to think that the Hermes courier should deliver parcels to my door?

I am so disappointed, I thought this was about Hermes scarves and was going to be envious!

I wouldn't dare to order one of those, Nonnie - don't think being left out in the rain would do it any good!

I've just commented about Hermes on the tracking thread. I'm surprised at John Lewis, using such a poor service. I ordered some children's toys from them and they arrived last week, two days after the email telling me they would be here that day so I should make sure I was there to sign for them. I waited in for nothing. When they did show up, I heard very loud banging on my door and went downstairs to see the Hermes delivery man driving away. The boxes were on the garden, ten feet away from the front door!

I have had good service from Hermes, but as mentioned on the tracking thread, my delivery person was a woman...

I'm practically on first-name terms with the local Hermes courier and haven't had any problems with him - so far. If I were you, WhenIwas yourage, I'd go ahead and embarrass them on Twitter. John Lewis needs to keep an eye on any couriers they may be using.

Obviously not all are up to the same standard, though, WhenIwasyourage as I note that yours was too!

On Twitter, type in
@johnlewis retail #Hermes
to find lots of complaints about Hermes already there.

Thank heavens for click and collect!

The last time I ordered something from John Lewis it arrived on the day it was supposed to - so happy with that, BUT when ordering from other companies who use Hermes have had very hit and miss results. I ordered some shoes from Clarks and the courier just threw them on the ground next to my front door - I know he threw them because I was in the hall and heard the thud, didn't bother ringing the bell. When ordering from Coopers the parcel is usually left just outside my front door, again no ringing of the doorbell. I don't order from Coopers anymore because of this. My house is called **** cottage and I have had deliveries left outside the house opposite which is Old *****, despite large house name plates. I think Hermes couriers are paid by the number of deliveries they do so can understand them wanting to get through them as quickly as possible but that doesn't excuse their carelessness with items.

As I have had no answer from John Lewis or (surprise, surprise) Hermes to my letters of last week, I tried to email JL's Customer Services using the address on their website. Just looked for a reply and it has been bounced back!! again!!!

If it wasn't for the fact that so many of you have had bad experiences with the dreadful Hermes I would be feeling really paranoid! Thank you for helping to keep me sane (ish). I was speaking to a friend who has mobility problems and has had parcels from Hermes dumped outside her door or even in a shed with no ring on the bell, and she has to manage a parcel and a walking stick.

Deedaa, I would love to use Click and Collect, but the nearest JL is 50 miles away and I don't fancy carrying more than small things on the train! It does sound like a good idea though.

If you buy something from John Lewis online you can choose to collect it from your local Waitrose.

It would be great to have a Waitrose available, but I think the nearest one is is about 150 miles away, so that's no use either. I have now managed to email JL Customer Services through the website and they say they will reply in due course because my email is important to them. Oh yeah?

When there's no Waitrose here but I've been happy with JL deliveries using the Collect plus scheme. For a £3 fee my parcels are delivered to the local small SPAR shop. A barcode is sent to my phone, this is scanned at the till and parcels can be picked up until 10pm so no waiting at home. Returns are equally straightforward. Several items can of course be included in one delivery. I understand quite a few independent shops are now part of this scheme so watch out for local shops offering the service. You'll also find details on the JL website.

I have just taken a delivery from a cheery chappie from Yodel. He told me deliveries may be chaotic next week as we are expecting snow!
As I still have a lot to do and expecting deliveries next week, I didn't need to hear this bad news

Thanks, mcem, I'll look out for that, although it seems a bit much to have to pay an extra £3 just to be allowed to go and pick up something which should have been delivered free to your door (depending on who sent it and what they charge for delivery, of course). I have noticed that our local Spar allows you to collect parcels from Hermes of all people. I might do that but I want an apology first!!

We recently discovered that we can take items to our Spar shop to be returned. Last time I did it the poor guy was knee deep in parcels waiting for the van.

We have a nice Gambian called Morrow who works for DPD. He always cheerful and helpful.

Hermes delivered to my door today, no problem. But as the delivery agent lives next door, it shouldn't have been too difficult.

I often get parcels via Hermes and have never had any problems. There have been three couriers, all women.

Just an update: I got an email from John Lewis saying that they were"disgusted" at what had happened and would pass that on to their courier team. Nothing from Hermes (what a surprise), and no more from JL so I don't know what the courier team thought.

Yesterday Yodel delivered a parcel to the door - something DH had ordered 26 hours earlier. Now that's what I call service!

Can't remember which courier Next uses or if they have their own delivery system but they have always been spot on.

Came back from work yesterday to find three parcels, one delivered by Royal Mail and the other two from couriers, all neatly lined up on my back doorstep (invisible from the road)!

(It is a bit worrying that sometimes they don't seem to bother about a signature if you're not in, though. I know not all delivery firms require one, but still it does happen...)

Perhaps they just take photos now to prove they left the parcel on the step!

Hmm...perhaps, but I don't think that would cover the delivery firm for insurance purposes if a signature by the recipient had been part of the contract.

Hermes seem to have a bad reputation. Our experience was a parcel left mistakenly on our doorstep for someone with a similar address on the other side of our city. We contacted Hermes and they promised to send the courier back. 24 hours later, we still had the parcel. Another complaint by us produced no response. In the end, we took the parcel over to the correct address ourselves and left the recipient to make their own complaint!