Amazon "Preparing for Shipment" Status

[nvestysly]

Okay, maybe I'm just becoming a grumpy old guy but it appears Amazon is changing the way they do business. I'm currently frustrated by two orders that were placed earlier this week. In both orders all the items are in stock and are sold by or fulfilled by Amazon so there are no third parties involved.

The status of the orders is "Preparing for Shipment." The Amazon web sites indicates orders may be in this status for several days. If something is in stock I don't understand why it's not ready for shipment with a tracking number in 48 hours or so. For one of these orders it's been a little over 48 hours and the other is well over 96 hours! That seems odd to me.

I only order 10 - 20 times a year and I don't use Prime. I have always used free shipping (slow, yes) but I wonder if Amazon isn't taking advantage of my situation to "urge" me to subscribe to Prime.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I called Amazon and they assured me the orders will be delivered within the maximum window they estimated. Those time frames correspond to the free shipping period I agreed to when I placed the order. But if it's going to take 4 or more days to actually put the item in a box and put a tracking number on it I am very suspect that it will arrive in time.

 

[Jerry1]

That was my experience as well back a few years ago before I became a prime member. I guess since there's nothing committing them to ship it any sooner, they don't. Will that urge you to subscribe to prime? I don't know, you can pay for a bit of shipping for the prime membership. I got prime because let's just say I order more than 10-20 times a year and I'm very impatient. I would expect though, that your order will arrive on time.

 

[W2R]

They use the "preparing for shipment" designation for Prime, too. Especially if I order something from a third party, the two day shipping seems to only apply after it has been shipped.

As far as I can tell, the main function of "Preparing for shipment" is that you can't cancel your order after that. I think? Or maybe I am confusing it with some other designation.

It's annoying, but I try not to let it get to me. Overall, I really do like Amazon Prime but if you don't want it, then don't let this "preparing for shipment" issue push you into buying it.

 

[GrayHare]

I figure the "Preparing for Shipment" designation merely lets you know your order is in the system. It's like a hotel reservation, something useful for both you and the hotel. Amazon knows you want the item, and since they are giving you free shipping they optimize the ship date to minimize their cost. Perhaps, for example, Amazon knows Tuesday is its least-busy shipping day of the week, so for efficiency it will schedule the non-Prime free shipments to go out that day.

 

[audreyh1]

Preparing for shipment also means you can't cancel or change the order.

We get great shipping speed on Prime. 2 days usually, rarely more. Sometimes I do "no rush" shipping, and it still gets here darn fast.

Who knows, maybe they are "punishing" you - or giving you lower shipping priority - since you are a non-Prime member. I mean, they've got to rush out all those Prime member orders, don't they?

 

[meierlde]

Given that more and more most of the first mile shipment amazon does, is done in amazon vehicles, it could well be waiting till the truck going in your direction is full enough. Note that amazon also now has sorting centers in many areas, where shipments from the various warehouses are resorted into vehicles for single destinations. Note that Amazon now has about 40 planes for air freight also.

 

[RobbieB]

Everything I buy from Amazon is preparing for shipment. Sometimes it ships faster than other times. It always gets here in good shape.

No problem.

 

[bingybear]

I've had the same issue when using prime. Sometimes the 2 day shipping goes to a week + shipping. Once I had it tell me it was arriving today.... which it didn't. And then it later looked like it was shipped again.... or maybe it was really the first time actually shipping.

 

[burch64]

I am a prime member, but some items are not eligible for prime.

I placed an order on Feb 2 and it did not ship until Feb 8. Item was in stock but did not ship for 6 days.

Maybe as someone said they are waiting for a full truck heading this way.

 

[Bryan Barnfellow]

Here is an opposite experience. For books I mostly buy in Kindle format. These are dispatched instantly and I am reading them even while my order summary says something like "your order is being processed." Perhaps this might change in the future if they decide to ship in bigger packets and then hold my electrons until the packet going in my direction fills up!

 

[Philliefan33]

Given that more and more most of the first mile shipment amazon does, is done in amazon vehicles, it could well be waiting till the truck going in your direction is full enough. Note that amazon also now has sorting centers in many areas, where shipments from the various warehouses are resorted into vehicles for single destinations. Note that Amazon now has about 40 planes for air freight also.

+1

 

[folivier]

Maybe they don't have a big enough box? Seriously you think a memory card wouldn't take a box big enough for a laptop but that's how it gets packaged.
Anyway Prime IMO is worth it.
BTW anybody else getting charged tax with Amazon?

 

[MichaelB]

Controlling shipping cost must be critical for Amazon. They have also created high expectations regarding delivery. I suspect they use "order processing" as cover while they really are just opting for less expensive delivery options.

 

[ivinsfan]

I don't know why you use the words "take advantage of" ...customers that paid for Prime are at the head of the shipping line. Free shipping is not the same as Prime shipping..even though 2 day refers to shipping method, the orders themselves seem to just move through the system faster.

