Opinion: Amazon Map Tracker – Follow Your Package’s Journey – Why?

Amazon Map Tracking, launched in a test phase back in November and rolled out about a month ago to most U.S. buyers is kind of neat, but is it necessary?

For the last few deliveries from Amazon, the Amazon app on my phone prompted me to check my package status.

The map would show me the current position of the delivery driver and the number of stops that are remaining before the shipment gets to me my house.

It kind of reminded me looking at my Uber and Lyft app when requesting a ride.

The remaining stops feature only kicks in when there are less than 10 deliveries. Before that, the map only shows the original promise time.

The display even provides an option to change the delivery. I guess a handy feature if you forgot you ordered something and you are away from your home on business or vacation for days or weeks.

Certainly, in a technology-enabled world, we are all crazy about being able to track stuff online. There are sites and apps that can provide real-time (or near real-time) positions of phones, planes, automobiles, etc.

Anything that can be equipped with a GPS receiver can be tracked.

How many friends do you have on your Facebook friends list that have location services enabled and you get notifications when they are nearby?

As I said, collectively as people, we love this instant gratification of useless knowledge.

But then we get into a huff and puff when the Russian intelligence services plant advertising on our Facebook feed that supports our political views because we allow Facebook to mine that information and sell it to a marketer.

We Are a Strange People…

OTPDA (On-Time Package Delivery Anxiety)

Anyway, Amazon Map Tracking, as it is officially called, is cool. For those that suffer from OTPDA (On-Time Package Delivery Anxiety), this will help you.

Note: There is no OTPDA as far as I know or at least not yet…

To me, Amazon Map Tracking is technology that exists because it’s possible, not because it actually it provides me value.

Of course, the next time I have an Amazon package coming my way, and my phone alerts me that the driver is close, I will look.

It will be almost a natural human reaction, just like when driving by an accident on the side of a road and one has to look!

And since this feature only works on deliveries that are managed by Amazon’s logistics services, not UPS, USPS, or FedEx, will I miss the feature when my package is arriving by common carrier?

Maybe OTPDA will become a real problem… Will Bezoscare cover it?

READ MORE: From Obamacare to Bezoscare? Amazon May Lead The Way to Fix Healthcare

Oh yeah, I forgot, Amazon is already placing data-mined “recommendations” on the tracking page to try to sell me more products that I may want.

I just wonder how long before Amazon asks drivers to carry products with them that may make good suggestions for the items being delivered?

Amazon could give me instant gratification with such a service.

Especially when I realize I just ordered detergent but I am also out of softner. Now that would be increasing customer satisfaction!

Wait, should I have patented that idea…?

But I don’t have time now for that as I have to fix my order for detergent on Amazon to add the forgotten softener. How old school!

I hope you enjoyed this humorous view on Amazon Map Tracking of deliveries. I hope you will share your thoughts on this with me. Head over to our Facebook Discussion Group or use the comments section below.

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