Amazon is the world’s biggest online retailer. The company quickly grew to offer a variety of different products and then expanded its model to include web hosting services, which account for a whopping 70% of all its profits, according to QZ.
In 2005, Amazon began offering its Prime delivery service, which helped it become an even more redoubtable force in the online shopping game. It promised free two-day delivery on a variety of select items, as long as customers paid an annual fee. For those who shopped online, it was seen as a steal: no more shipping fees to worry about meant that they could get more things delivered to their home at a lower cost.
Fast-forward to 2023 and now Amazon mails out an average of 1.6 million packages per day, which comes out to a staggering 66,000 deliveries every hour. As a result of this volume, the company has had to get pretty darn good at getting products into the hands of its customers, but according to one Amazon shopper, they’re getting a little too good at their job.
Anthony Kozlowski (@anthonykoz) questioned why he was seeing options to receive a package at 4:30am in a viral TikTok that’s garnered over 315,000 views as of Saturday. In his rant, he details how he once fell asleep while wearing his smartwatch, only to receive a series of buzzing alerts letting him know that his Amazon shipment was delivered at approximately 4:15 in the morning.
Kozlowski also wrestled with the disparity in shipping options from Amazon, stating that there appeared to be a disjointed approach with the company’s messaging. He cited the option to receive multiple items at the same time and put them into the same boxes to minimize waste and maximize efficiency. This is why he finds that right beneath that option, he can choose to pay a few extra dollars and receive a delivery three hours later in the wee hours of the morning.
@anthonykoz Idek when they started offering 4am delivery but nonetheless its insane
♬ original sound – Anthony Koz
“Listen, don’t get me wrong I’m all for a speedy delivery,” the creator shares. “But if I order a book at 1 o’clock in the morning and I click yes to getting this book at 4:30am on a Tuesday, somebody call the authorities, I’m going manic. OK? Check the cabinets, somebody’s not taking their medication.”
As much as he criticized the delivery window, Kozlowski did say that he could see some instances where receiving a package early in the day would be beneficial for some.
“And like the only time I can see people using this is maybe if they needed something before they left for school or work the next morning and they wanted it before they left,” he explains. “That absolutely makes sense. Any other time, you should never be taking that option.”
While receiving a package so early might seem strange, it’s not difficult to see situations in which it is better for some customers. Early birds who are worried about their packages being taken from their porch by thieves who scope out deliveries might want to select this option. Also, those who work afternoon to night shifts may use the twilight hours to have some time to themselves to benefit from this window as well.
Several commenters who responded to Kozlowski’s video, however, who seemed to agree with his befuddled response to the delivery time.
“i just wanna know who VOLUNTEERED to deliver a package at 4 am,” a top comment read.
“My husband just ordered BATTERIES to be delivered at 4am…when I asked him WHY??? he just said because I could,” another user wrote.
Someone else commented that Amazon’s eco-friendly approach to delivering packages isn’t all that eco-friendly in reality. They shared, “Also when you select for them to all come the same day they’re all still in individual boxes.”
There were some customers, like this TikToker, who said that they love the 4am delivery window. “Honestly, 4am delivery is a LIFESAVER when my kid waits to tell me he needs something for a school project by the next morning, but that’s it,” they said.
Another penned, “The only time I used that was when it was a Christmas present for my friend because the previous gift ran out of stock.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Amazon and Kozlowski via TikTok comment.