 

[easysurfer]

I don't know why you use the words "take advantage of" ...customers that paid for Prime are at the head of the shipping line. Free shipping is not the same as Prime shipping..even though 2 day refers to shipping method, the orders themselves seem to just move through the system faster.

+1. Free non-prime shipping is like flying coach instead of first class.

 

[nvestysly]

Interesting comments. With the various orders I've placed with Amazon none (until now) has ever been in Preparing for Shipment status for an extended period - a day maybe, perhaps two. Let me say that in the past I've not even noticed the Preparing for Shipment status existed - it's never been an issue for me in the past.

Now, with these two orders I'm at 5 days and 3 days respectively of Preparing for Shipment. I don't ever recall this occurring to any of my orders in the past. Maybe the "pickers" went on strike, maybe they forgot to fill the truck with fuel - who knows? There are lots of reasons why it might be occurring.

I still wonder if this isn't a new M.O. for Amazon to urge users to pay for Prime membership.

However, with some of the Prime members indicating only the shipping portion is really two days it makes me realize that I'm going to buy more and more items locally even if they cost more. I did that recently when I needed a repair part for my vehicle - buying local was moderately more expensive than Amazon but I had the part in my hand within hours. Now I wish I had done the same thing with these RV parts - the RV dealer down the road probably has them in stock. The convenience factor of Amazon is waning in my opinion.

If Preparing for Shipment is the new normal then Amazon will see less of my business.

 

[ivinsfan]

Well if your local Rv dealer doesn't have them in stock prepare to wait for a no rush order or pay a shipping fee for next day delivery..this is the new "normal"

 

[W2R]

BTW anybody else getting charged tax with Amazon?

I notice on your public profile that you live in Louisiana, like I do. Amazon started charging tax for Louisiana this year. Still, I was surprised when I ordered a USB cable a couple of days ago (third party, fulfilled by Amazon), to see that tax wasn't added. It was added on my previous Amazon orders this year.

I am hoping that since Amazon is now charging tax in Louisiana, maybe they will now be able to provide us with more of the cool local services that some other locations have. Like "Amazon Now", that delivers things the same day, or their service that delivers fresh food items, and so on. I think there's a silver lining here somewhere but it just hasn't shown up yet.

 

[W2R]

However, with some of the Prime members indicating only the shipping portion is really two days it makes me realize that I'm going to buy more and more items locally even if they cost more.

I get a lot faster service if the item is either sold by Amazon, or "Fulfilled by Amazon". I seldom buy anything that isn't sold or fulfilled by Amazon. And, I always doublecheck to make sure it is in stock, by clicking on the buying options since being out of stock is usually noted there too.

The really long waits that I have had, have been for third party items which are not fulfilled by Amazon. My speculation is that perhaps they are out of stock and have to make the item, or maybe they just don't care.

 

[audreyh1]

We've been paying sales tax on Amazon purchases in Texas since 2012. Fulfilled by Amazon usually does not charge sales tax. I think it depends on where the vendor is located.

 

[W2R]

We've been paying sales tax on Amazon purchases in Texas since 2012. Fulfilled by Amazon usually does not charge sales tax. I think it depends on where the vendor is located.

Interesting! I had no idea. Thanks.

 

[GrayHare]

Historically sales tax has been charged if the vendor has a physical presence in the state. If your state has an Amazon warehouse you'll be charged sales tax on at least some items. Amazon has negotiated details with some states on this issue, for example I think you won't be charged sales tax on items fulfilled by Amazon if the outfit selling the item does not have a presence in your state.

 

[grasshopper]

Historically sales tax has been charged if the vendor has a physical presence in the state. If your state has an Amazon warehouse you'll be charged sales tax on at least some items. Amazon has negotiated details with some states on this issue, for example I think you won't be charged sales tax on items fulfilled by Amazon if the outfit selling the item does not have a presence in your state.

I face this with every Amazon order. We have a warehouse in AZ so I get my stuff 2-3 days without Prime, but get charged sales tax. Since most of the deliveries are ship to Post Office and since we don't get mail delivery. I usually have things sent to my New Mexico Post Office, no tax and it is 15 miles closer than my AZ PO.

 

[RobbieB]

Then you have to pay the tax directly to the state at the end of the year. A real pain to keep all those records.

 

[jimbee]

Historically sales tax has been charged if the vendor has a physical presence in the state. If your state has an Amazon warehouse you'll be charged sales tax on at least some items. Amazon has negotiated details with some states on this issue, for example I think you won't be charged sales tax on items fulfilled by Amazon if the outfit selling the item does not have a presence in your state.

Yep, collection of sales/use tax from outside of a state's jurisdiction is limited by the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution, and upheld by Quill Corp. vs. North Dakota in 1992. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quill_Corp._v._North_Dakota