Crap, unreliable parcel delivery/courier companies - feel free to vent here

[NoXion]

Ordered some new shoes a while back. According to Royal Mail they left China on 28th January, which was almost two weeks ago. Is the recent unpleasantness near the Red Sea likely to mean that my shoes are taking the scenic route past the Cape of Good Hope?

 

[Sasaferrato]

Credit where it is due, I had a parcel delivered by DPD on Friday, and it was delivered exactly when they said it would be. It was the last minute of the notified delivery slot.

 

[Sasaferrato]

Ordered some new shoes a while back. According to Royal Mail they left China on 28th January, which was almost two weeks ago. Is the recent unpleasantness near the Red Sea likely to mean that my shoes are taking the scenic route past the Cape of Good Hope?

Yes.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Ordered some new shoes a while back. According to Royal Mail they left China on 28th January, which was almost two weeks ago. Is the recent unpleasantness near the Red Sea likely to mean that my shoes are taking the scenic route past the Cape of Good Hope?

My dad's on a round the world cruise atm, that was supposed to go through the Red Sea at the beginning of April, they have now routed that via Cape Town instead, and given the spawny fucker $1500 credit to spend in the bar by way of compo.

 

[Silas Loom]

My dad's on a round the world cruise atm, that was supposed to go through the Red Sea at the beginning of April, they have now routed that via Cape Town instead, and given the spawny fucker $1500 credit to spend in the bar by way of compo.

I would need more compensation than that to spend any amount of time on a cruise ship.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

I would need more compensation than that to spend any amount of time on a cruise ship.

Totally, but he seems to enjoy it. To their credit him and his wife usually start out on the communal dining tables and are rapidly relegated to the tables for two.

 

[Sasaferrato]

You're welcome. You probably won't get him replied, he has a bunch of assistants who were all over his emails so one of them will probably answer. Best of luck x

I sent a strong E-mail to the CEO of Calmac, after a booking that I'd contacted them to confirm we were on shortly before we were due to sail was cancelled.

My final line 'I appreciate that no matter how poorly your monopoly performs, you still continue to be paid', did the trick. We were on the sailing.

 

[NoXion]

My shoes have successfully made their arduous journey across the seas and were supposed to be delivered today. It's getting rather late, but according to the tracker they're still out for delivery.

I decided to give the Royal Mail "Tracking Assistant" a go, and big surprise it turns out to be absolutely fucking useless. Here's the complete interaction I had with it earlier:

 

[manji]

Here you are kalidarkone AnnO'Neemus helpfully posted all his info in this handy reference post



He's still the CEO, I just checked.

I’ve just used that email
Been chasing a parcel all day. Won’t bore you with the whole story but here’s a screenshot of our messaging this evening

 

[manji]

I’ve just used that email
Been chasing a parcel all day. Won’t bore you with the whole story but here’s a screenshot of our messaging this evening

I initially contacted Evri through their Twitter account . They initially were helpful . Have a look at this.

 

[manji]

I initially contacted Evri through their Twitter account . They initially were helpful . Have a look at this.

I’m stressed

 

[toffee]

I ordered some groceries to be delivered to my door. I bought a big plastic box for the groceries to be put in to be shielded from the rain. I left a note in the delivery instructions to put the groceries IN the box.

Nope, they put the groceries ON the lid of the closed box every time. Complaining to the company had no effect. I pay extra for the service of them following instructions.

What's the point of the plastic box with a lid if the groceries are sitting ON the box exposed to the rain?

 

[gentlegreen]

Not a complaint really - yet ...

Wanted to send a small package ... once I'd escaped from Parcel2go, I found myself on a friendly and efficient Royal Mail site and was pleasantly surprised that they would even collect the package from my door .. but since I live near the sorting office, want any excuse to be outdoors and didn't want to wait in all day or leave the package outside, I decided to take it there myself ...

But although it stated clearly that drop-off was an option there was no way to cancel the collection ... in spite of retracing my steps ...

