Sh!te courier thread

[Diver300]

The Post Office brought a parcel to within 50m of the house two weeks ago and are now denying all knowledge of it. I guess that a temporary postman couldn't find the house, as we're behind, not beside, houses n-2, n-4 etc, and there are no higher numbers.

(Parcel contained a tracking unit that works sometimes, and it was working when brought here. Tracking unit has now run out of elecktrickery so I've lost track of it's whereabouts)

Sorry, but that's quite funny 

I found that the parcel had been sent with a tracking number, told that to the Post Office, and they haven't got back to me.

[andytheflyer]

Ordered a 20kg sack of bird food 8/12 via eBay, for delivery by UK Mail 12/12.  No show.

Checked tracking a few days later: collected, in transit, delayed.

Chased supplier 1/1/18 via eBay: pls wait a few days

Waited, chased supplier again: pls contact UK Mail with tracking number.  Reluctantly, and after again asking for a refund, I did.

UK Mail:  Supplier never sent it, we never collected it.

Supplier: Lying toads (or words to that effect).  They collected it on 8/12.

Me to supplier 5/1/18:  Refund pls or I'll raise it with eBay.

Deafening silence from supplier, so when eBay ask if the matter us resolved, it ain't.  Sorry supplier, I asked you twice for a refund, you haven't, so expect the big stick from eBay. I know it's not your fault, but my contract with you includes delivery, and you've not delivered, so you are in breach of contract.

EDIT 8/1:  Apparently UK Mail have found it, and as a peace offering they'll deliver it before 1200 tomorrow.  I can't wait.......

[fuzzy]

It isn't always the courier. Sometimes it is the supplier.

Twice last week we recieved deliveries for someone else-

One was a staff purchase for another shop and was just a packing mix up.

The other was parts for a job. The delivery we recieved had our delivery address label attached to it, next to the consignment label which had the correct destination on it- another bike shop in Aakmarl, Netherlands. I guess our spares for a workshop job are enjoying a short continental break

[Torslanda]

Just before crimbo a $jolly-large-distributor sent me two parcels, both refurbished suspension components, both jolly expensive repair bills, neither of them mine.

It's not the first time either. No point in trying to claim them as TNT would simply produce the POD and I'd be in lumber.

They also sent me an account statement around the same time showing a credit in my favour. When I queried this it turned out to be somebody else's money. Good job I didn't try and spend it.

Maybe Fuzzy & I need a 'Shite Distributors' thread . . .

[ian]

Did grink DPD the other day after one of their vans roared by at stupid speed and then proceeded to try and get up the steeper bit of the lane beyond ours by spinning its wheels frantically. I would have minded less had I been more than 10 cm away and walking up that lane. I believe the cloud of smoke from under the bonnet was the soul of his clutch departing. Apparently it wasn't my problem because 'he wasn't delivering to me.'

Got the boilerplate response, so I'm not overly hopefully they'll have some words, though they really should.

Never got around to grinking Parcelfarce for pre-christmas lies. Life is too short.

In other news, I like Hermes. There, I said it. They bring a lot of my beer and our bunch seems to be a wife-and-husband team (I presume some kind of franchise) who are uncommonly helpful.

[ian]

For some reason despite the big sign on front door in my very tidy handwriting saying 'leave with neighbour if a signature is required' RM took my parcel back to the post office to collect. Mildly annoying, since next door is obviously a lot closer than a twenty minute round trip by foot.

So, I wander down this morning, grab my parcel and return home. On the mat there's another RM 'sorry you are not home' card. So, yes, my second parcel will now be at the PO for collection. Worse, the van passed me as I walked up the hill. Taunting me, I tell you.

Le sigh. I guess they don't do the leave with the neighbour thing even though there's a space on the card to say they've done just that.

[Jakob W]

Our postie sometimes leaves stuff with the neighbours, and occasionally signs for stuff and shoves it through the letterbox if it will fit. It does seem to be random as to whether parcels are left for pickup at the local post office (5 minutes walk away) or at the sorting office in town (20 minutes each way).

[ian]

They always used to, I assume it's the same postie. I wouldn't mind if it weren't for the big sign. Our neighbour's front door isn't far away, it's not like I live on a country estate, and she's an older retired lady and mostly in, so quite handy for that sort of thing.

It's one of those things, something worth a £5 ends up going through this rigmarole. If it's worth a couple of hundred quid they'll leave on the front step in full view all day. Reminds me that the RM still have a key to my garage (actually it's the passage under the house, which looks like a garage but isn't), they used to leave all the mailbags there for the postie to deliver (for the princely sum, I think, of £95 year). Anyway, they stopped a few years back and now do everything in a single van which seems a lot less efficient. No idea if they're still paying me the £95.

And now, I have another parcel (don't ask, when I do any shopping I do it all at once) out for delivery with Hermes (so says the email that plinked into my inbox earlier). I was hoping for some kind of tracking but it helpfully says between 1400-1800 which isn't very specific. Oh well, I probably won't be here for that one either. Oh well, I hate going to shops, so this is my punishment.

[ian]

Score for Hermes, much derided in these parts, but they manage to deliver my parcels with consistent aplomb. Read the note and put it in the right place, even under the box that I put out and wrote 'parcel under here, thanks' to keep the rain off.

See, Royal Mail, it's not that hard. And I note they've randomly left the lastest parcel at the sorting office and not the PO. That's even further (about three minutes admittedly).

