Holiday Package Theft: Delivery Options That Help
Which delivery options keep holiday packages off the porch, who sets each one (shipper at label time or recipient after), and what to do after a theft.
The delivery options that help most against holiday package theft are the ones that keep a box off an empty porch: a signature requirement, or a hold at a carrier location where the recipient collects it. The catch is who controls each one. Signatures and most holds are set by the shipper when the label is bought, while UPS My Choice and FedEx Delivery Manager let the recipient change delivery after the package ships.
For the last day to ship each service before Christmas, use our 2026 holiday shipping deadlines. This post covers what happens at the door.
Which delivery options keep a package off the porch?
USPS, UPS and FedEx each offer shipper-set signature options plus pickup or redirect options, and the table sorts them by who sets each one, because a seller controls only the shipper side.
| Option | Carrier | Who sets it (shipper at label time vs recipient after) | Cost and limits (carrier list) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signature Confirmation | USPS | Shipper at label time | $4.15 online, $5.15 at a Post Office |
| Adult Signature Required | USPS | Shipper at label time | $9.70 |
| Hold for Pickup at a Post Office | USPS | Shipper at postage purchase | No extra cost; returned after 15 days |
| Package Intercept | USPS | Sender only, after shipping | $19.45 plus postage if it succeeds |
| Signature Required | UPS | Shipper at label time; recipient can authorize release | Check the UPS rate at purchase |
| Adult Signature Required | UPS | Shipper at label time; no release | Recipient 21+ with photo ID |
| Hold for Pickup at a Customer Center | UPS | Shipper at tender | Undeliverable after 7 calendar days |
| UPS My Choice changes | UPS | Recipient after shipping | Basic free; Access Point $5.99 |
| Indirect, Direct or Adult Signature | FedEx | Shipper at label time | $7.60, $7.60, $10; charged even if unsigned |
| Hold for Pickup | FedEx | Shipper before it ships | Held up to 7 days |
| Delivery Manager changes and redirects | FedEx | Recipient after shipping | Free hold, instructions, remote signing |
USPS prices come from its extra services price page, and the FedEx fees are 2026 list fees from the FedEx 2026 Service Guide.
Which options does the shipper set at label time?
The shipper sets every signature option and most holds when the label is bought, so these choices belong in your shipping rules, not in a buyer email.
- USPS Hold for Pickup. According to the USPS Hold for Pickup FAQ, the mailer requests it when buying postage (Click-N-Ship, approved PC Postage, permit imprint and some meters) at no extra cost, and the addressee shows acceptable ID to collect. USPS sends another notice after 5 days (3 for Priority Mail Express) and returns the item after 15 days (5 for Priority Mail Express).
- UPS Hold for Pickup. Under the UPS tariff, the shipper can ask at tender for UPS to hold a domestic package at a designated UPS Customer Center. One not collected within seven calendar days is considered undeliverable.
- FedEx Hold for Pickup. FedEx calls a hold requested before shipping Hold for Pickup and one requested after a redirect. Either way, it holds the package up to 7 days before returning it.
- Signatures. All three carriers' signature options are chosen by the shipper. Per the UPS signature requirements page, UPS Adult Signature Required means a recipient 21 or older with photo ID.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service advises shippers to use Hold for Pickup and to consider Signature Confirmation for important items, and says Postal Inspectors arrested almost 9,300 suspects for mail and package theft from 2019 to 2024.
One sender-only fix exists after shipping. Per USPS, Package Intercept can be requested only by the sender or an authorized representative, before the item is out for delivery, and USPS does not guarantee it.
What can the recipient change after the package ships?
The recipient, not the seller, controls UPS My Choice and FedEx Delivery Manager, and both have free tiers that cover the basics.
- UPS My Choice. According to the UPS My Choice page, Basic is free and includes delivery alerts, proof of delivery photos, authorizing release and choosing where to leave packages. Basic members pay $5.99 to deliver to a UPS Access Point, $9.99 for another day and $14.99 for another address. UPS says Access Point locations hold packages for seven calendar days.
