Packages Not Delivered In Time For Christmas Leave Some Scrambling For Presents
Chicago (CBS) -- On Christmas Eve, some folks who thought their holiday shopping was complete are now realizing Santa will be arriving late.
Jessica Gayne is trying to put on a happy face for her kids after a package filled with presents for her young son never arrived. She said she paid for express shipping and received a message from Amazon saying it had been delivered Sunday.
But, the package was nowhere to be found.
After speaking with several customer service reps and even offering to pay more for shipping, she was told she'd be issued a refund in three to five days. But, it's not enough time for her to buy something new.
"Now I have to write a note from Santa saying, 'I'm sorry we forgot this but it's coming to you hopefully,'" Gayne said.
Gayne took to a community Facebook group, where many residents have been helping return lost packages to their rightful owners.
Lakeview residents also say they've had problems with delivery drivers handing out packages to people in front of homes without asking for ID
According to ShipMatrix, which tracks delivery times for major carriers, this year most packages should be delivered on time with effective rates between 97 and 98 percent. But, even those high rates mean hundreds of thousands of gifts won't make it under the tree.
It's one of the reasons why shoppers like Jessica Akin and Victor McWilliams did their shopping in-person this holiday season.
"I know they're doing their best, but stuff slips through the cracks sometimes," Akin said.
"If I do it hands on, I know it's going to get delivered," McWilliams said.
A spokesperson from Amazon told CBS 2 most of their orders are getting to customers without an issue, but if there is a problem, Amazon's customer service team is available 24/7 to help make things right.
