How Far Will Customers Go to Find a Stolen Package? We Investigated

You want to know an alarming fact: according to a 2020 Chamber of Commerce survey, 26% of U.S. consumers have had items stolen right off their doorstep. That’s more than one in four people. So if you’ve ever had a package vanish into thin air, you’re definitely not alone. If you've ever had a package go missing, you know the feeling: confusion, frustration, and a sudden urge to act. We’ve even heard stories of people witnessing the theft in real time, someone casually strolling up, grabbing the box like it’s theirs, and driving off without hesitation. One parent told us they were mid-carpool when they spotted a thief at their own home. Fueled by adrenaline, they turned the car around and chased the suspect down. They eventually got the package back, only to find it contained a Halloween cow costume. They had risked their own safety, and that of their kids, for something trivial.

The Reality of a Missing Package

We’ve seen people:

1. Search hours of doorbell camera footage

2. Check with neighbors, building managers, or leasing offices

3. File claims with the carrier, the retailer, and the bank

4. Spend hours with customer support

5. Even report it to law enforcement

And that’s all before they get a replacement.

When Resolution Becomes Too Complicated

The more steps a customer has to take, the more likely they are to lose trust, not just in the delivery process, but in your brand. According to research published in the Harvard Business Review, reducing customer effort, not exceeding expectations, is the strongest driver of customer loyalty. In a study of over 75,000 service interactions, researchers found that customers who had to put in more effort to resolve an issue were significantly more likely to become disloyal, while those whose problems were resolved quickly and easily were far more likely to stay.

“Delighting customers doesn’t build loyalty; reducing their effort—the work they must do to get their problem solved—does.” — Harvard Business Review, “Stop Trying to Delight Your Customers”

In other words, if solving a problem feels easy, customers come back. If it feels hard, they don’t.

There’s a Smarter Way

Shipping protection isn’t just about reimbursing the value of a lost package. It’s about building a post-purchase experience that keeps customers confident, even when things go wrong. That’s where OP comes in. Our platform is designed to eliminate stress, automate resolution, and take the burden off your support team. Whether it’s a missing box, a stolen item, or a package stuck in transit, OP makes the process fast, fair, and frictionless for everyone involved. No escalations. No car chases over cow costumes. You shouldn’t have to go to extreme lengths to get what you paid for. And your customers shouldn’t have to either. When you reduce post-purchase friction, you don’t just protect packages, you protect the entire brand experience.