(no subject)

[graculus]

Meanwhile, in other news, I've just emailed Amazon to complain about their use of Parcelnet for deliveries. For anyone outside the UK, Parcelnet are one of those firms that charge large companies for delivery and their local network involves a bunch of people driving their own cars - if you work normal hours, then your chances of being at home when they can deliver are minimal, and there's not even a local depot to go and collect from. I know some people have had horror stories to tell in terms of their dealings with Royal Mail, but where I live you can get deliveries rescheduled for Saturday and they also have the option to go and pick the damn thing up yourself.

They're also unpredictable in other ways - one delivery I had, the Parcelnet guy basically dropped my package over the 6' high back gate and left a card to say what he'd done, while this time round they're insisting on a signature for a package of similar value.

The annoying thing about Amazon is that it's not until they email you to tell you that your order has been despatched that they also let you know which courier service they're using for it. There's also no way of predicting, since I always try and use the free shipping option, what it's going to be as I've had stuff via Royal Mail as well as DHL. If I knew in advance they were planning to use Parcelnet, I'd cancel my order, but by the time I do then it's too late.

E.T.A. - got pretty much the response I expected from Amazon, which is about how they find Parcelnet provides 'an excellent service' (clearly a different Parcelnet than the one I've been dealing with!) but that they appreciate how deliveries need to be convenient as well and clearly this hasn't been the case here blah blah blah. Whatever.

Comments

[wildcard-sej.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it's a regional thing, because I've never had a problem with my Amazon deliveries - they usually seem to come via Parcel Force, and if I'm lucky (most of the time), it'll be the local depot which I can swing by on the way to work in the morning. Only occasionally does it end up at the one down by the docks, which means Saturday morning city traffic...

Amazon.ca, OTOH, comes via DHL - which used to be fine when they opened on Saturdays, but now that they don't any longer, it's almost impossible to retrieve my parcels from them without taking time off work. :(

There are, however, a number of delivery agencies which are utterly atrocious, and I'm getting quite fed up with parcels being abandoned outside the door (within a couple of steps and easy view of passing pedestrians), with neighbours, or returned to sender, without the courtesy of a card to say who they are or what they've done. I'd really like sellers to give a choice of courier when you checkout, because for some of them I'd willingly pay a couple of quid more for 'postage' just to ensure hassle-free delivery.

[graculus.livejournal.com]

Most of my Amazon stuff comes via Royal Mail, which is fine.

I'd second having the choice of couriers, because I'd never choose Parcelnet - other than the row I had over one delivery with DHL (who were taking the piss, in my opinion), I only have problems when they use Parcelnet.