Ordering at an apartment?

[ryan_]

Hello, I just moved into an apartment where I live alone, and I'm not here most of the day -- so if they delivered a box with me not here, does anyone know what they usually do? Do they leave it on the doorstep or something like at a house?

 

[King of Clubs]

not sure in america but there is the option to collect from post office in UK

 

[Darkfinn]

I lived in apartments for a number of years.

The carrier will leave the box at the apartment office... you can go pick it up later. I did that all the time.

 

[ryan_]

oh god, that's even worse, haha. thanks for the responses

 

[Pojo]

Why is that worse? If it's in a discreet package, then there should be no problem...Otherwise, I could see why you said that's worse

 

[Darkfinn]

Honestly... the people in the office don't even look at what you order... they get so many packages a day it doesn't matter. Heck... around here the vast majority of them don't even speak english... so who cares what they think.

 

[Protricity]

Yeah I wouldn't worry about anyone looking in your packages or anything if that's what you're worried about. It's already been said, as long as the packaging is discreet you have nothing to worry about. I order stuff all the time at my apartments and I've never had a problem.

 

[ryan_]

I have a pretty friendly relationship with the people that own the complex and work in the office, so it would just be awkward.....I'll figure something out. I'm sure fedex or UPS has a scheduled delivery service

 

[Pojo]

I have a pretty friendly relationship with the people that own the complex and work in the office, so it would just be awkward.....I'll figure something out. I'm sure fedex or UPS has a scheduled delivery service

Well like I said, there shouldn't be a problem if the packaging is discreet...

 

[King of Clubs]

if it is courier u maybe able to arrange a good time

 

[chevre]

If you are concerned, you can usually receive packages at a mail store like Mailboxes, etc., or the UPS Store for a small fee.

 

[Ace]

I'm not sure what type of apartment you live in, but I live in an apartment complex myself. Here, its "Garden Style" apartments, each apt. has a door to the outside, its not a high rise type. Anyway, every time I order really anything, not just diapers, they just leave it at my door because I'm not home during the day. It's never been a problem, though every time I order diapers I always ask for discreet shipping and its never been a problem. Personally, any neighbors that would see would see that I have a package, but at least in my complex people are pretty respectful.

Not to go off on a tangent but I did have one bad experience one time, it was when I was living in a less-nice apartment and I ordered a batch of Omaha Steaks & Lobster Tails. I was away the day that they supposedly came, I never received them though I checked with tracking and it said they were delivered, I'm assuming that they were snatched as those had a big "Omaha Steaks" logo on them. Never had a theft issue with anything else though.

 

[Pojo]

If you are concerned, you can usually receive packages at a mail store like Mailboxes, etc., or the UPS Store for a small fee.

Make sure you pick it up close to when it arrives, or they'll send it back :detective3

 

[Trevor]

If it's not apparent to you already how your building and shippers handle this (in my case, they're left in the interior lobby), you could always order something cheap, bulky, and non-threatening to see how the process works (hand towels on sale from Bed Bath & Beyond or the like would probably fit the bill) in your building.

When it comes down to the actual ordering, most suppliers are discreet, although when getting a case of Secure X-Plus, they had a logo not present when only ordering a bag at a time. If I do that again, I'll check carefully to see if they have an option for more discreet shipping.

 

[Shupie]

I've lived in an apartment for many years now. The US Postal service won't come upstairs to deliver packages anymore-- they're either too scared or too lazy to do it, so I always have to go to the post office to pick it up. The package usually stays there for a week or two before getting sent back. Wow do I wish I had some office thingie where they'd take the package until you came home to get it! Would be good for the older people in my building as well. Luckily other postal services like UPS and Fed-Ex deliver upstairs. There was only one time someone left a package at my door when I ordered from Fed-Ex. I couldn't believe they did that! Luckily no one took it, and it was just a little tablet pen anyway.

So yeah. You can test and see how things get delivered to your new apartment, or perhaps just ask your neighbors? Maybe you have some nice ones. xD

 

[LuvsGurl]

I agree, test the system fisrt, Though the apartments that I have had all have had a balcony, we told the office that we wanted a ground floor and if they fould not leave the package at the office they would place in over the rail of the balcony. Though this is not the case for all, but the other option is that some offices will let you sign a paper stating that if you are not home someone will take the package only to place it inside you door later that day. So you do not even have to pick it up from the office. I know that my office would do this, though I realy did not want them to, being that I was alwayd getting some package or another so I would just swing in every few days for them.

 

[Tygon]

Also, if you don't want to spend money on a 'test' package, you could just ask your landlord how packages are handled. I'm guessing it's going to be different depending on the setup of the apartments (ie, is there an office, a mail room, does your door open to a hallway or to the outside).

The last apartments I lived in opened to the outside, so it was easy for the UPS person to find my door. You either had to be present to get the package, or put a sign on the door saying it was OK for them to leave the package at the door (therefore relieving them of any liability if the package was stolen). I never had any problems.

The apartments I live in now open to a hallway, and the UPS/FedEx person doesn't bother going upstairs with the packages. He just leaves them inside the small entryway to the apartment building, by the mailboxes. If the package is too large to put in the entryway, he puts a note on the door saying to pick up the package in the store that the apartments are located above. So yeah, all the neighbors tend to see what I'm getting, but *shrug* I don't think they care too much and a lot of diaper sellers (esp. XP Medical) offer discreet shipping anyways.

Anyways, just goes to show that the method for handling packages is gonna differ depending on how the apartments are set up. Just ask the landlord; how packages are handled was was definitely my first question @ both places, and it's probably a pretty common question as well.

 

[tombo]

I live in a brownstone apt currently, and if youre not home when ups comes someone will generally just put it next to your door for you. We're just polite I guess. When I lived in a regular apt, the office staff just kept a big pile of packages that got dropped off to them, and didnt give a damn who it was for or what it was.

 

[doubledbbw]

I don't mean to scare you Ryan but I live in an apartment too. I get my diapers delivered here all the time. Most of the boxes are discreetly packaged. But two weeks ago I got a Case of Attends. It had been delivered a few days before the Fedex guy left no notice. The bad part was that the case was opened up and one of the packages of diapers was laying out in the open. Our Apartment Office is ran mostly be women and I have lived here for over 10 years. I know that I will be getting funny looks the next few months when I pay my rent.

 

[ArcticFluffy]

I don't mean to scare you Ryan but I live in an apartment too. I get my diapers delivered here all the time. Most of the boxes are discreetly packaged. But two weeks ago I got a Case of Attends. It had been delivered a few days before the Fedex guy left no notice. The bad part was that the case was opened up and one of the packages of diapers was laying out in the open. Our Apartment Office is ran mostly be women and I have lived here for over 10 years. I know that I will be getting funny looks the next few months when I pay my rent.

Did someone open it.