When I went to the office, scanned my QR code and saw the package approved and labelled, the friendly staff member said that someone would likely go to my door, grumble and carry on with their day.
I'll have another look to see if I can cancel without the package getting lost, but probably I will just have to settle for putting an apologetic note on the door ...

 

[equationgirl]

Not a complaint really - yet ...

Wanted to send a small package ... once I'd escaped from Parcel2go, I found myself on a friendly and efficient Royal Mail site and was pleasantly surprised that they would even collect the package from my door .. but since I live near the sorting office, want any excuse to be outdoors and didn't want to wait in all day or leave the package outside, I decided to take it there myself ...

But although it stated clearly that drop-off was an option there was no way to cancel the collection ... in spite of retracing my steps ...

When I went to the office, scanned my QR code and saw the package approved and labelled, the friendly staff member said that someone would likely go to my door, grumble and carry on with their day.
I'll have another look to see if I can cancel without the package getting lost, but probably I will just have to settle for putting an apologetic note on the door ...

I've found you have to cancel the postage and the collection booking, then redo the postage separately.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

But although it stated clearly that drop-off was an option there was no way to cancel the collection ... in spite of retracing my steps ...

I've found you have to cancel the postage and the collection booking, then redo the postage separately.

Last time I did it, I had to get to a fairly late stage in the online postage process to cancel the collection but generate the label.

It's pretty crap.

It would be a bloody sight easier just to take something to the post office except there isn't one where i live any more

 

[gentlegreen]

Well I seem to have managed to cancel just the collection without making the package stateless

 

[equationgirl]

Well I seem to have managed to cancel just the collection without making the package stateless

Impressive, I've never managed that, although if the parcel has been scanned in and entered the system that might be why.

 

[two sheds]

Two weeks ago (not) received a package from Evri. No joy with their automated Where's my Delivery bollocks.They say they've delivered with proof of a photo of them handing it over to me at my front door.

Funnily enough exact same photo as when they handed a previous package over to me at my front door. Contacted the seller and they've sent it using someone else, received it in a couple of days

 

[Serge Forward]

I've given up getting things delivered to my gaff. It's a waste of time as they just leave it on the pavement in the street where it either blends in with the ubiquitous fly-tipped detritus or gets nabbed by one of the local n'er-do-wells (it's a high crime area). I now get everything done click and collect so it either goes to my local post office or the co-op. So far, I've not had any mither (apart from having to queue sometimes to pick stuff up.

 

[WouldBe]

Expected a parcel from royal mail yesterday. Apparently they tried to deliver at 6:30pm. They did no such thing. Reason for non delivery was 'property inaccessible ' bollocks and they would redeliver next working day. Post man had been past twice this morning, no parcel. Van pulled up after dinner and delivered a parcel to the house on right. Another van had just pulled up and delivered a parcel to the house on the left as well as 4 other neighbours. Apparently they deliver upto 7pm so that's nearly 48 hours I've fucking wasted waiting for them so far.

 

[equationgirl]

Expected a parcel from royal mail yesterday. Apparently they tried to deliver at 6:30pm. They did no such thing. Reason for non delivery was 'property inaccessible ' bollocks and they would redeliver next working day. Post man had been past twice this morning, no parcel. Van pulled up after dinner and delivered a parcel to the house on right. Another van had just pulled up and delivered a parcel to the house on the left as well as 4 other neighbours. Apparently they deliver upto 7pm so that's nearly 48 hours I've fucking wasted waiting for them so far.

I asked on Reddit about a similar situation, as they have a RM group staffed by helpful actual posties. I was told that unfortunately, if they run out of time on shift, that's the only option available to mark the parcel to go back to the depot. Also don't rely on the automatic redelivery option, book an actual redelivery. Yes you shouldn't have to, but auto redelivery seems very hit and miss because more parcels come in and the older ones can get forgotten.

 

[WouldBe]

Also don't rely on the automatic redelivery option, book an actual redelivery. Yes you shouldn't have to, but auto redelivery seems very hit and miss because more parcels come in and the older ones can get forgotten.

RM's website doesn't give me the option to re-book delivery.

