JEROME, Ariz. — Update: After 12News initially reported the issue on Wednesday, an Amazon spokesperson said delivery will resume on Thursday.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused for our customers in Jerome. We’re working closely with the police chief and our delivery partners to address this issue quickly and will resume deliveries to customers’ homes beginning tomorrow," Montana MacLachlan, an Amazon spokesperson, said.
The previous coverage of the story is below.
Amazon is known for its free and fast shipping, but one Arizona town claimed it wasn't getting any deliveries from the online marketplace.
The road that winds through the Town of Jerome is open 365 days a year, but Jerome Chief Allen Muma said lately delivery drivers appear to be having trouble navigating it.
“FedEx delivers here. UPS delivers here. U.S. Postal Service delivers here. When Amazon came into fashion, Amazon delivered here," Muma said. "About two months ago, we started having (Amazon) deliveries not being made."
Richard Martin is disabled and can't leave his home. He's an Amazon Prime member who depends on the website's quick turnaround for goods.
“They’ve always delivered before. I’ve been with Amazon gosh since it started basically because of the convenience for me," Martin said.
Andrea Prince orders supplies to keep her business, The Surgeon's House Bed and Breakfast, up and running.
“We don’t have big stores, so we do count on the service that Amazon formally gave us flawlessly, but it certainly isn’t flawless now," Prince said.
The small town of about 400 people quickly realized instead of packages, they were receiving reasons why their items couldn't be delivered.
Muma said those reasons ranged from being unable to find the front door to not having access to the property.
“It’s not about access to the property, it’s about somebody not wanting to drive up here," Muma said.
Jerome is an old mining town that sits on the side of a hill.
“I realize that navigation in Jerome can be difficult, but we all do have addresses," Prince said.
Some homes are off the beaten path, but Muma said most deliveries aren't far from the highway.
“There’s no access problem in this town. There may be a residence here and there that’s a little different to gain access to but all these people were getting their packages before," Muma said.
Muma said they've all reported the problem to Amazon, but haven't been able to speak with anyone who can fix the issue.
The police chief said he did speak with Amazon's delivery service partner.
“He gave me a plethora of excuses. That the streets were too narrow, that there was no access to these buildings, that his drivers didn’t want to dive up the hill because it was dangerous," Muma said.
Muma said the temporary solution is to deliver all of the town's packages to the police station.
“It’s not as easy for them, they have to come here to pick them up but at least they’re not getting sent back and going through a refund process and unable to get their products," Muma said.
An Amazon spokesperson told 12News they're aware of the situation in an earlier statement.
“We’re aware of this matter in Jerome and will work with our customers, the community, and our Delivery Service Partner to identify a solution that works for everyone," Steve Kelly, an Amazon spokesperson, said.
The police chief said he's hoping Amazon can find a way for all of the residents' packages to be delivered to their own homes again.
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