Delivery Nightmares

[Ian Shaw]

Anyone else experiencing delivery woes?

My next day delivery of a HD containing NI Komplete arrived weeks late, the reseller claiming it was stuck at the docks due to Brexit red tape.

Some ironmongery I ordered for my work never arrived, got lost, got returned, reordered, & then I was told I won't get it until October!

Some t-shirts & a cap I ordered from a company who sell album sleeve prints did arrive as stated but when I opened the package I only found a piece of wood inside!

My postman confirmed its chaos out there.

My local bike shop doesn't even have any bikes!

To cap it all I've just tried to install the software from the Komplete HD only to find that the the bits I wanted aren't even on the disk & I have to download them from the site anyway, which kind defeats the point of getting the HD in the first place. Only another 8 hours of downloading to go...

Rant over

Ian

[Hugh Robjohns]

All entirely predictable 'teething troubles' of Brexit, reduced staff in postal and courier companies, manufacturing chaos in China, and Suez Canal delays causing still problems with dock schedules.

All very frustrating.

I want to import some metal work from Germany, but no one seems able to tell me what customs duties might be imposed.

[blinddrew]

I hadn't realised but the Evergiven is still in the Suez canal, being held whilst a massive legal fight about damages gets sorted out.

The piece of wood in lieu of clothing is a bit weird though.

[Martin Walker]

I hadn't realised but the Evergiven is still in the Suez canal, being held whilst a massive legal fight about damages gets sorted out.

The piece of wood in lieu of clothing is a bit weird though.

Yeah, that really goes against the grain

[Luke W]

I hadn't realised but the Evergiven is still in the Suez canal, being held whilst a massive legal fight about damages gets sorted out.

The piece of wood in lieu of clothing is a bit weird though.

Yeah, that really goes against the grain

[Folderol]

Obviously came from the wrong branch.

P.S.
We desperately need a coat icon!

[OneWorld]

I hadn't realised but the Evergiven is still in the Suez canal, being held whilst a massive legal fight about damages gets sorted out.

The piece of wood in lieu of clothing is a bit weird though.

Whilst the Evergiven was stuck, other shipping had to anchor up and wait for it to be shifted, some, after a while were re-routed around the cape, that puts several weeks on the journey. The Chinese are attempting and to some extent have had a lot of success with the Belt & Road initiative insomuch they now have several rail links between China and Europe - there is in fact one line that runs all the way to the UK. But since Trump told us to face West and not East, in in attempt to choke off China's growth, it looks like we might be experiencing more of what is to come if the US has its way

[BigRedX]

Since the beginning of the year all deliveries except Royal Mail and Parcelforce to my address have been appalling.

I've had several parcels never arrive, and many delivery drivers simply leave parcels at the front of the house after knocking on the door, without waiting to see if anyone is in. Even previously reliable services like DPD (hid the parcel in the front garden, where I would never have found it had it not been for the photo "showing the delivery") and UPS (left the parcel in my "blue bin" - we don't have blue bins here - just green and brown and brown bin had been emptied that day), have shown a significant decrease in the quality of service.

At least with Amazon when the delivery goes wrong, they will refund you straight away so you can have another go at ordering the item. Everyone else takes several days at best to "investigate" what has happened, and then several more to actually issue a refund. IME there is nothing to investigate - if the parcel hasn't arrived when the carrier says it has then it has either been delivered to the wrong address, stolen or damaged and returned by the carrier.

I have nothing but praise for my local Royal Mail and ParcelForce delivery services. Maybe it's because they know the area, understand UK house numbering systems, and have enough common sense to work out where a property should be if it is less than straight-forward. Everyone else seems to give up if it isn't immediately and completely obvious.

[Hugh Robjohns]

In my experience all the carriers are very variable, and it really all depends on the individual delivery drivers in local areas.

At the moment our current Royal Mail, Parcelforce, DPD, and TNT couriers are all pretty good... But it wasn't always that way! At the moment FedEx is a complete nightmare, as is Hermes, and the Amazon bloke tends to ring the bell and run away!

If any of the drivers go on holiday, though, (or catch Covid, as happened with the postman), the deliveries get really patchy while the replacement driver is on.

[Ian Shaw]

I hadn't realised but the Evergiven is still in the Suez canal, being held whilst a massive legal fight about damages gets sorted out.

The piece of wood in lieu of clothing is a bit weird though.

Yeah, that really goes against the grain

Well it was a very nice piece of wood, with a slot in it & the company logo.

I took it to work & we all decided it was an iPad stand, But later found out it was an album cover display stand.

I've never had so many messages from Fedex telling me of it's imminent arrival. My actual order turned up unannounced later in the week by regular mail.

I emailed the company to ask if they wanted their piece of wood back, but they said I could keep it. Pity I don't have any LPs anymore.

Ian

[Johnsy]

Some t-shirts & a cap I ordered from a company who sell album sleeve prints did arrive as stated but when I opened the package I only found a piece of wood inside!

"Sorry, we thought you said 'Tree-shirt'."