Every Princeton student has had packages delivered to campus. I can probably assume that every Princeton student has been frustrated by Princeton’s package delivery system which can take anywhere from several days up to a week later to process after being delivered.
Package delivery at Princeton is notorious for making your packages available for pickup long after it’s actually been delivered. Did you perfectly time your online order so that you could get a textbook for class or that pair of dress shoes before a certain date? Well too bad, you’ll get it anywhere from one to five business days later, with no idea how many days it would actually take. This inefficient package processing system makes it incredibly difficult for busy Princeton students to know when they will receive an item, which is problematic if that item is an urgent need.
My experiences with the lack of timeliness in the package processing system taught me to place orders for items weeks in advance so I don’t run into delivery timing problems. However, this option is not available to all students, especially those with work-study who rely on their paychecks or those who receive monthly allowances and don’t have the resources to order items weeks in advance.
Also, the lack of grocery markets and accessible convenience stores makes it necessary for many students to rely on online shopping for necessities. TigerTransit isn’t always an option for students with busy schedules/packed weekends. With the current delivery policies and systems at the University, students on an independent food plan are unable to use services like Amazon Fresh or Instacart.
In an age of widespread digital commerce and online transactions, delivery services have become increasingly important in providing people with timely access to the various products and items they need. Many delivery services like Amazon are known for their precise and reliable delivery times, even providing exact estimated delivery times or real-time tracking so that customers know when they can expect an item. Unfortunately, the current status of the package processing system at Princeton completely negates the benefits of timely online shopping.
Princeton’s print and mail services team is not at fault for this poor system. Rather, the University has seemed to neglect the need to consider other options for improving the University package system, like expanding service hours to include package processing on the weekends or establishing another delivery processing hub to lighten package traffic.
The University could also consider establishing a package center near the center of campus similar to the University of Pennsylvania’s (Penn) “Amazon@Penn,” where students can get same-day delivery for certain items and pick up or return Amazon packages every day of the week. Of course, Penn is an institution with a much larger student population located in an urban metropolitan area, whereas Princeton is a small suburban town far away from major shipping hubs and cities.
However, the fact that Princeton is such a small town without a major commercial area increases the need for the University to improve its package processing systems. Princeton should still consider a partnership with Amazon similar to Amazon@Penn, providing students with better access to online shopping.
Alternatively, a student-led startup or agency initiative could take matters into its own hands and create a more efficient package system. Some ideas may include a separate package processing center or a dorm delivery package service.
There are many options for Princeton to improve the current status of the delivery processing system. I only hope that this small commentary sparks a larger discussion about the various ways to make online shopping more timely, accessible, and convenient for the student body.
Prince Takano is a junior from Los Angeles majoring in politics. He can be reached via email at takano@princeton.edu.
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