Holiday Shopping: Stopping the Porch Pirates

Holiday Shopping: Stopping the Doorstep Thieves

It’s the holiday season! That means a traditional, seasonal slow down in the Windsor real estate market. For many buyers, they are changing where they are spending their money. Instead of looking for Windsor homes for sales they are looking for gifts. Instead of visiting houses for sale in Windsor, they are visiting malls and stores.

For many, they may not find what they are looking for in-person or they prefer the convenience and take their shopping online. With the increase of online shopping there has been an increase in “Porch Pirates”, people who will see packages delivered outside homes and simply walk-up and take them. We’ve got some tips to make sure your delivery is there for you when you get home:

Try to be home when the package is delivered if you have a specific delivery window
If they will allow it, get packages delivered to your workplace.
Reach out to a trusted neighbour or friend who you know will be home during the day and see if your package can be delivered to them, then pick it up from them.
Use real time tracking provided by sellers and shipping companies to keep track of its whereabouts.
If the seller makes it available, request a signature upon delivery, the package cannot be delivered without it.
Ask the shipper to hold the package at their facilities for pick-up or use a pick-up/drop point location they may have available.
If you are buying from a retailer's website, check to see if packages can be picked up from a local store. This can save you the shipping costs as well, as many deliver free to their own stores.
When you get notice of shipment, almost all shippers will provide you the opportunity to give delivery instructions. You can give specific instructions like to leave it in a certain location such as a hidden place.
Consider a Package Lockbox for your porch. It is essentially a giant mailbox, deliveries can be dropped into the lockbox, but can only be accessed by you. A great option if you are a frequent online shopper.

Here at Jump Realty our agents will give you honest advice on what course of action is best for you in their professional opinion and will always put taking care of your best interests first! With offices in Windsor, Tecumseh, Kingsville, and Chatham, no matter where you are, a Jump agent is ready to help. Please contact us for any housing needs and let us give you a better real estate experience!