- FedEx Delivery Manager. According to the FedEx Delivery Manager FAQ, it is free for recipients, with no-cost Hold for Pickup, delivery instructions, remote signing and a vacation hold of up to 14 days. Another address, day or scheduled time starts at $5.55 per package. Some shippers restrict which options recipients can use.
- FedEx pickup locations. FedEx's stolen-package guidance suggests redirecting to a Walgreens, FedEx Office, or select Dollar General or grocery location.
The quiet trade-off is in UPS signatures. A recipient can authorize release of a Signature Required package through UPS My Choice or tracking, which turns it back into a doorstep delivery. Adult Signature Required shipments cannot be released that way.
When is a signature worth adding to a holiday order?
A signature is worth adding when the order costs more to replace than the fee, or when a stolen item could not be replaced before a fixed date. Our guide on when to require a signature covers the general rules, and signature confirmation explained covers how each type works.
A gift stolen in mid-December may not be replaceable before Friday, December 25, 2026. A signature also means someone has to be there to sign, so say so before the buyer pays.
Worked example: three December orders (example)
Example: a hypothetical gift shop sets these rules for three orders shipped the week of Monday, December 14, 2026.
| Order (example) | Value (example) | Service | Seller sets at label time | Buyer is told |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ornament set to a house | $28 | USPS Ground Advantage | No signature; tracking email on | Watch tracking on the delivery day |
| Headphones to an apartment | $190 | USPS Priority Mail | Signature Confirmation | Someone must sign |
| Watch to a buyer who works days | $340 | UPS 2nd Day Air | Signature Required | Do not authorize release; pick another day in My Choice |
On the headphones, Signature Confirmation adds $4.15 at the USPS online list price. On the ornament set, the seller accepts the risk and keeps the buyer informed. On the watch, the signature only helps if the buyer leaves it in place.
What does a seller owe the buyer when a package is stolen?
What you owe depends on your published shipping policy and the rules of the marketplace you sell on, so write the policy before the rush and apply it the same way to every report.
- Read the tracking history. Check whether the last scan is a delivery. Our tracking statuses guide explains each one.
- Look for proof of delivery. UPS says many residential deliveries now include a delivery photo, viewable in tracking or the My Choice dashboard.
- Ask the buyer to check nearby. Neighbors, a building office or another household member.
- Note the claim deadline. FedEx says U.S. claims must be filed no later than 60 calendar days from the shipment date. For other carriers, check their claim window.
- Check any insurance you bought. Read whether its terms cover a package marked delivered and then taken. Our shipping insurance decision guide covers when coverage is worth buying.
- Replace or refund under your policy. Tell the buyer in writing, with absolute dates, and record which delivery option the order had.
How should you tell buyers about delivery options?
Tell buyers before they pay and again in the shipping email, because recipient options only help if the recipient knows they exist.
- On the checkout page, say which orders ship with a signature.
- In the shipping confirmation, name the carrier and point the buyer to UPS My Choice or FedEx Delivery Manager for holds and instructions.
- For gifts shipped to someone else, remind the buyer that the person at the delivery address controls those settings.
- For USPS orders, note that Hold for Pickup is a mailer choice made when postage is bought, not something the buyer adds later.
Where GoatLabels fits
GoatLabels covers the shipper's side of this job. You can add signature confirmation or adult signature on UPS services (not UPS Ground Saver) and signature confirmation on USPS Ground Advantage and Priority Mail, and the add-on price is included in the rate shown. Optional shipment insurance is offered at checkout when the shipment lists an item and its value. Optional branded tracking emails help buyers watch for the delivery day; they are off until you switch them on. See pricing for the Free and Pro plans.
The limits matter for theft. Which services appear depends on the lane and parcel. Insurance needs an item and its value on the shipment; claims for insured shipments that are lost or damaged are filed from Settings > Insurance, and GoatLabels reviews them and pays approved amounts. GoatLabels does not request a hold for pickup when you buy the label, so the shipper-side holds in the table above go through the carrier's own tools. Recipients set holds, redirects and delivery instructions with the carrier themselves, through UPS My Choice or FedEx Delivery Manager.