You’re probably familiar with the idea of waiting for something you ordered to be delivered, only to be in the bathroom or on the phone when the postal service arrives… Now you are left with a polite notice stating, “Sorry, you weren’t in,” with your parcel on the way back to the warehouse. Although companies are adapting to storing packages in prearranged places, a lot of delivery firms like Japan Post still put redelivery slips in your letterbox with instructions for how to retrieve your item. Thankfully these services are fairly easy to work around and should cause minimal bother to you.
The reasons that items cannot be delivered are roughly the same as those found anywhere. Some items might not fit through the letterbox, and there is nowhere to put them. Some items might be very important and require a signature. This is sometimes the case with city hall documents. Occasionally too, the sender has not paid the required postage and the delivery firm will want the money off you. This is very rarely the case but it can happen with items sent from family abroad. Some people also report the delivery driver giving attempted delivery slips without even knocking! Has this ever happened to you? What can you do about this though? Here are the three most used solutions.
How to schedule a redelivery with Japan Post
This can be done from the moment you first receive a missed delivery slip. Have a look for the contact number on the slip. Below that, there should be a table of days, times, and numbers. All you have to do is call the number on the slip, and via the automated system you can select the desired day and time that you wish to have your items redelivered. Have a look at the picture below to see how it is done. You can select the time fairly precisely, so don’t worry about being stuck at home all day waiting. If you are lucky, you might be able to arrange for a same-day redelivery! As explained above however, most firms tend to try this anyway if they are not too busy.
You might need a little Japanese to complete this process, but some companies will have an English service too. Look for the English language phone number provided on the slip. For those who might be anxious on the phone, this process is done via an automated system.
Dissection of a Japan Post redelivery slip
Here is an example of a failed delivery slip from the post office. This is where the relevant information for redelivery can be found.
How to arrange delivery by telephone: First, call the number displayed. If you have a flip-phone, then call the second number. When you get through, you will need to give three pieces of information.
- First, tap in your zip code (postcode) and the “Mail type” number (1).
- When this is done, you will be prompted to tap in the reference number (2).
- When this information has been verified (within a few seconds), use the grid (3) to select the interval in which you want to receive your package.
This style of slip is used across the more well-known companies too, such as Sagawa and Kuroneko Yamato. Once you know where the information is, the rest is very straightforward. With more companies trialing door-drop options, as well as alternative delivery locations (convenience stores and PUDO boxes), it is safe to say that getting your hands on your packages is becoming even easier.
Wait for another delivery attempt
Unlike the service I have received back home, Japanese deliveries often come back round and do multiple attempts. If you have missed a package in the morning, there is a strong chance that its delivery will be attempted again the very same evening. If not, then it is almost guaranteed to be attempted the next day. This depends on how many items need to be delivered on the mail carrier’s rounds, but they will attempt deliveries for around three days before they decide to keep the package and wait for you to contact them.
Collect your package from the Post Office
This method is very useful if you are having anything delivered via the post office. More often than not, it is more convenient than trying to reschedule the delivery. Despite the main post office being shut on Sundays, you can visit the package collection window any day of the week. Sunday hours are reduced, so check with your local post office first.
In some cases, you will need to wait one day before you go to collect your items. This will be made clear on the redelivery slip.
Bring your redelivery slip to the Japan Post branch indicated on the slip along with a form of ID that verifies your name and address. Once this has been confirmed, the member of staff will potter around in the back of the office for a minute, and then you receive your package.
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Featured image by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash
