How to change a delivery address after the order has been collected by the carrier
Once an order has been picked up by the carrier, we can no longer change the delivery address. The parcel is in the carrier's network and only they can redirect it. The good news: most major carriers let the end recipient redirect their own parcel directly, using the tracking number. If your customer contacts you asking to change the address after despatch, the fastest path is to give your customer the tracking number and point them to the carrier's redelivery / change-of-address tool.
General process
- Confirm the order has already been collected by the carrier. Check the tracking status: if it still shows "Processing" or is still at the warehouse, raise a ticket with Bezos support and we may be able to intercept before handover.
- If the parcel is already with the carrier, share the tracking number with your customer.
- Ask your customer to use the carrier's own app or website to update the delivery address or arrange a redirect. Carriers will only accept this request from the named recipient, not from the sender, so the customer has to do it themselves.
- The customer may need to verify their identity (postcode, name, or an OTP sent to their phone/email) before the change is accepted.
- Some carriers charge a small fee for redirection, this is paid by the recipient at the time of the request.
Royal Mail (specific instructions)
For parcels travelling with Royal Mail, the customer can update the delivery address through the Royal Mail app:
- Ask the customer to download the Royal Mail app (available on iOS and Android).
- In the app, they should enter their tracking number
- From the tracking screen, they can select the option to update the delivery address or arrange a redirect to a different address, a neighbour, or a Royal Mail Post Office / Customer Service Point.
- Royal Mail will confirm the change in the app once it's accepted.
Alternatively, the customer can do the same from the Royal Mail website at royalmail.com/track-your-item. They enter the tracking number and choose the redirect option from there.
Note: Royal Mail's redirect service may charge a small fee, payable by the recipient. The change must be requested before the first delivery attempt for the best chance of success.
What if the customer can't change it themselves?
If the customer is unable to use the app or website, raise a ticket with Bezos support including:
- The order ID
- The tracking number
- The new delivery address
- Confirmation that the customer has tried the carrier's self-service tool
We'll do our best to contact the carrier on the customer's behalf, but please note: once a parcel is in the carrier's network, redirects can only be requested by the recipient in the vast majority of cases.