2025.11.22 – A Clear Note for the Driver: Keep It Short and At the Door

Key Takeaways

The constraint. A small delivery-instructions box often limits you to about eighty characters.
The goal. Keep parcels out of a locked mailbox; ask the driver to knock or ring.
The fix. One crisp line works: “Please don’t use my mailbox; I have no key. Knock or ring the bell instead.”

Story & Details

Why brevity matters. Many checkout or courier apps cap the instruction field. Long sentences get cut mid-word, which can confuse the driver and risk a missed delivery. A tight message avoids that.

The message that works. The plain, polite line above fits tight fields yet covers everything the driver needs: avoid the mailbox, understand there is no key, and signal presence with a knock or a ring. It reads quickly on a handheld scanner and leaves no room for guesswork.

Small edits, big clarity. If space is tighter still, trim without losing meaning: “Don’t use my mailbox; I have no key. Knock or ring.” Keep verbs upfront, skip extras, and avoid abbreviations that could be misread on the move.

Set a standing preference. When a carrier or retailer allows saved preferences, add this door-first rule to your account so it applies to future parcels. If a service offers a named “safe place,” choose “by the door” only when it is sheltered and not visible from the street.

Conclusions

A short line can do a lot. In a limited text box, precise words guide the driver and protect the parcel. Paste the line, confirm it fits, and—when your account allows—save it as your default. Clear instructions today make tomorrow’s delivery routine and quiet.

Sources

[1] Amazon Customer Service — “Set Your Delivery Instructions.” https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=GXACUMY87XBGQ8FZ
[2] UPS — “Change a Delivery.” https://www.ups.com/us/en/track/change-delivery
[3] Royal Mail — “Change your delivery options.” https://www.royalmail.com/receiving/change-your-delivery-options
[4] PostNL — “Stel je bezorgvoorkeuren in.” https://www.postnl.nl/ontvangen/pakket-ontvangen/bezorging-pakketten/bezorgvoorkeuren/
[5] Video (institutional): PostNL — “Jouw bezorg voorkeuren regel je zo.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF8YtRZ8b4g

Appendix

Character limit. A maximum number of characters allowed in an input field; exceeding it truncates text.
Delivery instructions field. A small text area in checkout or a courier app used to tell the driver where and how to deliver.
Door-first note. A short instruction that asks the driver to knock or ring at the door rather than leaving a parcel elsewhere.
Mailbox (locked). A secure box that requires a key; if you lack the key, drivers should not leave parcels inside.
Safe place. A pre-agreed, sheltered spot where a parcel may be left when nobody answers; use only when it is discreet and protected.