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AIBU

AIBU to expect a company to deliver a parcel when it says it will

(27 Posts)
vampirequeen Sat 06-Dec-14 10:18:28

I arranged for a parcel to be delivered yesterday and waited in all day. Mid afternoon I phoned to check it was coming and was told it definitely was. Teatime I phoned again to be told it was definitely on the van and they delivered up to 9pm so it would be on it's way.

Guess what? No delivery. Around 8pm I checked the company tracking page and discovered that the driver had returned it to the depot as he had 'tried to deliver, received no answer and left a card' at 1.29pm. I phoned the company and trying not to explode with the young man on customer services and pointed out that I didn't know where the driver had tried to deliver the parcel to but it certainly wasn't here. He was apologetic...well what else could he be. I told him I would have to miss our daughter singing in Bradford today and asked him how I should explain that to a very upset 9 year old. He said he would try to have the parcel delivered before 9am so I could still get to Bradford on time.

9am this morning the parcel was still in the depot waiting to be put on a van. Another phone call. A different young man made the mistake of saying he'd 'try' to get the parcel delivered today. I told him in no uncertain terms that it had better be here today, that I was missing our 9 year old daughter singing because I had to wait in and that if it didn't come I wouldn't be venting on someone like him but would expect to speak to someone much higher up the pecking order because if he thought I was angry today that was nothing compared to how I'd be if the parcel didn't arrive. He said he would request a new driver and give him my phone number in case he couldn't find our house. I live just off the main square of a small market town not in the middle of nowhere btw.

So now I sit and wait. Except if it's not here by noon I will be phoning again and will continue to make a nuisance of myself until it arrives.

Of course I'm being charged 5p per minute for each phone call. When the bill comes at the end of the month I will send them a copy and demand compensation for the charges. Who knows, they might even pay out hmm

TwiceAsNice Sun 07-Dec-14 20:57:49

Gosh Lona why don't your neighbours appreciate you I can't thank mine enough she's wonderful. If they don't collect their parcels where do they think they've gone? Don't they want what they've bought? How strange.

Crafting Sun 07-Dec-14 20:22:53

It's happened to us again today. Delivery was supposed to happen today. We have been in all day waiting. Checked online and it said delivery attempted at 2.0pm. No one came. Got straight back to Amazon but obviously another day wasted. angry

Lona Sun 07-Dec-14 11:24:10

There are always lots of deliveries in my road, and I'm the lovely neighbour who takes them in. Usually they are from Amazon, and the drivers put a card through the neighbours' doors.
Problem is the neighbours don't bother to come and collect!
angry

TwiceAsNice Sun 07-Dec-14 10:54:54

Just had some furniture delivered from Ikea ( for which I did pay a delivery charge but they'll deliver any amount for the same charge) not only did they deliver in the time slot promised but they carried it all up the stairs for me to the right bedroom as well. Really polite and helpful. I gave them a Xmas tip good service deserves to be rewarded.

TwiceAsNice Sun 07-Dec-14 10:52:15

I have had several parcels delivered by different firms one of which was yodel. I got a email message saying when it would be delivered and asking me what option I wanted to use if I wasn't in. I'm never going to be in as I live on by own and work full time. One driver left it in the porch and put a card through to tell me what he'd done. The others mostly from Amazon who you never have a problem with, asked in the email what I wanted I filled in to leave next door including the door number and picked it up when I arrived home from my very lovely obliging neighbour who not only does this for me but the neighbour on the other side of her too. Let's hear it for lovely neighbours!

Tegan Sun 07-Dec-14 10:32:39

Even if they do deliver on the arranged day you can guarantee they'll ring your doorbell when you're in the shower or the garden, wait the usual 2 seconds and then disappear sad. However I did have a delivery from John Lewis via parcelforce and the message I'd asked for which was 'please leave with any neighbour if no one home' was adhered to. I had waited in for 2 1/2 days and, of course, it arrived soon after I'd gone out on the third day. They used to take undelivered parcels to the village post office but that doesn't always happen these days.

loopylou Sun 07-Dec-14 10:18:06

Just about calmed down- got straight on phone and told 'no go to come back' as have too many other drops to complete! Told Mr. Jobsworth to return package to sender, emailed sender tells whole sorry saga and got money refunded, politely suggested they use a different 'courier'...... And yes, it was Yodel! Son in London says if Y can't stop right outside house they won't deliver at all and you get an automatic email telling you to go and collect, a 40 mile round trip and they don't have a car!

anneey Sun 07-Dec-14 10:15:35

Infuriating isnt it.
I waited in for a t.v. to be delivered.
I hovered around the front window (like you do)
I saw the van park outside my house, but was bewildered when the t.v. was taken next door.
I questioned the driver, and yes it was my t.v. but my lights weren't on so he assumed I was not at home.
I eventually got my t.v.
What a dummy though.

vampirequeen Sun 07-Dec-14 10:00:25

DH phoned me when our daughter was singing so I could sort of hear. It sounded lovely. Later she said sadly, "You will come to the school concert, won't you?"

