Delivery rights: Amazon

pink_pirlie · 8 December 2011 at 2:25PM

I find Amazon's "online" chat" very helpful for resolving problems, they seem to go above and beyond what is required without having to really ask. I've ordered a few items that have required returning recently, but agree the delivery companies are useless!

A few months ago I ordered a CD that it transpired I already owned. As it was received with no cellophane wrapping I was unsure whether I could return as it wasn't sealed. I messaged them via the online chat to find out if it would be possible to return and was told to put the reason for return as fault / damaged packing (I think), and the postage costs I paid were also refunded.

During the Black Friday sale I ordered the Vax upright for £99.99 but then found out a colleague's husband could get one cheaper as he worked for the company. I attempted to cancel the order but as it had already entered the dispatch process it could not be recalled. Amazon advised to refuse delivery. However, Yodel left the vacuum with a neighbour so I could not refuse delivery. I messaged Amazon via the online chat function and they said it would be collected via couriers from my workplace free of charge - despite their T&C stating that buyer has to pay return costs unless it is due to a fault on Amazon's behalf. Unfortunately, City Link failed to come and collect it so I had to message Amazon again to re-arrange delivery. The 2nd day it was collected. Luckily I arranged for it to be collected from work rather than home as I wouldn't have been happy sitting in all day waiting.

There was something in Martin's email this week regarding compensation of lost days as a result of waiting in for deliveries. It may be worth pursuing these from Amazon and may lead them to rethink the courier they use and / or any SLAs they have with them.

northwalesd · 10 December 2011 at 3:53PM

I know my experience is pre the fightback, but wanted to add my two penn'orth.

Order placed with Amazon on Tuesday 8th November, paid for express delivery, which guaranteed delivery by 1pm Thursday 10th November. No delivery...

Complained to Amazon, only response was to refund my delivery charge and this email:

I'm sorry to hear that you're not satisfied with the service from DPD.

We take full responsibility for the delivery of our goods from start to finish and take complaints of this nature very seriously. We’ll replace any items lost or damaged during delivery at no extra charge and monitor our carriers very closely.

We realise this incident reflects negatively upon Amazon.co.uk and the feedback you’ve provided will be used in reviewing the service provided by DPD.

Thanks for taking the time to contact us and to bring this to our attention.

I personally think my complaint makes absolutely no difference and Amazon won't review anything, maybe it's the cynic in me.

ThinkingOfLinking · 10 December 2011 at 4:05PM

I've been a loyal customer since 2003, buying a lot of stuff from them over the years. However, I am starting to get tired of Yodel too. I bought a book (worth under £10) and they decided to send it via Yodel instead of Royal Mail. After it sitting in Yodel's depot for a few days, according to the tracking, a delivery was attempted yesterday, when I was sitting at home with the door to the flats where I live left ajar. There was no knock at the door, neither doorbell was rung, and no card was left. I spent 3 hours trying to phone Yodel, whose phone is permanently engaged; they don't even let you queue on hold as it were...I then thought I'd email them, but it said my parcel number didn't exist, when it clearly did and still does. So I have no idea when or if I am going to get my book.

COSTLYPETROL · 10 December 2011 at 7:21PM

Take comfort Flickering Ember.

I also have been a customer for many years but that will have to change due to the fact Amazon now repeatedly send template sorry emails and still employ Yodel.

Prior to that it was City Link whose last driver was drunk. It is now my understanding as he was a temp. he has lost his job after reversing into a ditch with at least 20+ empoty beer cans in his van!

It would appear there is nobody responsible at Amazon at present or they would have revealed themselves.

Whilst I am fully aware that the people who complained about school dinners will continue to complain about everything else throughout life I never had a problem with a school dinner and am reluctant to complain and be subjected to blatant abuse by people who are quite simply having fun as their reason for attending their work place.

Wetherby_Pond · 12 December 2011 at 5:18PM

We have had problems with Amazon delivery:

CityLink didn't deliver. Tracking said "signed for". Eventually the package arrived via Royal mail. Someone had dumped it in a RM Postbox. Tracking then changed. When I complained Amazon refunded £5 (it was on Prime) and CityLink eventually forwarded a photo of the wrong house.

HDNL (Gatwick depot) didn't deliver -tracking said tried to deliver (but they didn't as we were in, and they didn't leave a card) and then tracking showed it stayed at depot for 4 days. I complained and then cancelled the order. Excuse from HDNL (also known as Yodel) was sheer weight of orders at depot. Amazon refunded £5. 2 days later the package arrives... I refused it and said it was cancelled 2 days ago.

