With online shopping becoming increasingly popular and online businesses relying on being able to sending products to their customers, having a reliable service is essential.
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The Contract
When ordering an item for home delivery, the contract is between the customer and the retailer and not with the courier company. This means that if an item isn’t delivered or arrives damaged, it is the retailer’s responsibility to compensate the customer.
Problems experienced by customers include over half having never received their parcel or it being lost or delayed even after paying for a premium delivery service. Regular complaints also include parcels being left on doorsteps or in rubbish bins and waiting in for a parcel only to receive a delivery unsuccessful notice.
A same day courier service in Birmingham such as http://allaboutfreight.co.uk/same-day-courier-service/same-day-courier-birmingham can offer a range of courier services, including same-day deliveries, overnight and international deliveries and a storage and packing service.
In 2016, the Citizens Advice Bureau confirmed they had received over 23,000 complaints from customers regarding parcel delivery. Their report confirmed most people didn’t know what their rights were and hadn’t complained. Of the ones who had complained, over 40% had had difficulty contacting the courier company.
Once the only option for customers wanting to send parcels, Royal Mail is forecasting that new EU rules on data protection will lead to a decline in letters sent by Britons and could see more than a one-third drop in annual profits, according to this article published in The Financial Times: https://www.ft.com/content/5fd8f07a-59af-11e8-b8b2-d6ceb45fa9d0
Retailers
Retailers receiving customer complaints should take the matter up directly with the courier company, and as long as they are using a reputable service, tracking the package should be straight forward. They should be able to access details, including the driver’s location, evidence of delivery time and a contact name of the person who signed for the delivery.
Sometimes having a parcel delivered on a specific date is necessary, such as a birthday or Mother’s Day. If the retailer confirmed a delivery date but the item fails to arrive on time, then this again is the responsibility of the retailer. However, if there was no agreed date, then it is standard practice that customers receive their delivery within 30 days of the purchase unless otherwise specified – for example, if items are out of stock or custom-made.