Those who, like me, love to shop online when traveling to the United States often have to count on an extra expense: the fee charged by hotels to receive packages.
Previously uncommon, this practice can now be seen in large chain properties and even in resorts from Disney. Even with symbolic values, such as US$5 or US$10 per package, the game can be expensive for the most frequent buyers.
One solution I tested on my last trip is to use the amazon-locker, a locker system offered free of charge by Amazon, one of the most popular online stores in the world.
How Amazon Locker works
The idea is as follows: instead of delivering your purchase to the hotel, Amazon will leave it in a locker chosen by you close to your accommodation.
Once your order is there, an email is sent to your account with a six-digit code, which is used to open the door. locker. The numbers change each time the locker is used, so don't worry about someone stealing your order.
Within three days, you need to go to the locker, enter the code and collect your products, without paying any extra fees. You still need to pay the shipping cost or, if the bill is Premium, delivery continues to be free and made within two days. In fact, the first month Premium it's free! I recommend subscribing while traveling, using the benefits and canceling the subscription within the 30-day period.
Not all items can be delivered to lockers due to size and other restrictions. Orders that cost more than US$5000 or weigh more than 9kg, for example, are not accepted. You can check all the rules at this link, but anyway the option of “deliver to locker” will not appear if the products are not in compliance.
The disadvantages of this type of service, in addition to having to go to the delivery location, is that there is a limited amount of lockers, and they are often busy. On my last trip, to Orlando, I tried to make a purchase in the last few days but all the nearby stations were full.
How to use Amazon Locker
I took some graphic works from the website to explain how to use Amazon Locker. In short, just make the purchase in the usual way and, when choosing the delivery address, select a Amazon Pickup Location (pickup location).
Step by step
After adding all the items to your shopping bag, just access the cart and click on the button “proceed to checkout”. If you have the one-click purchase option enabled, it is important not to use it in order to change the delivery address.
at the beginning of checkout, instead of entering your hosting address, you need to click on “Search for an Amazon Pickup location near you” (search for a delivery location near you).
The page will redirect you to a form, where you need to enter an address, such as your hotel, so that Amazon can find the closest lockers.
Stations closest to the given address will be displayed. Select the one that is most convenient for you according to the location and time, more Be careful as not all of them work 24 hours a day.
After selecting the locker desired, just choose the type of shipping and proceed to the payment information. The delivery free normal takes 5 to 8 days, while standard (which I believe is paid, despite not showing the price on the print) takes 3 to 5.
After the purchase is completed, just wait for the Email informing you that your order can now be collected. This same message will contain a six-digit code, which must be used to open the locker. From that moment on, you have up to 3 days to go to the chosen station and collect your order.
There's no need to despair if you don't speak English, as it's not difficult.! There is only one screen where the only option is to enter the number received, and unless I'm mistaken, the menu has the option to translate into several languages. When you enter the data correctly, the locker opens automatically and you just have to collect your package! 🙂
My experience with Amazon Locker
According to the information book of the condominium where my family and I stayed in Orlando, a fee of US$5 would be charged for each package received. We then chose to use Amazon Locker, a cheaper solution with several lockers around Disney.
We select the station Macbeth – yes, it has a name – because we would pick up our purchases after a day at Disney Springs. The address is 8250 World Center Dr., in a 7-eleven inside a gas station, how glamorous, rs.
To my surprise, the lockers are not inside the market, but outside. Something that would be completely unthinkable in more insecure countries, but in the United States seems to be something completely natural (I couldn't resist this comment, because I was so impressed at the level Neon sign advertising ATM inside a store in Australia).
We click on the panel, enter the number provided in the email and, magically (It was at Disney, right?) a door opened revealing our order! So, super easy, without extra fees for Amazon and without having to pay the condominium fee. As we had made two purchases, we then entered the second number and, without any problems, picked up the other package.
