Amazon package lost? Customer service tips to know

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Editor’s note: This article was written byMichael Timmermann and originally appeared on Clark.com.

Have you ever waited for an Amazon delivery that never showed up? Your package may have been “lost in transit.”

Last night, I opened up the Amazon app to check on the status of an order that was late and got the following message: “Sorry, your package was lost in transit. Please contact Amazon for the next steps.”

The message in the app said the package was “Lost by carrier — undeliverable.” Amazon said I could either contact them for a replacement/refund or wait a couple of days to see if the package arrives.

Did it fall off a truck somewhere? I was really confused about how my package could just slip through the cracks. My next step was to contact Amazon’s customer service department through the app. I was given the option to call them at 1-866-216-1072 or have Amazon call me.

Once I got connected to a support agent, Amazon said the package issue was due to a mandatory system upgrade at my local delivery station.

Here’s what I learned in a follow-up email:

“Unfortunately, your local delivery station just completed a mandatory system upgrade that has delayed several hundred thousand packages including yours. I expect this delay to last at least 24-48 hours.”

While on the phone, the customer service associate confirmed that my package would eventually show up.

In the past, I’ve received compensation when Amazon misses its guaranteed delivery date, but I didn’t ask for anything for this minor inconvenience — I just wanted an explanation.

The support agent also offered to cancel the existing order and place a new one with one-day shipping, but I declined.

Tomy surprise, the follow-up email that I received the next morning included compensation. I got a $7 promotional certificate that will be automatically applied to my next Amazon order. If this happens to you, it might be worth asking what Amazon can do for you to make up for the inconvenience.

I’m still waiting for my “lost in transit” package, but I’m just relieved that it wasn’t permanently lost or stolen. The app has since updated to say the package will arrive sometime today.