What is supposed to happen when the kuaidi guy comes and you're not home?

[vellocet]

So, every single time I get a delivery while I'm not at home is a huge problem.  It's like the delivery drivers expect each and every person to be at home at all hours, even in the middle of the day when everyone is at work.  What is *supposed* to happen, by custom or by kuaidi policy? 

 

1) Take the package back to kuaidi HQ, wherever it is.  Every company is a different location.  Come by (again, during business hours when everyone is busy!) and pick it up.  Somehow find my package in the huge pile.

 

2) Leave it at the doorstep of my apartment and wait for nosy neighbors or stamp-men or other wandering advertising people to pick it up.

 

3) ???  These are the only two choices I've seen.  What is supposed to happen?  What do Chinese people do?  There used to be a management office here that would take packages, but it had the same problems of losing them or being closed after 5pm. 

[Lu]

I think they can also call and set up a better time with you. Or you can have the packages delivered at your office, if you have an office that is ok with that.

[boctulus]

As Lu said you should give another address (office, a friend, ....) or maybe live in a building with doorkeeper (看門人) . Of course he sign for you the package if it's required.

 

Your problem is common in everywhere, not just China

[dtcamero]

ya this is a super common problem in nyc also lol

[abcdefg]

Do you give the delivery company a phone number? That helps me in Kunming. They call and we can arrange something. This is also how my Chinese friends handle it.

[Mouseneb]

Everyone I know gets them delivered to the office.

[somethingfunny]

Ditto, everyone, always to the office.  I've had kids excuse themselves from classes to go pick up there kuaidi.

[ChTTay]

Yeah, everyone just gets stuff delivered to the office unless it's something huge.

 

If it is being delivered to my house they usually, in Beijing at least, just ring and ask when I'm going to be in.

[vellocet]

Yeah, "get it delivered to the office" isn't really the question I asked, though.  :/   Does anyone know what kuaidi is supposed to do when you're not at home?

[Angelina]

Many Chinese people (probably most Chinese people) get their things delivered to them at their offices. Source: Chinese friends.

 

This is convenient because even if they are not there, the delivery person can just leave the item at the office. Students do the same because they live on campus anyway. Every dorm has a kuaidi area where the delivery people leave the things for those students who are not home at the moment, except for pay-on-delivery.

[ChTTay]

 

Yeah, "get it delivered to the office" isn't really the question I asked, though.  :/   Does anyone know what kuaidi is supposed to do when you're not at home?

 

Deliver it to your office?

 

I did actually give you an answer ... they're suppose to call you and find out when you're going to be in. They'll come back then if they can or you can tell them another day/time.

[abcdefg]

#9 --

Does anyone know what kuaidi is supposed to do when you're not at home?

 

Like ChTTay said, the delivery person phones to work something out, such as agreeing on an alternate time or place.

[muyongshi]

I'm slightly different but I don't know if everywhere can do this. I also have them place it at the guard booth.

[889]

I've a vague recollection of having seen a wall of collection boxes in some places; you get a code to open the box with your stuff, like the self-storage at Walmart. And an even vaguer recollection that maybe some 7-11-type places have pick-up arrangements with some delivery companies, though perhaps that's Japan or someplace else.

[xiaokaka]

I know doesn't answer the question directly but amazon.cn (and dangdang.com?) offers you an option to pick up the parcel yourself at the closest family mart/all days (at least in Shanghai). Maybe this is offered by other stores as well.

[陳德聰]

They're not supposed to leave it, but you're supposed to be more flexible. You can track deliveries online in most cases if you ordered them from taobao or something and if you're not home then tell them when you will be. Shouldn't be difficult.

Edit: If you don't get it from them they will contact whoever shipped it to you and either they'll pay to ship it back or tell the kuaidi to dump it.

[roddy]

It'll also depend on what the deal is with the company. Some will be on a salary, some'll be getting paid a pittance per *successful* delivery, meaning going away and coming back is not a popular option. Some companies will have different rules on what they should and shouldn't do.

[Huina]

If your building has a utility closet you can tell the dude to leave it in there. that's what I do! No one will see it unless they go looking for it.

[xuefang]

I tell them to put it in the nearest kuaidi shop (快递店) around so I can pick it up later. No matter which company's kuaidi.

[spiff]

As others said, what is supposed to happen is that the kuaidi guy calls you and arranges when and where to deliver. But the most convenient solution is to find a shop, management office or automated collection system (such as 速递易) and have them deliver to there. In your specific situation, sounds like you need to find a nearby corner shop/convenience store willing to take parcels - in my experience this is the best way to handle it. They usually but not always charge 1块 for the service (sometimes per day, sometimes not). Maybe it's more expensive out East though!