Delivery Sensitivities for Wildfire Victims Who Lost their Homes

Last week, the actress Mandy Moore pointed out that Amazon left a package for her in-laws on the curb of their former home that was destroyed by the recent wildfires in LA, which would have been quite obvious to the driver.

Moore posted an image Tuesday of a single box in front of a pile of debris that was her husband's parents' home. The photo was posted to Moore's Instagram Stories with a caption telling Amazon to "do better."

"Can we not have better discretion than to leave a package at a residence that no longer exists?" she wrote.

This situation is pretty unbelievable, and it highlights serious flaws in Amazon’s delivery system (but though I spotlight Amazon in this article – the same would be true for ANY delivery provider – UPS, DHL, FedEx, USPS, etc. Packages being left at burned-down homes (or any clearly uninhabitable address) isn’t just inefficient—it’s insensitive and potentially harmful.

Why This Happens

·?????? Automated Systems: Amazon’s logistics rely heavily on automation, and if an address isn’t flagged as uninhabitable in their system, drivers may still be routed there.

·?????? Lack of Human Oversight: Drivers are often under extreme time pressure, expected to follow delivery instructions precisely, which might prevent them from stopping to assess whether an address is still valid. BUT still, shouldn’t common sense prevail in these situations??

·?????? Limited Local Knowledge: Not all drivers are from the areas they deliver to, so they may not be aware of recent disasters or abandoned properties BUT if they drive up to an address where clearly the home is no longer standing don’t they have a moral obligation to mark it as undeliverable and have Amazon notify the customer as to where the package should be re-directed?

What Amazon Should Be Doing

·?????? Better Address Verification: Amazon could implement real-time verification for addresses in disaster zones, preventing deliveries to uninhabitable locations.

·?????? Driver Discretion & Training: Drivers should be empowered to flag obviously unlivable addresses and reroute packages.

·?????? Proactive Customer Outreach: If an area has suffered a disaster (wildfires, floods, etc.), Amazon should notify affected customers to update their shipping details before deliveries are attempted. (Same goes for ALL delivery companies).

For Affected Individuals

·?????? ?Update Your Address: If you’ve lost your home, update your shipping address in your Amazon account to a new or temporary location (friend’s house, shelter, PO box, or Amazon Hub locker).

·?????? ?Use Amazon Lockers or Pickup Locations: If you don’t have a stable address, you can select an Amazon Locker or an authorized pickup location for deliveries.

·?????? ?Contact Amazon Support: If a package was delivered to an old address and you can’t access it, contact Amazon’s customer service for assistance with redelivery or a refund.

·?????? For Other Deliveries (including from USPS): either put a mail hold in if you’re a wildfire victim, or provide them with an address to re-direct to.

·?????? How Neighbors Can Help:? if you see packages being delivered to abandoned or destroyed properties, you can notify Amazon support. And if you know your neighbor and can contact them to let them know, do so.

In Summary: What Else Can Be Done Now?

·?????? Amazon Needs to Hear About This: If this is happening frequently, local officials, affected individuals, and the public should report the issue to Amazon’s customer service and corporate channels.

·?????? Encourage Policy Changes: Public pressure and media attention could push Amazon to revise its delivery policies in disaster-affected areas.

·?????? Support Affected Residents: If someone you know is facing this issue, they should contact Amazon directly for redelivery or a refund.

·?????? Common Sense and Morality Should Dictate:? We need to be especially sensitive to people affected by these types of disasters and go the extra mile to ensure they are taken care of (that includes their deliveries).

By the way, an Amazon spokesperson subsequently reached out to Moore on social media to apologize saying “those who deliver on our behalf have been advised to use discretion in areas impacted by wildfires – especially if it involves delivering to a damaged or destroyed home. That clearly didn’t happen here.”

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