Here’s what happens if Amazon delivers your package late

It sounds like a holly jolly horror movie. You’ve picked out the perfect presents for family and friends. You’ve placed your orders with plenty of time for them to arrive. Heck, you even got gift-wrapping to cut down on your stress. Everything looks like it’s going perfectly. Then you get an email from Amazon: your package is going to arrive late. In between your bouts of raw panic (and trying to come up with a last-minute emergency gift), it might occur to you: What exactly happens if Amazon ends up delivering a package late? We have the answers for you.

So what’s the protocol when Amazon misses a delivery date? While shipping mishaps are always dealt with on a case-by-case basis, know that Amazon is looking to ease any stress caused via shipping snafus. Also, it’s good to know exactly how you chose to have your package shipped. If you got a “guaranteed delivery date,” and it doesn’t show up by then, Amazon may refund the shopping costs. If this is your problem right now, navigate to your order page, find the item that is still MIA, and click “problem with an order > shipping or delivery issues > shipment is late.”

But now what if you’re an Amazon Prime member, and your package is late, and you didn’t even pay for shipping? Once again, on a case by case basis, Amazon might expended your Amazon Prime account by one month to make up for any inconvenience, and that’s pretty great. If you’re missing a package right now, all you need to do is once again navitage to the order page and click “problem with order.” You can also call or email Amazon, explain the situation, and they will handle it from there. This is why it more than pays to be a Prime member.

While a month of free Prime is a pretty great apology, it’s not the only benefit you could get from the online shopping site. Depending on the situation — along with guaranteed delivery date, and also what exactly is going on with your shipment — you can get credits for streaming movies, reduced costs on regular shipping, and an assortment of other options to make up for any toubles. So if anything goes awry with your holiday shopping, take note and be sure to reach out to Amazon. Remember to use their Contact Page, and be specific about the problems with your shipment. It may not solve the holiday crisis, but it should make you feel slightly more jolly about that delivery delay.