A week later it is delivered again, this time with CANCELLED scribbled on the top. I refused it again. HDNL have weak tracking, no idea of customer service, and unreliable drivers. Amazon added £8 to my refund.

I have had numerous incidents where HDNL don't deliver to schedule, and what their tracking says is aimed at keeping Amazon happy, not a true reflection of status.

whizzocki · 13 December 2011 at 7:51AM

I ordered a laptop for delivery on Thursday 8th December with (head in hands) Yodel.

Thursday 8th December - waited in all day, it didn't show up.

Friday 9th December - waited in, it didn’t show up, called Yodel in the afternoon, they said I would have it by the end of the day. I didn't.

Saturday 10th December - early morning, emailed Amazon customer support to ask where my laptop was. No reply. Afternoon: called Yodel again. Kept on hold for 30 minutes. They didn't know where it was and suggested I call Home Delivery to whom they had subcontracted the delivery, as the parcel was 'probably' at their depot. No answer on the number they gave me. Called Amazon customer support, kept on hold for only 20 minutes this time. The customer support agent was really helpful, but unable to promise anything could be done until after the weekend. She said she would call the delivery company on Monday and arrange for delivery next week. I said the only day I could not be at home was Monday. So that's NOT Monday. Any other day is fine. Monday is the only day I can NOT take delivery. Please arrange delivery for Tuesday.

I also asked whether Amazon would be willing to compensate me for the waste of my time over two days and she said she would look into doing something for me. Within an hour she gave me £10 credit to my Amazon account and sent an email summarising our conversation and what was going to happen next, ie, delivery on Tuesday. (I’ve already spent the £10 on interminable calls to Yodel trying to track down the parcel.)

Later Saturday afternoon I got an apologetic email from another Amazon customer support person, saying that Yodel have found the parcel and will deliver it on, yes, you’ve guessed it, MONDAY. Phoned them back again, and eventually got them to ask Yodel to deliver it on Tuesday. My confidence that they would do so was NIL.

Monday 12th December. What next? I'll give you three guesses. No, one will be all you'll need - Yodel tried to deliver. (It would be laughable if I weren’t so furious.) However, I saw on tracking that they "couldn’t find the house" (do they not have SatNav? or a map? or any common sense? for Pete's sake, there are only 20 houses in the village) and of course I wasn’t in to field their phone call for help with directions. Actually, not that they bothered to ring - nothing on 1471. It was dark, getting near the end of the day, so they just... gave up.

I'm sick of it, sick of it. Of course, there is zero chance the laptop will arrive today now, so I'll have to contact Amazon again this morning. I no longer want the laptop. I want my money back. I will never use Amazon ever again for anything other than Royal Mail parcels.

Lessons:
1) Don't call Yodel. They just keep you hanging on an 0844 number.
2) Don't email Amazon customer support. They don't reply.
3) Use the Amazon customer support callback instead.
4) Don't use Amazon at all. Go to a shop.

:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

withabix · 13 December 2011 at 8:04AM

Amazon should indicate the method of delivery BEFORE you click on the 'Pay' button.

That would allow you to make a considered decision - continue with the order or cancel.

Their chosen delivery companies are random at best - I ordered TWO identical items in ONE order a few months ago. One came by Royal Mail Tracked, the other by HDNL!!!!!

Amazon are, however MUCH better than many other mainstream online retailers in terms of delivery and Tracking information.

If you want an example of REALLY POOR, try Debenhams!

whizzocki · 13 December 2011 at 8:37AM

I will say that Amazon's customer support staff are very calm and helpful, even if the end result is not what was wanted. I just wish they would lean on their delivery companies for better standards. I have just got off the 'phone again and come to an arrangement whereby if the laptop is not here by the end of the day I get a full refund. However, I've been duped already by Amazon commitments, so I don't expect it to arrive.

I'll keep the forum posted as to what happens. (I'm assuming it'll be down to PC World next week when my refund comes through...)

pinkdragon · 13 December 2011 at 11:03AM

I ordered a laptop from a tv shopping channel. Noticed an e-mail on Sat evening stating the pacel had been delivered Fri at 7.30pm, so I went looking for it. I found it behind my bins at the bottom of my garden - nobody had bothered to even walk to my door and leave it on the doorstep! It had been raining hard all night so you can imagine the state the laptop was in so had to be returned and they're now out of stock grrrr. The delivery company? Yodel!!!!

whizzocki · 13 December 2011 at 12:23PM

pinkdragon, that is just awful! What I don't understand is how there's never any comeback on these cowboys. I see you're in Norfolk - I'm near Diss, so I can imagine exactly the same fly-by-nights have got hold of my laptop as 'delivered' yours. I shudder.

Delivery rights: Amazon

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