What Does "Change Shipping Speed" Mean on Amazon?

Hey friend! Have you ever ordered something on Amazon and seen an option to "change shipping speed" at checkout? If you‘re anything like me, you probably wondered, what exactly does that mean? Don‘t worry, I was confused at first too!

In simple terms, the "change shipping speed" option allows you to select how quickly you want your order delivered. Amazon gives you different shipping speed choices during checkout, before your order is placed.

Changing to a faster shipping speed usually means paying an extra delivery fee. But Amazon Prime members can get free two-day shipping on eligible items, which is awesome!

In this detailed guide, I‘ll explain everything you need to know about changing shipping speeds on Amazon, so you can get your orders as fast as possible. Let‘s dive in!

Can You Change the Shipping Speed After Ordering?

I‘m sure you‘ve had those "uh oh" moments after buying something online and wishing you selected faster shipping. Well with Amazon, you‘re in luck, because you can modify the shipping speed after purchase pretty easily:

  1. Go into Your Orders and find the order you want to change.

  2. Under shipment details, click on "Change shipment delivery".

  3. Pick your new shipping speed and preferred delivery date/time.

  4. Save the changes and you‘re all set!

Just make sure your order hasn‘t actually shipped out yet. Once the package is already on its way, it‘s too late to change the speed online. You‘d have to contact Amazon customer service at that point.

What If You Need to Change a Delivery That Already Shipped?

This has definitely happened to me before – I realize I won‘t be home for a delivery that‘s already on the way. It‘s frustrating, but not the end of the world. Here are some options if you need to modify an Amazon order that‘s already shipped:

  • Have the package held at your local post office for pickup.

  • See if you can deliver to an Amazon Locker location instead of your home address.

  • If it hasn‘t been handed to the shipping carrier yet, you may be able to cancel the order.

  • Call Amazon to ask about re-scheduling delivery for a more convenient date/time.

  • Give delivery access to a trusted neighbor if you won‘t be available.

While Amazon can‘t intercept every package, their customer service teams will try to help with changes if possible. Don‘t stress – just reach out to them!

How Long Do Amazon‘s Shipping Speeds Take?

Amazon offers a bunch of different shipping speeds depending on the item, warehouse location, and other factors. Here‘s an overview of the main options:

Shipping Speed Delivery Time
Two-Day Shipping 2 business days
One-Day Shipping 1 business day
Standard Shipping 5-8 business days
Amazon Day Delivery Delivers all orders on your chosen day of the week
Scheduled Delivery Choose a specific delivery date & time after checkout

As you can see, standard shipping takes about a week unless you pay extra for faster options.

The delivery time can also vary a bit item by item depending on the seller‘s policies and stock availability. I always review the speed choices during checkout just to be safe!

Are Amazon Prime Shipping Speeds Really Faster?

In my experience as a Prime member, yes – Amazon Prime definitely gives you access to quicker shipping!

One of the best Prime perks is getting free two-day delivery on millions of eligible items. I‘ve place orders late at night and still gotten them within 48 hours.

Some examples of the fast, free Prime shipping options:

  • Two-Day Shipping – 2 business days, includes weekends/holidays

  • One-Day Shipping – Available on over 10 million products, no order minimum

  • Same-Day Delivery – Get select items delivered within hours in eligible metro areas

  • Release-Date Delivery – Pre-ordered products arrive on release day automatically

  • Ultrafast Grocery Delivery – Get groceries in 2 hours in select cities

Pretty sweet deals! As long as the items are shipped and sold by Amazon directly, Prime members can enjoy expedited delivery for no extra cost.

In 2021, Amazon shipped over 6.2 billion Prime packages in the US alone! When it comes to fast shipping, they‘ve got it figured out.

How Many Amazon Packages are Delivered Each Year?

Speaking of numbers, check out these crazy Amazon shipping stats:

  • Amazon delivered 3.5 billion packages worldwide in 2019.

  • That number jumped to 4.2 billion packages globally in 2020.

  • In 2021, Amazon shipped 6.2 billion packages just in the United States!

  • They handle shipping for over 12 million sellers on their marketplace platform.

  • On peak days like Prime Day, Amazon fulfils over 60 million packages worldwide.

It‘s mind-blowing how many deliveries Amazon processes every single day! No wonder they‘re experts on fast, reliable shipping.

How Can You Get Faster Shipping on Amazon?

Beyond selecting expedited delivery options at checkout, here are some of my tips for faster Amazon shipping:

  • Get Amazon Prime – Prime unlocks free one-day and same-day delivery on millions of items.

  • Spend $25+ on books – Get free economy shipping on eligible books without Prime.

  • Use Amazon Day Delivery – Schedule all your orders for the same day of the week.

  • Check if the item has Prime same-day eligibility – Some products offer Prime free same-day shipping if needed urgently.

  • Use Amazon Lockers – Have your order delivered to a secure locker location for quicker processing.

  • See if Amazon Warehouse has the item – Gets you fast shipping on discounted used/returned products.

  • Set your delivery location wisely – Closer distances from fulfillment centers typically see faster target delivery times.

With some smart planning, you can get your Amazon orders super quickly!

Can You Pay Extra for Faster Shipping?

