option you chose. Most Amazon Prime delivery options are free, but if you choose same-day or one-day delivery, in some cases you may pay a fee of $2.99 on top of your Amazon Prime charges.
Final Thoughts – Amazon Prime Deliveries That Are Late
It’s frustrating when your Amazon Prime delivery doesn’t show up on time, but Amazon is pretty good about following up and making sure you are happy. Sometimes the late deliveries are outside of their control, but they still compensate their members for the inconvenience.
If you have a late delivery, try to have patience, especially in today’s pandemic. But if it gets to be too long or it’s a product you need on time, don’t be afraid to contact Amazon and talk it through with them.
Quick Tip: check out our article on How To Save Money On Literally Every Amazon Purchase You Make
