Raising the Defences Against Porch Piracy with Better Delivery Practices

With it being reported that every man, woman, and child in the UK receives, on average, 140 parcels a year, it will come as no surprise that there is a worrying increase in package thefts to coincide. In fact, according to the mailing equipment company Quadient, the total value of parcels stolen across the UK at the end of 2024 rose to £376m – up from £204m in 2023. Further, it is often the case that peak trading periods, like Black Friday and the run up to Christmas, suffer the highest amounts of packaging theft.

While theft is not a new concept, within retail and ecommerce when thieves steal unattended parcels off porches, after delivery drivers have delivered goods, this issue is increasingly referred to as “porch piracy”. Again, Quadient’s research highlights the scale of this problem, saying 3.5m UK homes lost at least one delivery to thieves during the 12 months from July 2023 to August 2024.

A key driver for this issue is caused by the pressure that is placed on last mile delivery teams to meet delivery targets. For instance, in the best and ideal case, a delivery team would deliver a parcel to a recipient at home, and accept a signature to indicate proof of delivery. However, given the time constraints that many delivery teams face, sometimes delivery teams will just drop the parcel on a doorstep without accepting proof of delivery. Naturally, this could also occur when recipients are not at home, but this practice of “dropping and running” without truly checking whether customer are home causes significant frustration for consumers, and has led to calls for greater awareness of the risks, with Descartes research revealing around 67% of consumers have had a problem with home deliveries.

Andrew Tavener explains that the issue of dropping and running, and porch piracy can be reduced if retailers, ecommerce firms and last-mile delivery teams make more effective use of order and delivery tracking software. This enables organisations to provide more accurate estimated time of arrivals (ETAs) to consumers and allows the tracking of a delivery as it occurs. This keeps customers up to date on their deliveries so they can take place when they are home…

 

The Likely Victims of Porch Piracy

Generally, the most vulnerable to porch piracy are those living in flats, because a thief can often take multiple packages at once. However, all types of homes have been affected in recent years. Quadient’s study also found that people living in Greater London are the most likely to be victims of porch piracy, as almost one in five (19%) of Londoners have had a parcel stolen in the last 12 months. Younger people are often the victims too, since they are more comfortable making purchases online, and the thefts typically happen between the hours of 9am and 5pm whilst people are working.

It has already been established that the customer is not the only victim of porch piracy. When a parcel is stolen, customers become frustrated, untrusting and can often leave negative feedback online for the retailer involved – something no business wants in this day and age of reviews and social media. And, if this isn’t bad enough, the additional cost for replacements, refunds, and secondary deliveries also lands at the retailers’ feet. Unfortunately, because retailers are footing the bill for replacement services, their profit margins end up taking a hit. And, whilst larger companies may be able to absorb this, smaller businesses, with thinner profit margins, aren’t as lucky.

 

How to Combat Porch Piracy

There are several ways customers can combat porch piracy. For example, one of the most common defences in recent times has been installing a doorbell camera or secure parcel deposit boxes. Consumers and businesses can also take advantage of click-and-collect features in local shops, which allows customers to collect their deliveries at a time that suits them, reducing the risk of parcels being left unattended. Some employers also allow staff to receive packages at work, offering an alternative delivery location that eliminates doorstep theft altogether. However, these solutions aren’t common practice for every household, and businesses can’t rely on their customers to carry out this level of due diligence. So, for retailers looking to avoid paying out because of thefts, it is recommended that they offer a range of specific delivery slots and equip their business with order tracking and delivery notification software.

 

Delivery slots

Allowing a consumer to select a delivery slot that is convenient for them means they are more likely to be around to accept delivery of the package, eliminating any risk of potential theft. With fewer people working from home five days a week, being able to schedule deliveries when they are around to accept them is essential.

 

The Benefits of Order Tracking and Delivery Notification Software

Order tracking and delivery notification software mitigates the risk of package theft by providing customers with real-time updates on their deliveries, along with two-way communication between the customer and the delivery driver.  The technology offers real-time notifications, meaning customers receive automated notifications via SMS/RCS or email at each stage of the delivery process.  For example – an order is created, the route is scheduled, the driver starts the route, the driver is enroute, the driver is arriving, or the parcel has just been delivered or left in a safe place with a photo as evidence, where applicable.

Another benefit to using this kind of system is that it gives estimated arrival windows. These notifications give the customer visibility on when delivery is scheduled to arrive with an estimated time window or precise ETA. This means they can plan around the delivery schedule and ensure they are home to receive their package. On top of this, branded tracking portals can be used to ensure customers have access to view their order progress and track the delivery driver’s real-time location on a map.

Finally, and perhaps the most important benefit of all, this system allows two-way communication, meaning direct messaging is possible between the customer and the driver, allowing for clarification or provision of delivery instructions and adjustments to delivery arrangements.

 

Conclusion

With porch piracy on the rise, it’s fair to say that both retailers and consumers must take proactive steps to help combat the issue. It’s no longer an excuse for companies under tight deadlines to leave a parcel unattended. So, to save time by not having to redo the delivery and safeguard themselves from having to foot the bill for these thefts, it is time to invest in proven real-time delivery appointment software to ensure they are delivering at the date and time the consumers expects and to secure collection points that help to protect these valuable parcels.