[Basil]

Royal Mail don't seem to bother with signatures here if they can fit it through the letterbox.   This includes tracked documents etc.
We've finally trained RM, Yodel et al not to let themselves in to leave stuff on the kitchen table.  Seems that was the deal with previous occupants.

[Jaded]

Sat in the house, waiting for two separate deliveries.

PING!!  email

PING!!  email

Amazon Logistics attempted to deliver your package but couldn't leave it unattended. They will make another delivery attempt the next day.

Amazon Logistics attempted to deliver your package but couldn't leave it unattended. They will make another delivery attempt the next day.

The instructions say to follow the details on the card they left. Which they didn't.

Why lie? Why not just say, "sorry, we've been unable to deliver today"?

[ian]

Presumably it's the driver not bothering with all the palaver of stopping and knocking on your door rather than Amazon High Command. They probably think they did try.

[Jaded]

I think after the 15 min phone call they no longer think they did try 

[Torslanda]

I read this morning of Valiant's tribulations at the hands of one spectacular fuckwit who works for REDACTED.

If you're in touch on SoshullMeeja you will doubtless have read it.

TL/DR SIX attempts in FIVE days for ONE 'overnight' delivery. Excuses included 'not being able to find Limehouse Town Hall'

Think Sam wins the thread - if not the entire intarwebbzzzzz.....

[hellymedic]

I read this morning of Valiant's tribulations at the hands of one spectacular fuckwit who works for REDACTED.

If you're in touch on SoshullMeeja you will doubtless have read it.

TL/DR SIX attempts in FIVE days for ONE 'overnight' delivery. Excuses included 'not being able to find Limehouse Town Hall'

Think Sam wins the thread - if not the entire intarwebbzzzzz.....

I too read of Sam's tribulations on Bookface. I think most of his trouble lies with one rogue driver, which does not exonerate the courier company...

[Jaded]

What I don’t understand is why they choose this course of action, when it’s a lot easier just to deliver the stuff.

[ian]

Considering that delivery is a key part of this entire internet economy thing, it's a surprise it's still so shit and I still get things like 'your parcel will be delivered at some point in the next three days' or some entirely useless nonsense. Honestly, how hard is to track these shipments in real-time? Surely there's an app for that. I can track taxis and bloody planes, why not a delivery van.

Anyway, I ordered four things recently, as mentioned upthread. One was delivered fine (Hermes), two I had to collect myself from the depot (Royal Mail), and one has yet to appear so I assume has been lost. I don't even have a tracking number which doesn't help. If it's been delivered, it's not been delivered here. I remember the last time this happened and the vendor said 'are you sure it's not been delivered?' I'm not phoning you because I'm lonely. Eventually they sent another one and then two weeks later RM delivered the original 'lost' item. I've no idea where it went for four weeks.

[Jaded]

DPD give you an hour slot and do an element of tracking, and ParcelFarce seem to give you an hour slot (then change it by text so you are in the shower when they turn up).

The tech is there, I imagine it is about paying for it that is the real issue. Why pay for software and hardware to deliver properly when you can throw the stuff over a fence. Or put it in the bin on bin night, which Amashun did last week. Just as well I read the card properly (which I thought was gong to say left with blah-blah neighbour - as that is what the arrangement was...)

[ian]

DPD are probably the best for tracking, unfortunately in my experience, their drivers seem to think they're on a getaway from a major bank heist.

I'd mind less if it was 'free P&P' but when it's £2.99 on top of a £12 item. Seems to be straight-to-post RM hence no tracking (possibly, I didn't set up an account as a vendor, so the 'track your item' link takes me to a blank account page). I seem to recall my wife's christmas gin ended up back the PO with no card left (because they never tried to redeliver it, that was a just a lie), though that at least had a tracking link that told me it was there.

Anyway, they're 'looking into it.' If I run out of garishly coloured fountain pen ink, it'll be a major #firstworldproblem.

[ian]

Well, they apparently either lost it or someone at RM is now a nicely regal shade of dark purple.

[hellymedic]

Grauniad POBI story. Very sad.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/feb/05/courier-who-was-fined-for-day-off-to-see-doctor-dies-from-diabetes?CMP=share_btn_tw

[ian]

I just put it in on-the-road. Sad very, but I'm a bit concerned that despite the fact it seemed that both he and DPD knew he had very poorly controlled diabetes, he kept driving.

[hellymedic]

I too am concerned about that aspect.
This chap drove and died within a couple of miles of where David & I were in early January.

There are many very dodgy drivers in that part of the world; I have treated them as a doctor, David's Dad continued driving too long IMO and the Bournemouth Daily Echo frequently reports mishaps.

[OT] This one is within a furlong of David's Dad http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/15919855.Police_called_to_three_car_crash_on_Barrack_Road_in_Christchurch/?ref=mr&lp=26.

[madcow]

Effing Royal Mail. You would think that "Signed for "  was pretty safe but you would be wrong.
The fuckwits obv. think that "Signed for" means valuable when every one else on the planet knows that Ebay virtually demands that you use a trackable method of delivery otherwise when the buyer claims that they haven't received an item , the sender needs proof of receipt to contest the claim.

[Guy]

While on the subject of Royal Mail, a package posted in Wellingborough on 31 Jan arrived at Castle Guy yesterday. That's 2 1/2 weeks to cover a distance I can ride in 2 1/2 hours!