Receiving your latest order from Amazon is exciting. The package arrives on your doorstep, you take it inside, and you open it to reveal whatever it was you ordered. Even before the package arrives, you can track the entire delivery process on Amazon’s website. As part of this information, you may have noticed a peculiar term when looking at who is delivering your package: “AMZL_US.”

What does this string of letters mean, and how does it affect you as an Amazon customer? As you’ll see, it affects you quite a lot. In fact, it makes possible most of the Amazon shipping services you enjoy and take for granted. In this guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at AMZL_US (also known as Amazon Logistics), with special emphasis on why it matters to you as someone who orders things from Amazon.com.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What Is AMZ_US?

Amazon is a massive service. In 2017 alone, the company shipped over 5 billion items worldwide. They’re also a very efficient company, always looking for ways to reduce their expenses and improve their supply chain (which translates into lower prices for their customers).

One large expense that Amazon has to deal with is shipping. In the past, the company handled all their shipping through third-party shipping carriers and delivery service providers. This could mean familiar services like USPS, FedEx, or DHL, as well as lesser-known “last mile” services like Ontrac.

While Amazon still accomplishes many of its deliveries with these services, the company has also created its own shipping service. It’s called Amazon Logistics (often abbreviated as AMZL). AMZL_US refers to any deliveries that Amazon makes in the United States using its delivery service. Whenever you see “AMZL_US” associated with an Amazon order, it lets you know that Amazon Logistics is the one making the delivery.

How Does AMZL Differ from Other Shipping Companies?

So what makes AMZL different from other shipping carriers? In many ways, it’s similar. Like traditional carriers, AMZL delivers packages using ground transportation (generally vans or trucks). It does differ in some key ways, however. One important difference is that AMZL makes deliveries on Sundays, something other carriers do not. This lets Amazon offer customers a service that would have been unthinkable in the past.

Another important difference is that AMZL employs a network of independent contractors. They make deliveries through a program called Amazon Flex (which also includes deliveries for other Amazon services like Prime Now, Amazon Fresh, and Amazon Restaurants). AMZL also contracts deliveries out to Amazon Delivery Service Partners, which are basically delivery franchises operating fleets of 20–40 delivery vans.

Finally, AMZL differs in that the company makes deliveries directly from Amazon’s warehouses. There’s no need for a third-party shipping carrier to receive a package at their facility before sending it out to customers (or for the postal service to send the package to a local post office).

Instead, AMZL can send packages directly from the warehouse to customers. This boosts Amazon’s delivery capacity, making services like one-day delivery and same-day delivery possible, as well as making Amazon Prime services like free two-day shipping far easier for the company to implement.

AMZL Delivery Hours

We already mentioned how AMZL can make deliveries when other carriers can’t or won’t, but when can you expect your packages to be delivered? AMZL package deliveries occur between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. This is important to understand, as you could get home from work, see that Amazon says your package is “out for delivery,” and wonder why it still hasn’t arrived yet.

In all likelihood, the package delivery will just happen a bit later in the day than you’re used to receiving other types of packages or mail. You’re probably used to checking your mailbox after some time in the morning or afternoon and finding all the mail delivered. AMZL works on a different schedule. Routes and delivery times vary from day to day based on package volume and demand (especially during busy times like the Christmas season).

How to Track Your AMZL_US Package

One benefit of packages delivered via AMZL is that you can track them directly from Amazon.com or in the Amazon Shopping app. There’s no need to go to a third-party website or deal with tracking numbers.

Here are the steps you’ll need to follow in order to track your AMZL_US package:

1. Sign into your Amazon account

To view sensitive information related to tracking packages or open orders, you’ll need to enter your email address and password (even if it already looks like you’re logged in). This is for security reasons.

2. Go to the “Your Orders” page

You can find this page at the top of the Amazon homepage, as shown in the image below:

You can also access it directly using this link.

3. Choose the order you want to track

Once you’re on the “Your Orders” page, you’ll see a list of orders you recently placed from Amazon. To track an order, click the button that says “Track package”:

You’ll now be able to see the tracking page, which shows updates on the package’s progress, including its estimated delivery date and time:

You can also view the tracking information on a map once your package is out for delivery. Map tracking is available for all AMZL orders, but only once the package is in the delivery vehicle. While it’s still making its way to the local warehouse, you’ll only be able to view the sorts of updates shown in the image above.

