Delivery and logistics
Customer Checklist for a Smooth Delivery
A short checklist for buyers: check your address, add access notes, share your location and stay reachable so your parcel arrives first time.
Updated 14 October 2026 · 2 min read
Most deliveries go well. A short routine before and after you order makes the rest go well too. Use this checklist when you place an order or when you are expecting a parcel.
When you place the order
- Check every address field. Name, street, number, unit, city and postcode. Read it aloud once.
- Add the details that are easy to forget. Floor, entrance, gate or compound name.
- Give a phone number you will answer. See why a reachable phone number matters.
- Write a short note. Use the guidance in how to write delivery instructions that work.
- Mark your location if the shop offers a map. See pin-drop delivery locations at checkout.
- Choose a time window or handover option that suits you; see delivery time windows.
Before the delivery day
- Tell the building guard, reception or neighbour that a parcel is coming.
- Make sure the gate, intercom or buzzer works.
- Keep your phone charged and the ringer on.
- If the order is cash on delivery, prepare the amount.
When the courier arrives
- Check that the parcel is addressed to you and looks undamaged, where practical.
- Sign or confirm as required; see proof of delivery explained.
- Take a photo if something looks wrong and report it quickly.
If you will not be there
Pick one of these in advance:
- A pickup point or locker; see pickup points vs doorstep delivery.
- A trusted neighbour or reception desk.
- A safe place, if you are comfortable with it; see safe place delivery.
If something goes wrong
Contact the seller or carrier early. If the address was wrong, see changing a delivery address after you order. If the attempt failed, see failed delivery attempts explained.
Sharing an exact location
If you have trouble describing where you live, you can pick the spot on the UPCS map and share the resulting code. It is an exact-location complement to your address, not an official postcode, and it works in the 25 countries UPCS supports.
Frequently asked questions
What is the single most useful thing a buyer can do?
Make sure the address is complete and a working phone number is on the order, so the courier can reach you if anything is unclear.
Do I need to be home for every delivery?
Not always. Many carriers allow a safe place, a neighbour or a pickup point, but signature or cash orders usually require someone present.