If you’re tracking your package on Amazon, you may have noticed that one of the updates mentioned that the package has arrived at a carrier facility.
But what does the ‘Package Arrived At A Carrier Facility’ message mean? What is a carrier facility, and how long will the package stay there? Is there any way to get the package more quickly?
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Amazon carrier facilities, and answer other common questions about Amazon package delivery.
Let’s get into it!
Package Arrived At A Carrier Facility Meaning
If your package has arrived at a carrier facility, this means that the package has arrived a distribution center to be sorted for final delivery, or to begin the next step on their route.
Packages ordered from Amazon do not go straight from an Amazon fulfillment center to your house. Instead, they make several stops along the way where they are sorted and sent out to new locations, before finally being loaded on the mail truck to your home.
This helps keep things efficient, and allows packages to arrive as quickly as possible, with as few errors as possible.
Unfortunately, there is no way of knowing whether the carrier facility is the last one on the route, or whether the package will leave from one carrier facility to another.
It is possible that once it’s arrived at a carrier facility, it’s about to be loaded up for final delivery. However, it’s also possible the package may leave to yet another carrier facility somewhere else.
How Long Until Packages Are Delivered After Arriving At A Carrier Facility?
Most packages that arrive at a carrier facility are sorted and processed within 1 business day, and sometimes within just a few hours.
However, it’s impossible to know how long it will be until the exact delivery.
If the package has arrived at the last carrier facility in its route, packages are normally delivered within 1-2 business days after that.
You can try to gauge whether or not the package will leave to a different carrier facility entirely, by looking for patterns within your past orders on Amazon.
Packages will often use the same final carrier facility before arriving to your house, provided you are ordering packages to the same address. So, if you see your current package arrive at that same facility, you know it’s close to being delivered.
Of course, the only thing you can truly go by is the promised delivery window that Amazon provided at checkout.
Amazon’s delivery window will show you the last day that the product can arrive before it’s considered late. While the estimated delivery date can change while the package is in transit, the promised delivery window cannot.
So, if the product arrives beyond this date, you are eligible for a refund. While you will still have to return the product that you ordered, you will be able to ship it back at no expense – Amazon will provide a prepaid shipping label with all costs covered.
Can I Pick Up My Package From An Amazon Carrier Facility?
No. Unfortunately, it is not possible to go and pick up a package from a carrier facility yourself.
Carrier facilities are not open to the public, and even if you are able to visit one it wouldn’t be feasible to locate your package among thousands of others.
Carrier facilities are set up like industrial warehouses, and use automated machines to scan and sort all of the packages coming through. They are not set up in a way that makes them accessible to the general public, and finding your package among so many others would be a near-impossible task.
Understandably, you want your package as quickly as possible. However, you’ll need to wait for it to actually be delivered just like every other package going through the carrier facility.
Possible Problems
Let’s look at some possible problems you may be experiencing regarding the delivery of your package.
Note that if any of these don’t apply to you, you’re welcome to skip over them. Still, I wanted to include them as they are experienced on rare occasions.
1. The Package Went To A Carrier Center Farther Away
Sometimes, tracking may update to show that the package arrived at a carrier center that’s even farther away from your address!
This can be confusing, and cause you to wonder whether or not the package is going to be delayed.
Fortunately, this type of thing is perfectly normal.
Packages go to carrier centers to be sorted before final delivery. The problem is, Amazon as well as couriers like USPS, Fedex and UPS have far less distribution centers and carrier facilities then you might think.
This means it may have to temporarily go further away in order to be sorted and begin the next step.
Thankfully, this should not result in your package arriving any later than it otherwise would.
2. “Possible Delay In Delivery Due To Arrival At Incorrect Carrier Facility”
Another rare update you may see on your Amazon tracking is a message staying there’s been a possible delay in delivery, due to the arrival at an incorrect carrier facility.
This means exactly what it sounds like – the package was supposed to go to one carrier facility, but ended up at a different one by mistake.
Typically, this results in a delay of about 2-3 days while the problem gets sorted out.
While there’s unfortunately not anything you can do to really speed things up, you should know that Amazon allows you to return packages for a full refund if they arrive beyond the promised delivery window.
So, if you no longer have any use for the item, you can always consider returning it for a full refund.
Conclusion
It’s common for Amazon packages to go through multiple carrier facilities on their way to your door.
Carrier facilities play an incredibly important role in shipping. Because they are set up to sort thousands of packages at a time, they help ensure that your package arrives as safely and efficiently as possible.
I hope that you’ve found this article helpful. Of course, if you have any other questions about shipping or ordering on Amazon, please ask them using the comment form below.
Wishing you the best,
– James McAllister