Amazon offers shoppers impacted by shipping delays $20 gift cards
By Jennifer Osieczanek
It was not Amazon’s fault that not every present made it under the tree on Christmas morning, but the online shopping giant is trying to do right by its customers impacted by shipping delays across the country.
UPS acknowledged that some orders guaranteed to arrive by Christmas did not because “the volume of air packages in our system exceeded the capacity of our network immediately preceding Christmas so some shipments were delayed.”
FedEx appeared to have similar issues, as it processed 275 million shipments between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
A shorter holiday shopping season and the tendency of many shoppers to wait until the last minute may have contributed to the massive backlog experienced by the delivery companies. Either way, it did not sit well with customers that were left without presents in their stockings or under the tree on Christmas. Many took to social media to express their unhappiness.
California’s Eric Swanson told the Associated Press he placed multiple orders through Amazon on Sunday and as an Amazon Prime customer with two-day delivery, he expected to receive his gifts in time for Christmas. One was shipped via UPS, the other FedEx. The companies’ online-tracking tools said the packages would arrive by 8 p.m. Christmas Eve, but neither did.
“My wife understands, but my 5-year-old daughter — I think we’re going to let it be a surprise when it comes,” Swanson told the AP. “Next time, if I need to get a gift and cut it that close, I will just have to enter the fray and go to the mall.”
Amazon spokesperson Mary Osaka said via email that “fulfillment centers processed and tendered customer orders to delivery carriers on time for holiday delivery.”
However, while the company held up its end of the deal for the getting the packages shipped on time, Amazon also is trying to offset any negative impact the Christmas shipping debacle on its own image. To that end, customers impacted by the delays received notifications via email about said delays, a refund on shipping costs and a $20 gift card for Amazon. The company would not disclose how many shoppers were impacted by the delays.
Read more about Amazon here.
Other articles you might like:
