Amazon’s Tips to Make Minnesota Porch Pirates Walk the Plank

Porch pirates are a growing nemesis across Minnesota and the rest of America. ‘Tis the season for purchasing holiday gifts and items online. Let's stop those porch pirates in their tracks.

Maybe its another great reason to shop local, to shop in person. Its a great way to go for so many reasons, but here's another one. You select, you purchase, you take home. Nothing sits on your front step like it does when you order online.

I try to shop local whenever I can, but the 'local' needs to have what I'm looking for -- and that's not always the case.

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When that happens, I jump online. Google, Ebay, and Amazon to the rescue. Even when I 'Google' something, it most often leads me to Amazon where I eventually make the purchase.

Amazon's Top-10 Tips to Keep Packages Safe from Porch Pirates

1. Track Your Packages in Real Time: Through Amazon’s Map Tracking feature, you can keep an eye on your upcoming deliveries in the Amazon shopping app and through Amazon.com in real time when the driver is close.

2. Specify a Hidden Drop-Off Location: Through the app and website, you can provide specific instructions to delivery drivers, letting them know where at your home they should hide your package so it’s out of view.

3. Get Proof of Your Packages’ Arrival with Photo-on-Delivery: This feature provides visual delivery confirmation, showing you your packages were safely delivered by an Amazon Delivery Service Partner Delivery Associate or Flex Delivery Partner.

4. Select a Designated Delivery Day: Through Amazon Day, Prime members can choose a designated day for weekly package delivery.

5. Ship to an Alternate Delivery Location: During checkout, simply select the package pickup location most convenient to you, whether at Amazon or a partner location. Once your package arrives, you’ll receive an email notification with the information needed to retrieve your package. Find a pickup location near you.

6. Share Tracking Details with Friends and Family: Amazon Share Tracking allows you to share track:ing details with friends and family if you’re not home so they can pick up your package for you.

7. Install a Home Security Device: Ring Video Doorbells show live video of your front door and can alert you when packages arrive. Plus, with a Ring subscription, you can watch previously recorded video and use Ring’s new Smart Video Search feature to see if a package was delivered or picked up by a neighbor.

8. Deliver to Your Garage: As a Prime member, you can get packages delivered conveniently and securely to your garage through Amazon Key In-Garage Delivery. This option is available in thousands of cities across the U.S. and allows for packages and groceries to be delivered inside your garage.

9. Check if There’s a Delivery Window: Amazon Estimated Delivery Window provides a 2- to 4-hour estimated delivery window so you can predict whether or not your packages will arrive in the morning, afternoon, or evening, and plan accordingly.

10. Contact Amazon Customer Service: Amazon Customer Service is available 24/7 via the app and website for any delivery-related issues.