Be Excellent To Each Other

Not that random I had ID with my picture and address.

Whats random is the way the post office dump stuff on your drive, or leave it next door to suit themselves.

Being able to prove who you are doesn't mean you have any kind of trust relationship with the addressee. Charles Manson can prove who he is, doesn't mean I want him picking up my parcels.

Which absolutely proved beyond doubt that you were not the intended recipient.

I remind you all of where ParcelFarce decided to leave my copy of Fallout 3 when I wasn't in.

I once ordered a pair of sunglasses, and Royal Mail hid them under the front wheel of my car which was parked on the drive. I think you can all guess how that ended.

Why can't you opt to have all your oversized/signed-for post to be delivered to your local Post Office yet? Mine is at the end of the road, and open six days a week (normal times), yet if I'm not it gets sent to the local sorting office which is open for about two hours a day (Mon-Fri).

My downstairs neighbour had answered the door because I had to take the time to grab my key, but my ebay iBook was about to be given to him. I said it was mine, it was thrust into my hands my the courier who was already halfway back to his van before I could say thank you.

Semi-related, but I had a van delivered for a temporary job I was doing, and the guy asked me to sign the form. I explained it wasn't me who'd hired it, it had been hired FOR me and did that matter? He replied it didn't matter if Mickey Mouse signed the form so long as someone did. The guy who had hired it (my supervisor) wasn't happy to hear this. Later, the same firm delivering a new van for me parked it across someone else's driveway, pushed the keys and paperwork through my mail slot (of the same five-flat house) and just fucked off and left it.

Ok but this doesn't stop the Post Office leaving stuff on you drive or with people next door when it suits them.

There should be some consistency in the approach.

I now wherever humanly possible order stuff from Amazon, and have things delivered to an Amazon locker near where the wife works. It's a brilliant service.

There was a man talking about that on R4 week before last, they intend to double the number of lockers to 800 by the end of the year, and then 1200 by end of next year, IIRC.

I do the same but have it delivered to work. I don't think they do lockers in Nottingham.

Last time I had something delivered to work it ended up in the wrong department with the wrong person.

Luckily I got it back but I won't be doing that very often I reckon.

Yeah, we're not allowed stuff delivered to work.

I'd love this option in Glasgow, it would be a godsend for me. I actually had something similar from DHL when I ordered my last phone. The initial delivery failed obviously because I wasn't at home and when I phoned them to re-arrange one of the options was to get it redelivered to my nearest 'service point'. It turns out that DHL have partnered with random businesses around the country and allow you to get your stuff redirected to any one you nominate; and you can then pick up direct from there. The nearest one to me was a city centre newsagent which opened until 10 o'clock at night on weekdays so it was totally ideal. They took my phone number and sent me a text message when the delivery to the newsagent had actually happened and I just picked it up at my convenience after work. Fantastic service to be honest.

I'm very lucky in that regard. I get tons of stuff delivered to work and the facilities/reception staff here never grumble about it at all.

That happens at Helen's place... because someone yoinks everything in Amazon boxes in the pigeonholes, and disgracefully the managers can't be bothered figuring out who it is. Stuff to our place goes through the same goods-in but thankfully across the car park instead.

They also post stuff out for me too and I just settle up at the end of the month. Means I don't have to rush out during my lunch break and queue at the post office.

UPS lost my iPad 3. It came out on the van, failed to be delivered (I got a slip), then was never seen again. Two subsequent deliveries have been given to neighbours but without a slip coming through my door so I've no idea where it is.

You'd think UPS would be better than this.

This thread makes you realise just how inefficient the Royal Mail is. The amount of time they must waste by trying to deliver things only having to take them back to the sorting office etc is staggering.

The majority of people in the country (I imagine) work 9-5ish. Why they try to deliver stuff during this time is beyond me?

Do you get on with your neighbours? Did they give you your stuff?

I'm lucky in that sense that my neighbours and I get along so if they do have stuff for me, chances are I get it that evening.

I can't find a link, but I do recall a story of one falling out of the sliding door of his van and running himself over.

Yes and yes. Although, not knowing which neighbour (one of them was next door, the other over the road), I could do nothing but wait for them to come to me.

Same here, I get an email from the Post room if somethimg arrives for me, sometimes they put it on my desk.

Work are very good about it, I get sacks of charcoal delivered and there was a mountain bike in the room the other day.

The laid back atmosphere in our office is great. I can't imagine there are many other places that would allow their employees to regularly (well, not any more) have replica firearms delivered to work

Christmas shopping in July?

I've used Use Your Local a few times, and that's been okay.

http://www.useyourlocal.com/how-it-works/

Always stayed for a few beers too, which I suppose is the point

For that to work though the sender needs to quote the UseYourLocal parcel id when they drop the parcel off so presumably that's not going to work with bigger companies and couriers because they won't have a process for that and, in the case of the courier, probably won't give a shit past the point of dumping the parcel at the pub and getting a signature?

Yeah, they just dump it at the pub as far as I know.

Then I go and fetch it. And drink beer.

Fuck you and your beer brinking.

Stupid fucking antibiotics. I'm going out again tonight. Fucksake.

How do you know when it's arrived though; don't UseYourLocal need to map the received parcel to it's ID before they can notify you it's ready for pick-up?