What to Do If Your AMZL Package Delivery Is Late

While Amazon does everything in their power to deliver packages on time, sometimes an order will arrive late or get delayed. When this happens, you have a few options for recourse. The first, of course, is just to wait another day or so. In all likelihood, the package will arrive.

Sometimes, however, the package is too important to wait. Or, possibly, something else happened that made it appear as delivered even though it never made it into your hands. Here are a few possible reasons your package could be late:

The delivery person was unable to deliver the package. This can happen if they can’t find the address (unlikely but sometimes happens with apartment buildings or in remote areas). It can also happen if delivering the package was unsafe for the driver (aggressive dogs are a common cause of this problem).

This can happen if they can’t find the address (unlikely but sometimes happens with apartment buildings or in remote areas). It can also happen if delivering the package was unsafe for the driver (aggressive dogs are a common cause of this problem). The package went to the wrong address. This is easy to do by mistake if you have multiple addresses in your Amazon account (such as the addresses of friends or loved ones). It’s also one of the easiest errors for Amazon to correct, as all they have to do is dispatch a new package with the updated address.

This is easy to do by mistake if you have multiple addresses in your Amazon account (such as the addresses of friends or loved ones). It’s also one of the easiest errors for Amazon to correct, as all they have to do is dispatch a new package with the updated address. The package requires attended delivery. Certain items require someone to be present for their delivery. Generally, these are items whose recipient must be 21 (such as alcohol deliveries) or items that are highly perishable (such as produce, meat, or restaurant deliveries).

Certain items require someone to be present for their delivery. Generally, these are items whose recipient must be 21 (such as alcohol deliveries) or items that are highly perishable (such as produce, meat, or restaurant deliveries). Your apartment complex is still sorting the mail. If you live in an apartment building with a reception desk, they may not have placed the package in your mailbox yet. Nevertheless, Amazon will still technically show your package as “delivered,” since someone from your apartment management received it.

If you live in an apartment building with a reception desk, they may not have placed the package in your mailbox yet. Nevertheless, Amazon will still technically show your package as “delivered,” since someone from your apartment management received it. Someone stole the package. While not the most likely cause of a late package, it can happen. This is most common around the holidays, when lots of valuable packages are sitting on people’s porches and steps.

When something like this happens, you should contact Amazon customer service. You have a couple different options for doing this. Let’s examine each of them in more detail.

AMZL_US Contact Methods

You’ll be happy to learn that Amazon has several methods for speaking to a customer service representative. The methods you can use to get help with an Amazon order are as follows:

Customer Support Phone Number Email Support Live Chat Support

1. Amazon Customer Support Phone Number

In cases where you just need to speak to a live human about your problem, Amazon has you covered with a support phone number. Customers in the U.S. just need to call 1 (888) 280-4331 for help with any questions related to Amazon. When calling about a specific order, be sure to have the order number ready. You can access the order number within your Amazon account by going to the “Your Orders” page (discussed above).

Amazon aims to provide the best possible customer experience, so the representative you speak to will be happy to listen to your issue. When calling, provide as much detail as you can about the late package. Explain where the item should have been delivered. But be sure to listen to the customer support representative and always be polite. A late package can be very frustrating, but taking your frustration out on the Amazon support representative will not help resolve your issue.

2. Amazon Email Support

The next method available for getting help with Amazon orders is email support. For issues related to any package deliveries, you should email cis@amazon.com.

The same principles apply here for getting help as quickly as possible. Describe your issue in detail, provide your order number, and remain polite. Be sure not to include any sensitive details in your email (such as your credit card information), as email is not a 100 percent secure communication method.

3. Amazon Live Chat Support

The final method you can use to get support for your Amazon package delivery is live chat support. To initiate live chat support, you’ll first need to go to Amazon’s “Contact Us” page. You will likely need to log in. Once you’ve done that, you’ll see a page like the one below:

By default, Amazon will choose your most recent order as the topic with which you need help, but you can change this by clicking on “Choose a Different Order.”