 

[equationgirl]

RM's website doesn't give me the option to re-book delivery.

It should do, give it a day. I often find it can 24hrs to give me the option. It's really annoying.

 

[existentialist]

Dropped my phone in the khazi yesterday. That bit's my fault.

Going away this Easter, and REALLY needed to sort out a replacement. So I went onto the Google Store and ordered, at no little expense, a new Pixel. Delivery promised for today/tomorrow, which was excellent, so I gave the address I'll be staying at for delivery.

I awake to an email this morning entitled "Your Google Store order was delayed in transit". Delivery estimated for 2nd April. By which time, of course, I shall no longer be at the address in Dorset.

So I go to the Google Store, to amend the delivery address. Which, of course, I can't do, because it's with the fucking courier (DPD), isn't it? So I go to the fucking courier and try to amend the delivery there, except I can't do that, either, because....courier.

So here I am, in need of a replacement phone, which I've just paid over £400 for, and which is going to get delivered to the arse end of nowhere and probably left in a bin, while I fanny around trying to get it sorted. What's the betting I'm still trying to pick up the fucking pieces on this in a fortnight?

I am going to go back to my old system of "which courier do you use? Oh, DPD/Evri, is it? No, then cancel my order - I'm not going to put myself in that position again".

Except I'd probably run out of fucking couriers in no time. What IS it with that bloody industry that the tail appears to be so good at wagging the dog?

ETA: I think the distilled essence of my fury is this: it seems that these outfits feel perfectly entitled to change the parameters when it suits THEM (eg delivery dates). But if, when they do that, the customer then needs to change the parameters (eg where to deliver it in the light of THEIR change), it's all far too much trouble, and "computer sez no". Right now, I could set fire to stuff.

 

[nightowl]

Those ones that keep sending emails into my junk folder about undelivered packages. No matter how many times I send them the money they ask for to reschedule delivery, the package never arrives.

 

[existentialist]

Those ones that keep sending emails into my junk folder about undelivered packages. No matter how many times I send them the money they ask for to reschedule delivery, the package never arrives.

You know something is shit when scammers start using it as an exploit.

 

[existentialist]

And another thing...

If you were going to set up a service which couldn't be better designed to make its, ah, victims feel impotent and voiceless, you couldn't do it better than any of the major delivery companies. All emails come from "unmonitored" no-reply address, texts likewise, while all "approved" means of screaming into the carrier void provide such limited options in terms of instructions or ability to give feedback as to be almost meaningless.

Then there's the chat line. Which usually requires navigating a stultifying and frustrating automated triage process before you get to speak to some charmless, bored human who's only really there to point out that YOU aren't the customer, the outfit who sent the package are, and no we can't take any instructions from you.

My phone delivery is due today. I wonder what will happen - I've amended the delivery instructions to say "DO NOT DELIVER". Going on past form, that pretty much guarantees delivery. I have until 1248 to discover what action the no doubt redoubtable Kimberley will take in regard to my package.

The inevitable "how did we do?" enquiries are going to have me mining a rich vein of sarcasm.

 

[existentialist]

Jesus H Christ.



DPD, earlier, out on a delivery run...

 

[existentialist]

In 8 minutes, the window opens for DPD's second attempt to deliver a package for which the delivery instructions (which I note I cannot now change on the tracking website) say "DO NOT DELIVER".

I must confess to almost being intrigued as to what will happen next. My cynical guess is that I will get confirmation that says "Your delivery has been completed per your delivery instructions", and we can spend the next fortnight figuring out where the bloody hell it has gone.

 

[equationgirl]

In 8 minutes, the window opens for DPD's second attempt to deliver a package for which the delivery instructions (which I note I cannot now change on the tracking website) say "DO NOT DELIVER".

I must confess to almost being intrigued as to what will happen next. My cynical guess is that I will get confirmation that says "Your delivery has been completed per your delivery instructions", and we can spend the next fortnight figuring out where the bloody hell it has gone.

But that's the fun part, playing 'where the fuck is my parcel?'!