Buying online for Christmas

And then another thread will appear bemoaning our desolate town centres with shuttered shop windows. Seems we are never happy! ‘Use them or lose them’ is my mantra. But then I’m fortunate as I only need to go down in the lift and I’m in a shoppers paradise. Some people need to scrape ice off their cars and park up, or get a bus. Others have mobility or health problems. I can see both sides of how to shop have their merits.
😁

We've bought all 2022 Christmas gifts online for delivery. No going out to the shops. The deliveries have all been fast and timely.

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Recently, I have had a number of Royal Mail and Evri deliveries, all within three days of purchase.

We live in a rural area with a house name, no number. I can only recall one or two deliveries from EBay or Amazon or any other supplier that went astray or were delayed seriously in the past three years since we moved here. Some couriers and drivers are better than others but it's an overhyped problem imo.

I paid extra for next day delivery when buying a lightweight swimming towel from Decathlon as I wanted to use it that week. I got the email saying when it was going to be delivered, then a second one saying there was a delay then finally one saying it would be the following day. I wasn’t happy due to the extra I had paid so when I had similar issues the next day, culminating with an email saying they had tried to deliver but I was not in! I was in the house and anyway, I’d told them where my safe place was.

Despite the small amount of money, I sent off an email to Decathlon customer services explaining the saga and was surprised to get a reply within ten minutes apologising and refusing all the postage, not just the extra I paid for next day. They also checked that my parcel was on the van for delivery that day and because it was on the evening delivery slot, they refunded the cost of the towel as well! I was totally shocked, at the speed of their response and the full refund.

I rarely complain but sometimes it’s worth it!

You do seem to be having problems where you are, sazz. It’s not our experience here - I am making a conscious effort to buy more things locally, but anything I do order online seems to arrive in a flash. Our local Evri courier’s great, and they seem to get most of the contracts. I don’t think it was him, though, that delivered my new hairdryer by dropping it through an open top window the other day - as it seems to be working fine, I won’t be putting in a complaint.

I've done all my Christmas shopping online this year and so far deliveries have been good. Amazon Prime is especially good arriving on time or earlier. I now have to send two large parcels to family and will use either RM or Evri.

The only thing that niggles a bit with me is the price of stamps for cards. I'll send e-cards to some people but a lot of our older friends and family don't use technology, or don't understand it very well so we still have to send 'proper' cards. Oh well it's only once a year.

I buy most things online - so much easier and most of what I buy is postage free.

Also, my daughter is expecting a phone delivery from DPD.
Three evenings we have been sat here waiting, three times they have emailed to say there is no one home.

I am still trying to get
DHL to deliver a parcel which was due on the 18th.
I am just going around in ever decreasing circles I’m afraid, yesterday I contacted the company, which happens to be in Italy
Next port of call, PayPal.
I do get that things are bound to be difficult this time of year, but not being able to contact anyone, who can actually do anything is very frustrating.

I sat up in bed on Sunday morning and ordered presents for six good friends, my “Secret Santa” recipient, four out of six grandchildren, husbands of two friends, D2’s FIL, D3’s PIL, and a little “treat” for me, along with the shopping for my family lunch the Sunday before Christmas (to be delivered on the Friday)
All on line! Long live internet shopping 🎅 🛒 🎁 🎄

Latest on RMail I posted recorded delivery on 21st November it arrived today this afternoon 29th
If it's from a big business eg M&S, Amazon etc they prioritise these parcels and so do couriers. Sister used to be a hermes courier and nieces husband was a postman for 6 months between jobs so I know this happens.

sazz1

What three words gives you an exact location anywhere in the world. It's an ap online but not something couriers use as far as I know

Thank you, sazz1. I understand now!

Amazon Prime give you a delivery date, usually the next day and they always stick to it. We ordered some tops from Cotton Trader last week and they were delivered by Evri 2 days later.

Royal Mail haven’t been so good, MissOops sent a package off last week and the next day our Postman told us that it had turned up again at our local sorting office, the main sorting office had read her sending address as the delivery address, our Postman had to resend it.

Things will take a bit longer - as always in December - due to the sheer volume of deliveries. Still, I get everything online and don't miss the dreaded queues out there.

Daddima

Soozikinzi

Is what three words useful to add for deliveries ?

Sorry, I don’t understand the question.

I tried that with a courier who'd got lost and rung me but he had no idea what it meant. I think I eventually collection d it from the wrong address up the road.

I haven't had many problems with Royal Mail, nothing's got lost, just not delivered on strike days. On the other hand, I'd planned to use a courier for the two things I have to send before Christmas, so it's helpful to know that they're experiencing delays too, it hadn't occurred to me.

I ordered some huge curtains from France on eBay on 22nd, eta 29-6th, arrived by Chronopost and DPD on 27th. So far, so good.

What three words gives you an exact location anywhere in the world. It's an ap online but not something couriers use as far as I know

Soozikinzi

Is what three words useful to add for deliveries ?

Sorry, I don’t understand the question.

Sazzl. Yes , it's Hermes new name I think.
The other two things from eBay were delivered at 8.30 this morning!
Not bad for these busy times.

I usually use RM if it’s an option - service is usually very good here.

I don’t know which courier it was, but last night something was dumped on our doorstep - which was for a neighbour several doors away - and when dh took it round, he found a parcel for me dumped on their doorstep!

I've been having a massive clear out at home and have sold about 40 items on EBay over the last couple of months.

I use RM for most items and Evri for heavier packages. Despite the strikes, I've only had one item which took a week to arrive. Everything else has arrived within a day or two.

I don’t have a very high opinion of Evri, but a word in their defence.
Tuesday night I had a delivery confirmation with a photo of a residential street I didn’t recognise, it should have come to me at work.
I emailed them, but was thinking I would probably have to write it off, but it turned up at work the next morning.

henetha

On Monday I ordered six christmas presents from eBay.
Four have arrived already and two are on the way. So that's quite good.
Yesterday morning when opening my front door I found a parcel from Amazon that was soaking wet. It must have been there all night, so either they didn't ring the door bell or I didn't hear it.
My Evri lady says they are absolutely overwhelmed and can hardly cope at the moment.

Evri is hermes and on there parcel site it says delays

The only online order I was waiting for arrived yesterday, delivered by UPS. I had a choice of standard Royal Mail or pay extra for a courier. I paid the extra because of expected strike action.