Amazon’s online shopping and delivery service has been a great convenience to many people, and for some who can’t easily make it to the stores, it can be a lifeline.
So, if you’ve been living in an isolated place, and are wondering if Amazon delivers to rural and remote areas, read on below to see what I discovered!
Does Amazon Deliver to Rural and Remote Areas In [currentyear]?
Amazon does deliver to rural and remote areas in [currentyear]. Amazon relies on the US Postal Service for last-mile delivery. So, Amazon packages can be delivered everywhere that USPS delivers mail, which is every address in the US. However, in some cases, the USPS will only deliver to the closest Post Officer in which the parcel will have to be picked up.
To find out more about how Amazon delivers to rural addresses, carry on reading for all the details below!
How Does Amazon Deliver to Rural Addresses?
Amazon does deliver to rural and remote addressees.
Most often, these deliveries to remote locations are made by the US Postal Service (USPS) which has to deliver to every address in the US.
Amazon uses a number of different shipping services like FedEx, UPS, DHL, and the US postal service to deliver customers’ orders.
This means that Amazon ships to all locations where its shippers deliver.
If the United States Postal Service (USPS) delivers to an address, no matter how rural or remote it is, so does Amazon.
USPS in its turn is mandated to deliver to all addresses in the US. In fact, if your address is recognized by your local 911 services, USPS has to deliver there.
This means that Amazon delivers to all addresses where the USPS delivers mail.
How Do I Get USPS to Recognize My Address?
One thing that might prevent Amazon and USPS from delivering to your address is that USPS doesn’t yet recognize it.
Once you can get USPS to recognize your address and deliver mail to you, you will also start receiving Amazon delivery there via USPS.
Some bloggers suggest calling your county offices to make sure that 911 recognizes your address.
Then if you send yourself some mail, USPS will be sure to deliver it.
Once you are receiving regular USPS mail delivery, you can receive your Amazon packages, too.
How Much Does It Cost for Amazon Delivery to Rural and Remote Areas?
For all Amazon deliveries, shipping is calculated at checkout based on your address. All orders over $35 qualify for free standard shipping.
Amazon Prime members get free shipping on all orders. However, many other Prime delivery options, like expedited shipping, may not be available for rural and remote areas.
How Long Does It Take for Amazon to Deliver to Rural and Remote Areas?
Standard shipping with Amazon usually takes 3 to 7 business days. However, due to the disruptions caused by recent world events, shipping and deliveries may be delayed.
Further, depending on your location, options like 2-day shipping may not be available.
When you check out your Amazon order, you will get an estimated delivery time.
How Are Amazon Packages Delivered to Remote Areas?
Amazon uses a number of different shipping services, including FedEx, UPS, DHL, and others.
These services usually deliver packages to the nearest major transportation hub.
For remote areas, the packages are then handed over to the US post office for last-mile delivery.
Some media outlets are reporting that, as of 2020, Amazon is planning its own rural delivery service for last-mile delivery.
However, there is no information yet on when this service is expected to begin.
Can You Get Amazon Prime Delivery Service for Rural and Remote Areas?
For all addresses in Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico, the only Amazon Prime service available is free standard shipping. This generally takes 5 to 8 business days for delivery.
Further, many rural areas within the contiguous United States also don’t have many Amazon Prime services like same-day delivery, Whole Foods delivery, and alcohol delivery.
This means that residents in these areas and rural residents have fewer delivery options for their Amazon Prime membership, even though they pay the same price as residents in other areas.
Does Amazon Deliver to PO Boxes?
Amazon does deliver to PO Boxes. However, when placing your order, you must be careful to enter only your PO Box address, and not your street address.
When the Amazon online system sees the PO Box address, it automatically chooses USPS as the shipper.
However, if you enter a street address as well, Amazon might choose a different shipper like UPS or FedEx, who will then try and deliver to your street address.
How Can I Tell If Amazon Delivers to My Address?
Each Amazon page, and the Amazon app, has an address widget at the top where you can enter your address.
When you shop, each product page will tell you if the item can be delivered to your address.
To know more, you can also read our posts on whether or not Amazon ships products to Puerto Rico, what time does Amazon deliver, and if Amazon delivers to apartments.
Conclusion
Amazon does deliver to rural and remote areas, using USPS mail delivery. Therefore, Amazon packages can be delivered to every address in the US. For rural and remote areas, some Amazon Prime delivery options may not be available.
