"Doorstep Only" Delivery

ThemeOne

I had my first experience of "doorstep only" delivery yesterday and wonder if anyone's been caught out by this.

It's a way of cutting delivery costs by having only one driver, who delivers to the main door of the property only - no carrying inside, up stairs, into rooms etc.

This is probably fine if you live in a house with a driveway, where the lorry can be backed up to your door, but can be awkward in other situations.

In my case I was taking delivery of a double divan, mattress and headboard at a block of flats. The items were offloaded at the main door to the building, leaving me to get them into the lift to an upper floor. This was not easy! I'd assumed the mattress would be delivered rolled up, but it wasn't and they are very awkward items to handle on your own.

I managed it, but feel like I've been involved in a fight this morning.

I'm not complaining - I knew this was the company's delivery method, and thought it would be OK. What made it almost not OK was the mattress not being rolled up. I guess I should have checked that.

In their delivery advice the company suggests having someone else on hand to assist, but it's not so easy to find someone sufficiently able-bodied and likely to be free for a whole day mid-week.

sarah1972

ThemeOne wrote: »

I had my first experience of "doorstep only" delivery yesterday and wonder if anyone's been caught out by this.

It's a way of cutting delivery costs by having only one driver, who delivers to the main door of the property only - no carrying inside, up stairs, into rooms etc.

This is probably fine if you live in a house with a driveway, where the lorry can be backed up to your door, but can be awkward in other situations.

In my case I was taking delivery of a double divan, mattress and headboard at a block of flats. The items were offloaded at the main door to the building, leaving me to get them into the lift to an upper floor. This was not easy! I'd assumed the mattress would be delivered rolled up, but it wasn't and they are very awkward items to handle on your own.

I managed it, but feel like I've been involved in a fight this morning.

I'm not complaining - I knew this was the company's delivery method, and thought it would be OK. What made it almost not OK was the mattress not being rolled up. I guess I should have checked that.

In their delivery advice the company suggests having someone else on hand to assist, but it's not so easy to find someone sufficiently able-bodied and likely to be free for a whole day mid-week.

It makes no difference if you have a drive, lots of my deliveries I have had are pavement deliveries. I had a huge gas barbecue delivered and they rang my bell and said its over their on the pavement ! I asked them could they pop it on the drive and they said no as its my property so it couldn't be done.

I also had fence panels delivered that I assumed would be out on the drive but again they said we are ready to offload to the pavement and couldn't help me put it on the drive.

My friend who also has a drive, recently had her bathroom renovated and a large national company turned up with the shower and bath and bath screen and said is someone available to take it from the pavement when they get it off of their lorry, my friend said can you not pop the heavy items on the drive and they said no, its company policy to have a pavement delivery.

maisie_cat

I'm afraid it's the price of getting things cheaper. I have found that John Lewis is brilliant, they are not that much more expensive and they have 2 man delivery.

ThemeOne

maisie_cat wrote: »

I'm afraid it's the price of getting things cheaper. I have found that John Lewis is brilliant, they are not that much more expensive and they have 2 man delivery.

I've also found John Lewis delivery very good. At another property which is third floor with no lift they carried a fridge up the stairs and into the kitchen. I gave the guys a tip as I know from experience that won't have been a pleasant job.

It is just worth bearing in mind that "delivery" doesn't always mean the same thing, and websites don't always make this very clear. "Pavement" delivery sounds even worse than doorstep delivery!