By Jewelers Mutual® Group
Whether you’re just starting a relationship with a new customer or you’ve been their trusted jeweler for 20+ years, you do everything you can to provide the best jewelry buying experience possible.
However, even with the most advanced tracking and delivery platforms, packages can still go missing. While shipping coverage helps protect against losses in transit—from carrier acceptance through the delivery scan—a few proactive steps prior to sending a package can improve the likelihood of a successful delivery.
An easy way to gain control and get competitive rates is to register for JM® Shipping Solution from Jewelers Mutual. Compare shipping options side by side, add shipping protection to your packages, and manage more of the process in one convenient place.
7 Ways to Help Ensure Successful Holiday Deliveries
1. Go Beyond Basic Tracking: Opt for Enhanced Notifications & Signature Service
Most carriers allow you to sign up for text or email notifications to stay informed about possible delays, missing information, or unsuccessful delivery attempts. Text and data charges may apply.
Upgrading to the Adult Signature option is a simple step you can take to enhance the level of protection for your shipments.
This service requires the carrier to verify identity and hand the package directly to someone who is at least 21 years of age, with a valid government-issued photo ID, at the delivery address.
2. Choose a Delivery Location with Confidence
Shipments to multi-occupancy commercial or residential locations come with an elevated level of risk. Research the location and its delivery procedures before shipping.
As you may know, shipping coverage generally ends when the carrier provides proof of delivery to the building or building personnel. Understanding this handoff can help you choose the delivery option that gives your recipient the best experience.
Before shipping, confirm how the recipient’s location handles incoming packages. If direct delivery is not assured,
consider a more secure destination where the customer can accept the package directly.
To avoid the headache altogether, consider delivering to an alternate single-occupancy location or choosing a “hold for pickup” service at an official carrier facility. These choices offer added control and give both you and your recipient added peace of mind.
3. Make Packaging and Delivery More Secure
Branded boxes or visible logos can attract unwanted attention, especially when they’re sitting on a doorstep or in a lobby. Use plain, non-descript packaging and consider double-boxing items whenever appropriate to further conceal the contents and reduce the likelihood of theft. Try to coordinate delivery for a time when the customer can receive the package directly. If the customer won’t be available, consider using the carrier’s “Hold for Pickup” service so they can collect the package at a secure carrier location when it’s convenient for them.”
Visibility matters more than most people realize: Pinkerton, citing research by criminologist Dr. Ben Stickle, found that 98% of stolen packages were visible from the street, and packages placed more than 51 feet from the road were essentially never stolen. Encouraging customers to have packages delivered to a spot that’s out of street view, or held at a locker or carrier location instead of the doorstep, is one of the most effective things they can do.
Doorbell Cameras Alone Are Not Enough
Doorbell cameras are a popular first line of defense, but they shouldn’t be treated as the whole solution. A meaningful share of consumers—nearly four in 10—don’t believe doorbell cameras actually deter porch piracy, and research on real theft incidents backs that up: a camera might help identify a thief after the fact, but it rarely stops the theft from happening. Pairing a camera with a physical barrier—a smart locker, a lockbox, or a signature requirement—is a far more effective combination than a camera on its own.
4. Proactively Monitor Your Shipment’s Progress
Though this may seem like a given, it is a step often overlooked. Keep the recipient informed about expected delivery timing and confirm when the package arrives. This simple communication will not only support a lasting client relationship, but give you transparency throughout the shipping process.
Monitoring each step of the shipment journey means you’ll have a better understanding of what happened should a loss occur—and you’ll be ready to report it quickly. When you ship through JM Shipping Solution, our team is proactively monitoring those shipments as well, but that doesn’t change what’s needed on your end: confirming delivery with your recipient and reporting any issue promptly is still key.
Reporting claims quickly matters for more than just meeting a deadline, it’s the best chance of resolving shipment issues and ensuring the package is delivered successfully. Extended reporting options are available in certain situations. The sooner you report a potential loss, the better the odds our team and the carrier have of resolving it in your favor.
5. Know Which Shipping Locations to Avoid
Though drop boxes can seem like a quick and efficient solution for package deliveries, using them can void shipping coverage. Avoid drop boxes and mail receptacles, and obtain a system-generated carrier receipt for each shipment.
There is higher risk with shipping to a carrier outlet, third-party business, or non-carrier location such as PostalAnnex®, Walgreens, CVS®, or others of the like. While these might seem like convenient options, coverage may end when the carrier delivers to that location, even without a direct handoff to the intended recipient.
When in doubt, always choose a location that provides either a recipient signature at the time of delivery or carrier generated receipt.
6. Remind Customers to Skip Signature Waivers
Though this isn’t a step you take as a jeweler, reminding customers not to keep a signature waiver or release on file with the carrier is important. These authorizations allow packages to be delivered without a signature. This significantly increases the chances of a package ending up in the wrong hands.
Note: Even though your recipient may not have put a waiver in place, it’s possible that one may still exist with the address from a prior tenant.
7. Understand Your Shipping Coverage: Know it, Trust it
While you may be familiar with the basics of your coverage, it’s important to understand how protection applies throughout the shipping process. Take time to review your policy details and select the appropriate level of shipping protection for the value and destination of each shipment. If you have questions about your insurance policy, contact your insurance agent. If you need clarification on JM® Shipping Solution shipping protection, coverage requirements, or eligible shipping practices, reach out to a JM Shipping Solution representative for guidance.
Every thoughtful shipping decision will give both you and your customer peace of mind and build the confidence that brings customers back. Put these practices to work this holiday season to make every shipment more secure and every delivery more successful.
Ready to ship with greater confidence? Visit Jewelers Mutual online to learn more about JM Shipping Solution.