Choose a Clear Handoff for Each Home Delivery
A clear home-delivery boundary is a practical agreement about where the order goes, how the courier reaches that point, and what happens if access fails. It is not a way to mislead the courier or conceal an address the platform needs to complete the order. Choose among the options displayed for the current order—such as leave at door, meet at door, lobby, reception, or outside—and then check the building and item rules. Food temperature, restricted goods, signatures, cash payments, and identity checks can rule out unattended delivery. The most useful instruction is short, accurate, possible from the courier's route, and easy to confirm in the platform.
Classify the order before choosing
Start with three facts: what the item is, whether someone must receive it, and how quickly it should be brought inside. A sealed parcel may have carrier redirect options; hot food or chilled groceries may need prompt collection; alcohol, restricted goods, cash, signatures, or PINs may require an in-person exchange. Use the rules shown for the order rather than applying one favorite setting to every delivery.
Map the building's permitted handoff points
List only places the building actually permits: your door, an attended reception desk, a staffed package room, a designated shelf, or an outside meeting point. Check opening hours, lift access, gate procedures, pet rules, and whether unattended items are accepted. A lobby is not automatically usable, and a courier should not be asked to bypass a locked entrance, follow another resident, or ignore staff instructions.
Write one operational instruction
Write the route in the order a courier encounters it: correct entrance, intercom or reception step, floor or landmark, and final handoff point. Prefer stable markers over personal details. State whether to knock or ring only when the platform allows a note. Avoid stories about why you cannot come down, claims that nobody else lives there, or requests to hide the item somewhere prohibited.
Keep communication inside the order flow
Use the platform's delivery note, masked call, chat, and status tools where available. Keep notifications on near the arrival window and answer concise access questions. Do not move the address through an informal side message when the platform requires changes in the app. Never ask the courier to falsify completion, skip required proof, share their private contact details, or ignore a required signature or identity check.
Respond when the planned point fails
If the entrance is locked, reception is closed, or the requested point is unavailable, choose from the platform's allowed alternatives. You might meet outside, approve a different permitted spot, contact support, or arrange a carrier pickup location for an eligible parcel. Confirm the new point in the order channel. Do not pressure a courier to wait indefinitely or enter a space that building staff has refused.
Review the result and update saved notes
After collection, record only what improves the next order: which entrance worked, whether the desk accepted the item, and whether the note was understandable. Delete temporary codes or obsolete details from saved instructions. Keep separate notes for food, groceries, and parcels when their requirements differ. A good boundary reduces back-and-forth while still giving the courier the accurate information needed to finish the handoff.
Common questions
Is leave-at-door available for every order?
No. Platform, merchant, item, payment, signature, age, and local requirements can make an in-person handoff necessary. Follow the options shown for the current order.
Should I tell a courier that I live alone?
That detail is usually unnecessary for routing. Give the entrance, access step, and permitted handoff point instead.
What if my building does not allow lobby deliveries?
Choose another option the platform and building permit, such as meeting outside, meeting at the door, reception during staffed hours, or an eligible carrier pickup point for a parcel.