Unfortunately I don't have many photos because my cell phone was faulty and most of them were just a gray blur. 🙁
Easy, intuitive, fast and free experience! With the exception of needing to travel to the pickup location, I only saw advantages and I intend to use it a lot when I stay at other properties that charge a delivery fee.
FAQs about using Amazon Locker
What is Amazon Locker?
Amazon Locker is a service from Amazon's American store where customers receive their orders in lockers across the country instead of at a home address or in hotels.
Do you need to be a Prime customer to use Amazon Locker?
No. Any American Amazon customer can use the Amazon Locker service without paying anything extra for the service.
How much does it cost to use Amazon Locker?
Nothing, the service is free! This way, if you are traveling and your hotel covers you for receiving online purchases, you can have your orders delivered to Amazon Locker and not pay any extra fees for it.
How long do purchases stay in Amazon Locker?
After orders arrive at the locker, you have until three days to remove them. After that, they returned to Amazon.
How long does it take for a purchase to arrive at Amazon Locker?
Shipping depends only on the product, not whether it will be delivered to a residence or a locker. Prime customers, however, can use free two-day delivery for purchases that will be delivered to lockers.
And you, have you used the Amazon Locker service? Did you like it? Share your experience in the comments!
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Hello. Do you know if it takes 3 working days or calendar days after receiving the code to collect it from the locker?
Hi, Alessandra!
I believe it's three consecutive days, but I'm not sure 🙂
Hello!
How far in advance do you order? I mean, how many days before traveling? From what I understand, the 3-day period starts from when the code is sent by Amazon.
What would be your suggestion? 1 week before traveling?
Hi Daniel! At the time I had Amazon Prime, which guaranteed delivery in one or two days, so I placed my order when I was there. When you add things to the cart and choose the locker, it gives you a delivery estimate (and Amazon usually gets it right), so I suggest you do that, see how long the delivery will take and then calculate how long before you need to make the purchase.
You can also sign up to try the Prime service for a month for free during your trip (just don't forget to cancel before the month ends) and take advantage of this fast delivery benefit 🙂
Good afternoon.
Thank you very much for the tutorial. It was sensational.
I'm sorry if the question is obvious, but I was in doubt: buying the product on Amazon, and choosing delivery at Locker, the import taxes that our beloved government charges us will not apply, right?
Hi Leonardo!
If you're talking about Brazilian government taxes (like those for international orders), no! 🙂
hey how's it going? unfortunately I was the lucky one and Amazon didn't deliver on the right date hahaha the first time in about 20 purchases – including shipping to Brazil. This time I sent it to the locker and it didn't arrive in time, now I'm leaving the city. Do you know if it is very difficult to cancel???
As far as I know, after three days the purchase goes back to Amazon and they cancel it. But contact support and they will definitely reimburse you 🙂
Alyssa, good morning!! Thank you for your help.
In that case, you didn't choose Prime, right? If I had registered and chose delivery to the locker, would I use the first or second option? I was unsure whether it would be the first or second option, but I understand that the first option would be delivery to an address and not to the locker! Thank you.
Hi Camila!
I don't quite understand what option you're talking about. But if you have Prime, the only thing that would change would be choosing the first delivery option, the one with the Amazon Prime seal on the side. Other than that it would be the same with or without prime 🙂
Hi. I'm about to buy on Amazon and use the locker near kissimme!
My question is, I'm going to buy from several different sellers. (at least 3)... could this cause problems and delay? I'm a prime customer.
I haven't finalized the purchase yet and so far I haven't received any notice that it won't fit in the locker.
No problem, at most you will have orders in more than one locker (and then you will receive more than one code to access each of the lockers) 🙂
Hello, do you know if there is any other service like this, to receive orders in the USA, but which accepts delivery from any other online store? I ask because I will be traveling for a while in a motorhome and will not have an address in the USA to receive orders. Thanks!
I know that Shipito receives orders from other stores, but you will need to indicate an address for them to resend.