No one wants to see their packages stolen from their front porch. Not even package thieves want anyone to steal their packages. That’s why, as we shift more of our shopping online, the major delivery services have devised new ways to ensure that our packages end up in our hands.

There are two ways that carriers can bypass leaving things on the porch: by having customers use the Web to schedule delivery windows or re-route packages to a different address as needed, or having carriers deliver our packages somewhere else.

UPS was the first to allow residential package recipients to do this, and now competitors USPS and FedEx have joined the party. All three use the same business model: accounts and some basic services, like notifications of an impending delivery, are free. Customers have to pay for other services, which can include setting a precise delivery time or having a package re-routed to a different residential address.

Delivering packages to a central location is limited only to certain areas. Even Amazon has joined this effort, setting up its own lockers in some areas where people can pick up their package from a secure space. The USPS is currently experimenting with their own package lockers, which are called GoPost, being tested in only a few markets for now. UPS is now experimenting with delivering residential packages to nearby businesses.

How to Avoid Holiday Package Theft at Home [Consumer Reports]

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