Yes, Amazon gives you the option to pay extra shipping fees on both Prime and non-Prime orders to expedite delivery. Here are some examples:

  • One-Day Shipping – Usually an additional $2-8 per item to upgrade from standard delivery time.

  • Same-Day Delivery – If eligible, pay $12.99 on top of the normal shipping cost for delivery within hours on orders over $35.

  • Two-Hour Delivery – In select cities, Prime members can pay around $15 extra to get orders in just 2 hours.

  • Scheduled Delivery – Choose your ideal date/time for a small upcharge when available.

  • Release-Date Delivery – Ensure pre-ordered products arrive on release day for a small added fee.

The extra expedited shipping costs will display during checkout. Evaluate the options carefully as you buy and determine if faster shipping is worth it.

Can You Change the Shipping Address After Ordering?

Made a typo in your shipping address? Don‘t worry, Amazon lets you edit the delivery address on an order after checkout pretty easily:

  1. Go into Your Orders and select the order you need to modify.

  2. Under shipping details, click "Change address".

  3. Enter and confirm your correct shipping address.

  4. Save the changes.

Just be aware this only works before the order is shipped out for delivery. Once the package is already en route, you‘ll need to reach out to Amazon customer service to resolve any address issues.

What Happens If You Input the Wrong Shipping Address?

If you accidentally enter an incorrect shipping address and don‘t realize until after your order ships, try not to panic. Here‘s what you can do:

  • Contact Amazon ASAP and explain the address mistake. Their customer service team can help.

  • If you have tracking, monitor the delivery status closely and try to intercept the package.

  • You may be able to reroute the shipment to your correct address if caught early enough.

  • If delivered to the wrong location, request that the recipient returns the package to the courier.

  • As a last resort, you can authorize a replacement order at the correct address if the original package is lost.

While a wrong shipping address isn‘t ideal, Amazon has processes in place to help fix these sorts of logistical mix-ups.

Can Amazon Deliver to Multiple Addresses?

If you‘re sending gifts or need to ship items to a few different addresses, Amazon offers a few handy options:

  • Ship to Multiple Addresses – Split your order during checkout to send individual items to different addresses.

  • Share Shipping Address – Allow selected friends/family to ship eligible items to your address.

  • Amazon Locker – Have items sent to secure locker locations for easy pickup.

  • Amazon Day – Designate a weekly delivery day to receive multiple orders together.

  • Amazon Wish List – Let others buy and ship gifts directly from your wish list.

With some creative thinking, you can use Amazon‘s delivery features to send orders to multiple addresses as needed!

What Shipping Restrictions Does Amazon Have?

While Amazon ships to many addresses across the US, some restrictions apply:

  • No PO boxes – Amazon only ships to valid street addresses and not PO boxes or APO addresses.

  • No freight forwarding – Prohibited to ship items to forwarding/reshipping businesses and locations.

  • No third-party sellers – Select items can only be shipped within the same country as the third-party seller. International delivery may not be available.

  • Alcohol restrictions – Laws prohibit mailing alcohol to some states and PO boxes. Must be 21+ with valid ID.

  • Prescription restrictions – Medications require a valid prescription and can only be shipped within the US.

So it‘s a good idea to double check any address restrictions before completing your order. Amazon tries to make shipping as flexible as possible, but laws prohibit certain types of deliveries.

How Does Amazon Shipping Compare to Other Retailers?

From my research, Amazon comes out on top for fast shipping compared to other major retailers:

  • Two-day shipping – Amazon offers this for free to Prime members, whereas most competitors charge extra for 2-day delivery.

  • One-day shipping – Available on over 10 million products with Prime, compared to just a few thousand elsewhere.

  • Same-day delivery – Amazon provides same-day on thousands of items in metro areas, which is rare from other chains.

  • Sunday delivery – Amazon ships select items on Sundays, while most retailers only deliver Monday through Saturday.

  • Rural access – Amazon delivers to more rural and remote addresses than competitors.

  • Package volume – Amazon ships billions more packages per year than any other retailer.

Their massive fulfillment and distribution network allows Amazon to offer exceptionally fast shipping, especially with a Prime membership.

Should You Pay for Faster Shipping on Amazon?

Whether it‘s worth it to pay extra for expedited shipping depends on your specific situation and needs:

✅ Pros of faster shipping:

  • Get the item sooner
  • Useful for time-sensitive orders
  • Avoid shipping delays
  • Great for last-minute gifts

❌ Cons of faster shipping

  • Increased delivery fees
  • Not always necessary
  • Items could still be delayed
  • Weekend/holiday charges may apply

My advice is to consider the urgency of each order. If you need something ASAP, it can be worthwhile to pay a bit more for quicker shipping. But standard delivery works fine for most non-urgent purchases.

Final Thoughts

Hopefully this guide gave you a better understanding of what "change shipping speed" means on Amazon! To quickly recap:

  • You can select faster shipping for an extra cost, with Prime providing free two-day delivery.

  • Make sure to modify the speed before your order ships out. After that, you‘ll need to contact customer service for changes.

  • Amazon offers a range of delivery options like two-day, one-day, and same-day. Restrictions and costs apply.

  • Prime members get access to the fastest free shipping speeds.

Let me know if you have any other Amazon shipping questions! I‘m always happy to help explain how Amazon‘s delivery process works.

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