When my fucked Xbox was returned the second time, they gave it to the pub across the road. Odd looks from the people propping the bar up as I came in with my 'missed delivery' slip and the landlord produced a huge box from under the bar.

Royal Mail have been disposing of batteries for long enough, but they're taking the piss a bit now. Might want to read up on their prohibited items before you send something with them... http://singletrackworld.com/2013/12/thi ... his-first/

Big fan of Amazon Locker here!

The main thing about it is, it gives Amazon direct visiibility of whether the courier has done their job or not: They have to code packages into the lockers, so no more excuses about "you were out", and no leaving it at some random house/bin/hedge somewhere nearby. (Or sitting on it for a week and then delivering it, as my local RM sorting office has taken to doing this year.)

Well worth a slight detour on the way home from work in exchange for knowing I'll definitely get my stuff on time.

Agreed. Collect+ is also brilliant.

It is excellent, but with two really annoying flaws. There's a size limit on what you can get delivered there which is slightly understandable, but they also won't deliver there if the item costs over a certain amount. Which is bullshit because the more expensive items are the stuff it would be more useful to have reliably delivered.

Amazon are really hit and Miss on parcels with regards to what needs a signature and what doesn't.
I had 2 parcels yesterday, the first one was delivered by the Royal Mail, had a value of £20 and that needed me to sign. The 2nd one had 2 things in the box with a value of £25, I found it dumped on my doorstep piss wet through when I went out to the car around 3.30pm yesterday, a parcel earlier in the week from them was left with the people next door.

They must open themselves to people ripping them off saying things haven’t been delivered.

Well, here we are again.

Amazon. Amazing. I thought I'd get all of my gifts ordered, so everything was done by the 2nd December. Most were actually bought October/November, but I still have those last few bits from Amazon to come.

Dispatched on the 1st and 2nd December, I am awaiting two parcels.

Amazon site said that they are coming via WPDS. The first due yesterday and the second due tomorrow. Obviously the first did not come yesterday. There's a tracking number, but that doesn't work on the Amazon site. So, I have a look at WPDS's site:



D'oh!

It turns out that it is actually a service called Whistl that is to blame. Whistl are ex TNT, and from the look of the mounting Amazon feedback, pretty rubbish! Nobody is receiving anything. I believe that the major distance distribution and sorting is handles by Whistl and the last leg (to door) delivery is carried out by Royal Mail. I haven't raised any complaint. I've done nothing but go to the 'my orders' page, but I have just had two emails from Amazon to say that if my goods do not arrive by the 15th December that I should contact them for a refund, which makes it sound as if they are not hopeful that these items will ever arrive.

WPDS are apparently also fielding loads of calls from disgruntled customers, though they handle nothing by Royal Mail. I wonder if they could take legal action over the damage to their reputation, or even for the time wasted taking calls and answering emails from Amazon customers?

Ugh, that's pants Mimi. And also making me think I should open the myriad of boxes in my hall from Amazon so that I can check I've got everything I've ordered...

Sandeep is going to help me.

Lets see how this goes...

Platitudes so far. He really wants to help me.

He will do his level best to get the issue resolved for me.

He is checking my order number. Very, very slowly.

Poor Sandeep probably does not know what 'sepcifically totake' means. Neither do I, and I typed it.

Neither of my missing orders is going to arrive.

They are lost.

Two of the Christmas gifts I had orders will not be coming as they are sold out now

The other items will be re-desptached. I have asked for them to be despatched by another method. It's things like Breastmilk bags, bottle teats, etc, that I really need.

And my SD card.

I'm sorry Mimi. Were they delivered by Amazon Logistics? They are unfailingly shit in my experience. I'm tempted to make 'stop using Amazon' as one of my new year's resolutions.

No, it's WPDS according to Amazon, but a little research suggests this is mis-information: it's actually Whistl (ex TNT) who carry out the distribution to Royal Mail's 42 hubs, where the delivery is then made by RM to the door. Whistl must have bid for the cheapest contract and I assume got in over their heads, as nobody is receiving their items.

I would like to suggest their motto should be:

'Want your stuff? Go Whistl for it!'.

Sandeep is gong to re-despatch the items they do have in stock (luckily most of the stuff for Darwin's feeding and care at least) and I'm going to see if I can hunt down replacements online for the Christmas gifts that I am unable to get replaced.

Bah, humbug.

I have asked if they can re-despatch the goods they have in stock to arrive quicker, and via a more reliable service, and Sandeep has said I should have them in 24 to 48 hours... Let us see, Sandeep, let us see.

I remember the first time I got something delivered by Amazon Logistics I could tell the guy was completely fucking baked, stank of weed and everything.

Never had any problems with them, though.

I was cleaning out my car on the drive at 6pm last night and Amazon logistics were delivering on my street. Not bad for Sunday evening

Yes, we saw a DPD van out yesterday as well. I guess at this time of year it makes sense. I remember RM delivering on a Sunday At Christmastime one year.

They seem to find it impossible to find my work address, despite a huge sign outside and reception being open 24/7.

They've even 'failed to deliver' when I've been in the sodding building.

I can't think what courier it is (HND, maybe) but one always tries to deliver to our office at 8pm, when it is shut. They'll send a text saying that they will try again tomorrow, and again turn up at 8pm, having seen the day before that it is an office building with displayed reception times that shut at 5pm.

I guess where I get stuff delivered to at home presents no particular challenges to a delivery driver, even if he's spangled on weed.