Delivering a good service – what you need to know
MILLIONS of people are now partially or solely reliant on package delivery companies to get everything from essential purchases to gifts for Christmas. Yet there’s still a huge amount of confusion about consumer rights and deliveries.
Here’s my definitive guide.
RETURNS AND YOUR RIGHTS
BY far the most misunderstood thing about deliveries is that your contract is with the retailer not the delivery firm. Unless you’re the seller, of course.
That means the retailer is responsible for getting the goods to you and replacing or refunding you if there’s a problem. The delivery firm is their contractor, so the shop should deal with them for you – and its far easier for them to track the package too.
So it’s not your fault if your parcel is:
■ Left somewhere authorised and goes missing or gets damaged.
■ Left with a neighbour you haven’t permitted.
■ Left in a communal or unsecured area.
■ Is broken or damaged when you open it (you don’t have to open on delivery, but your return rights have time limits so check as soon as you can).
Check out Resolver’s huge guide to shopping and your rights here: news.resolver.co. uk/shopping-and-returnsknow-your-rights/
WHAT IF THE FIRM CLAIMS THE DELIVERY HAS BEEN MADE?
COMPLAINTS last year commonly involved where someone had been in all day but deliveries weren’t attempted and, increasingly, allegations of faked signatures.
Of course, social distancing has brought a new problem – ‘knock and run’ deliveries are where you receive a knock or ring on your door only to catch a glimpse of the delivery driver beating a hasty retreat.
This is often because of ludicrous targets, so spare a thought for them, but it means it’s even harder to prove delivery was to the right place.
Don’t get too wrapped up in the details. If you’re disputing a delivery was made, take it up with the retailer. Explain in simple terms what’s happened and ask them to take it up with the contractor. This doesn’t affect your refund rights.
DELIVERY DATES
YOU are entitled to expect goods to be delivered on the agreed date. If no date was given or agreed, the trader must get purchases to you within 30 days of the order being placed. If this does not happen, you are entitled to a full refund.
If you paid a supplement for a specified delivery time or date, you can ask for this back.
FOREIGN DELIVERIES
PROBLEMS with orders from other countries is one of the fastest growing areas of complaint.
Returns can also be difficult and expensive. So before you buy from a non-uk firm, check:
■ If they have a UK website. Look for a UK address and confirm in writing that they are sending from the UK though.
■ If the prices are in sterling. If it’s not, you pay the exchange rate at the point the firm debits you. You will probably pay bank or credit card processing charges too.
■ What the policy is for returns and how to contact the firm if something goes wrong.
...BE NICE
BECAUSE of the sheer number of parcels flying around the
UK, there’s huge demand on delivery companies and drivers bear the brunt of this.
They’re often underpaid and overstretched, so give them a smile and some kindness!
Get help with everything from online shops to delivery disasters at resolver.co.uk/