FROM broken packages to months of waiting for an order, delivery nightmares cause major headaches for shoppers.
Online shopping is booming, with sales up 63 percent last year, according to Barclay card.
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But this week, industry watchdog, ofcom criticized delivery companies for messing up orders and failing to resolve them.
It plans to introduce new rules to improve how companies handle complaints, but they won’t come in until April 2023.
Lucy Alderson looks at the five biggest delivery blunders and explains how to fight back when things go wrong.
BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE
A QUARTER of customers struggled to reach businesses to report issues last year, ofcom say.
More than 100,000 people complained about delivery problems in the year to March 31, according to the resolution service Resolver.
WHAT MUST WE DO: If you ordered an item from a retailer, your contract is tied to it and should resolve any delivery issues.
If you make a complaint, please include important details such as your order number.
NEXT DAY DELAYS
SHOPS offer next day delivery via subscriptions or at an additional cost.
For example, Amazon Prime customers pay £7.99 per month for this service while ASOS shoppers pay £9.95 per year.
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But The Sun Money has spotted swarms of complaints from customers on social media who paid extra to receive their package days later.
WHAT MUST WE DO: Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, you must repay the additional costs you have paid.
Moneycomm’s personal finance expert Andrew Hagger said: “If you paid extra money for a special or faster delivery and your order is delivered to you later than stated, you can claim the extra delivery charge because the service was not delivered as you agreed. ”
Claim the money back from the retailer, not the parcel company.
A Amazon spokesman said: “The vast majority of deliveries reach the customers without any problems. In the rare event that something happens, we’re sorry and we’ll work with customers to make it right.”
MISSING PACKAGE
FIVE and a half million customers lost a package last year, says Citizen advice.
Couriers can drive away before you answer the door, or dump packages on doorsteps or behind bins, making them easy prey for thieves.
WHAT MUST WE DO: Please contact the store where you purchased your order to find out.
Resolver’s consumer activist Alex Neill said, “If your package doesn’t show up, is left in a place you didn’t specify, or if there’s something wrong, the retailer needs to fix it.”
Please make sure to read the seller’s terms of delivery before ordering your package.
Some companies automatically leave stuff on the porch when you or your neighbors aren’t there – so leave a note with a safe place.
You could argue that there is a breach of contract if a package is left at the door without your permission.
BROKEN CONTENT
IT IS disappointing to wait for a package and then open it to find the contents are broken.
Last year, Resolver received hundreds of complaints about delivery quality issues.
This year alone, The Sun Money has heard about broken goods from dozens of customers.
WHAT MUST WE DO: Report any damage to the retailer immediately and take photos as proof.
Consumer Champion Grace Forell Which? said: “In the eyes of the law you have a defective goods claim and as such you are entitled to a refund, repair or replacement.”
If you’re having trouble getting an answer and you’ve paid over £100 by credit card, use Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act to demand a refund.
It covers you for defective goods, missing deliveries or the retailer going bankrupt. Call your card provider’s customer service.
If you paid with a debit card, you may be able to use Chargeback.
PERSONAL RETURN FEES
SOME retailers have started charging customers to return items for a refund.
Earlier this month, boo introduced a £1.99 surcharge, while Zara customers will deduct £1.95 from their refund when returning online orders.
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WHAT MUST WE DO: Please check the company’s refund terms before placing an order.
Be prepared to cough up any return costs and factor this into your budget.
But if you return your item because it is broken or defective, you should be able to claim these costs back.
Broken mirror a Christmas blow for four-year-old
CHARLOTTE JESSOP saw her daughter’s face fall when she opened her christmas present and found that it was broken.
The mother of two, 36, ordered a mirror from Amazon last December.
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When it came to her Norwich At home the package looked undamaged, so she wrapped it up and placed it under the tree as a present for four-year-old Alice.
But when Alice unpacked it, she was shocked to find that the frame was broken and the glass cracked.
Charlotte said: “I was frustrated with myself for not opening and checking the box, but I had no reason to think the mirror was out of order. It was disappointing.”
Charlotte complained to Amazon and sent photos of the damage. A replacement arrived a few days later.
Charlotte, who runs the financial blog lookingafteryourpennies.com, warns other shoppers to check their items when they arrive.
If there is damage, she advises, “Take photos as evidence and contact the seller as soon as possible.”