I felt awful and promised I'd be there.

chocolatepudding Sun 07-Dec-14 09:20:50

I have spent the past seven years building a new house and coping with all sorts of deliveries from enormous juggernauts to the whole range of couriers.........and we live 100 years from a very low railway bridge. Every order is sent with full delivery instructions and our phone numbers so there is no excuse not to find us. Even so some drivers particularly UPS will arrive the wrong side of the low bridge and will walk the package to us...the worst one was a large crane which could not get under the bridge and it is a 10 mile detour to get to us.

Living in a rural area with lots of house names I frequently ask delivery drivers "Are you lost?" and help them find the correct place. Being a community first responder means you have to know your local area well!

But Yodel are the worst delivery company!!!

suzied Sun 07-Dec-14 09:03:03

The y company are the worst for stuffing a card through the box when you are in, your cars are outside, lights are on. This happened to us on Friday, we phoned immediately, and they sent the driver back.

susieb755 Sat 06-Dec-14 23:23:43

Just call them by their name ! Yodel - I hate getting stuff delivered by them - their depot is an hour away if you want to collect - I wish people would use Royal mail !

vampirequeen Sat 06-Dec-14 22:30:05

My problem was with the Y company. There is actually a facebook page for people who hate this particular company.

Charleygirl Sat 06-Dec-14 20:43:04

I waited in all day yesterday, waiting for the PO or whatever they call themselves nowadays. The tracking system noted that early am my parcel was at Gatwick and had been placed in a van. It appeared to stay all day in the van, nice and cosy while I stayed in again today.

Needless to say that the company, Woolovers, has helped themselves to my money from my account. It had better arrive on Monday or there will be a 3rd world war here in NW London.

janerowena Sat 06-Dec-14 19:04:51

No, they can't cope, I have heard of this more and more often. If they run short of time they simply miss someone out and lie. If you aren't in, you should receive a card anyway. No card - they haven't been. We don't have numbers in my village, we have house names so they get fed up. When I order anything at all online, I put my address as 'last but one on the left', as my lane comes to a dead end.

TriciaF Sat 06-Dec-14 18:52:52

This problem seems to be becoming more and more common, it happens here in France too, I've had the same problem (15 days instead of 5 promised.)
If only they would tell the truth, or say nothing at all, instead of lying, saying they called and no-one at home etc., it wouldn't be quite so bad.
The whole system of buying online and having things delivered is getting out of hand, the delivery firms can't cope.

soontobe Sat 06-Dec-14 18:39:37

I am wondering if it has anything to do with porches?
We never have a problem. A delivery man, whoever they are, and whichever company it is, leaves the parcel in the porch.
We are away from a road. That might make a difference.

suzied Sat 06-Dec-14 18:20:32

Delivery firm beginning with Y are the worst offenders. We were in yesterday and came downstairs to card pushed through the door, got on phone straight away and they got in touch with driver to bring it back to us. Another card when we were out, even though we put a note on door saying "please leave with neighbour" . I think some drivers are just too lazy.

Crafting Sat 06-Dec-14 15:11:00

vampirequeen same thing happened to us five times last Christmas. DH stayed in for days waiting for the parcel to be delivered and everyday it was logged as tried to deliver but no reply. My DH was fuming. How do these companies get away with it we knew they were lying about trying to deliver. Hope your parcel arrives by the way. Shame about having to miss your daughter singing.

vampirequeen Sat 06-Dec-14 14:07:24

Absolutely. On the phone and let rip.

Elegran Sat 06-Dec-14 12:53:24

Straight on the phone, Loopylou before he has a chance to get back to the depot, and while you are still ready for a fight.

loopylou Sat 06-Dec-14 12:38:59

Am out of puff trying to attract attention of delivery van man charging off down the road. The b.....r shoved a card through the door and legged it, no knocking at door, ignored last notice saying 'Please leave parcels by side door' angry
If they seriously think I'm going to drive 45 miles each way to collect it, they can think again!
Grrrrhhhhhh!!!

vampirequeen Sat 06-Dec-14 11:17:00

oooh good idea. I'll go and check.

Elegran Sat 06-Dec-14 11:16:18

Are the delivery firm on Facebook and Twitter? Name and shame where all can see it.

jollyg Sat 06-Dec-14 10:28:59

A big pink pig just flew past my window.

I do hope you get some recompense, but fear not