Once you’ve chosen the order, scroll down to fill out the help form:

You’ll need to select an issue from the list. For issues related to a late order, the option “Where’s my stuff?” is the one to choose. You’ll then need to specify the problem in further detail. Your options are as follows:

Check status of order

Shipment is late

Tracking shows delivered but shipment not received

Delivery date was changed

Refund or replacement request declined

Received incomplete shipment

Prime Wardrobe

Of all these options, “Shipment is late” would be the most likely one to choose, though “Tracking shows delivered but shipment not received” could be another one that would make sense, as could “Delivery date was changed.”

Once you’ve picked an option, you’ll be presented with two options for contacting Amazon customer support. To activate chat support, click on “Chat”:

Once you click on this, you’ll be able to start the chat process. One advantage of using this method over phone or email is that you don’t have to deal with typing or reciting your order number – it’s automatically associated with your support ticket.

Frequently Asked Questions About AMZL_US

Before we wrap up, let’s look at answers to some common questions about AMZL_US.

1. What is a carrier delay? Since AMZL deliveries are performed by independent logistics providers and independent contractors, delays beyond Amazon’s control are possible. This is why you may see a message such as “Carrier delay” when looking into a late package. Many things can cause a carrier delay, but the most common cause is that the delivery driver ran out of time to deliver the package to your residence. In this case, they’ll just attempt to make the delivery on their route the following day. The best thing for you to do in this case is to be patient.

2. Why was my package delayed at the facility? Getting your package to you at the rapid speeds Amazon claims requires a complex orchestration of suppliers, Amazon warehouse workers, and delivery companies. In many cases, it also depends on private sellers (i.e., small businesses or even large companies that sell products using Amazon’s ecommerce platform) successfully getting their goods to an Amazon fulfillment center. While most of the time this whole process happens without any issues, sometimes things can go wrong. Maybe a warehouse worker was sick or distracted. Maybe the supplier delivered their shipment late. Both of these are possible reasons for your package getting delayed at the facility. If this happens, the best thing to do is just be patient. Amazon works to quickly resolve such delays, and your package will generally be delivered by the next day. If you do have any concerns, you can always reach out to Amazon customer service for help with determining what’s causing the delay.

3. Will Amazon give me a refund if my package is late or delayed? No, Amazon has no refund policy (even though it did give refunds from time to time in the past). They will work diligently to resolve any package delays, but you won’t get a refund if they happen. Also, you should note that the free one-day and two-day shipping available to Amazon Prime members only apply to how long the item will take to reach you once it ships. As Amazon states on their website, “Selecting One-Day or Two-Day shipping will reduce the transit time to one or two business days after we’ve shipped your order, but it won’t impact how long it takes us to obtain the item or prepare it for shipment. The shipping method time starts when the item ships.” Therefore, it can sometimes take longer than one or two days to receive such a Prime order, as factors beyond Amazon’s control can add to the time it takes to prepare the item for shipment.

4. How can I start my own AMZL delivery business? We mentioned earlier that many of Amazon’s services are only possible because the company contracts out much of the work to its shipping service franchises. Starting your own business as an Amazon logistics provider can be a challenging and rewarding opportunity. To learn more about how you can start an Amazon delivery franchise, check out our guide.

5. Can I pick up my AMZL_US package up somewhere besides my house? Yes, this is an option. Sometimes, your house isn’t the most secure or convenient location for you to receive a package. Recognizing this, Amazon offers a service called Amazon Locker Delivery. If available in your area, Amazon can deliver your package to a secure locker that you can access with a combination code (you receive the code when you order an item and select an Amazon Locker as your delivery address). The service is free to all Amazon shoppers, regardless of membership level. Using Amazon Locker Delivery can help alleviate problems with deliverability (such as a lack of a secure location to leave the package or a threatening dog that scares off the delivery person). To learn more about the service, visit the Amazon Locker Delivery page.

Amazon Logistics Makes Your Package Delivery Possible

We hope you now understand the ins and outs of Amazon Logistics, especially how it affects you as an Amazon customer. When you understand how to properly navigate the Amazon website, you can track your packages and deal with late orders with ease.