If a shipment is sent insured or is sent by a faster method than standard shipping, then, yes, a signature is the norm. A signature required option is also sometimes added for a package shipped by standard shipping if the contents are of high value.
Don't fault the supplier for this -- signature acceptance is there for the protection of both parties for time sensitive or valuable shipments. Many people don't like high-dollar packages to be delivered without someone to receive them. And if a shipment is left on the porch, it can be stolen or rained on or chewed by the dog. That doesn't make customers too happy either. And who gets to make things right when shipments go missing or get damaged or just plain overlooked? In my experience, that's generally the supplier.
I once felt obligated to ship a replacement order by next-day air to someone who called to complain her order hadn't arrived. She later found the original shipment on the porch where it had just plain been overlooked. Another customer accused me of not shipping her order, but later told me she never bothers to look at those little notices from the post office that tell her she has a package to pick up.
This past holiday season, a woman ragged on me at length about the inconvenience of having to go to the PO and wait in line to pick up and sign for an Express Mail package. She'd placed an order at the last minute and Express was the only way the order was going to get to her on time. When she finally paused for breath, I calmly offered to refund her ENTIRE order cost including shipping -- and, yes, she could keep the order too. She then had the balls to accuse me of being "overly touchy", told me I was incompetent to be in business because I was not able to handle "constructive criticism", and launched into yet another rendition of her grievances. <sigh> Just can't win sometimes.
So, yeah, if you don't mind your insured or express-delivery package being left without signature, be sure to let the suppler know. They most likely will accommodate your wishes. But don't expect them to read your mind on this matter.
