Your rights if a parcel gets lost or damaged, as Citizens Advice warns two thirds of shoppers have problems
Common delivery issues faced by online shoppers include parcels being left in unsecure locations, such as in bins
TWO thirds of online shoppers have had problems with their delivery over the past year, a new study has revealed.
Packages have either been lost, damaged, or turned up late - and many of those affected don't do anything about it, when they could complain or ask for a refund.
A survey of 2,000 people by charity Citizens Advice found that common delivery issues faced by online shoppers include parcels being left in unsecure locations, such as in bins, and unnecessary failed deliveries - where people waited at home for a parcel, only to receive a note saying they’d missed it.
Around 38 per cent of people have had a parcel arrive late, while more than one in 10 have received damaged items. More than 1 in 5 have also had a parcel go missing.
Nevertheless, the survey revealed that more than half of people don’t take any action if their parcel is late - such as complaining or asking for a refund, while a third of consumers who receive a damaged parcel don’t take action.
One very common issue is packages being left in bins.
One woman who spoke to Citizens Advice said she was on holiday when her parcel was left in a bin, and when she returned the bin had been emptied and the parcel gone.
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The retailer told her it was not their responsibility when she tried to complain.
Another man ordered a car part online which was left in a bin that was emptied by the time he got home from work. He complained to the sender but they said it wasn’t their fault.
How to solve online delivery problems
Your parcel doesn’t arrive when you expected it to
If you booked standard delivery and you’re worried an item hasn’t arrived by the date agreed on your order, contact the retailer to find out where it is.
They are responsible for getting orders delivered to you, not the parcel company. If you didn’t agree a specific delivery date, it should arrive within 30 days of when you ordered it.
You can also cancel the order and get a full refund if it doesn’t arrive after 30 days.
If you booked premium delivery you can claim a refund for some of the cost of delivery.
Legally, retailers only need to refund the cost of the cheapest delivery option - so if you paid for a premium "next day" or "named day" service, you may not get all your money back.
Your parcel is damaged
It is the retailer’s responsibility to make sure items arrive in good condition. If you contact them about the damage they should either offer to send you a new item or refund you.
“Retailers are responsible for getting the parcel to the customer - and making this clearer to customers at the checkout could help them sort out problems quicker if deliveries go astray” - Gillian Guy, CEO at Citizens Advice
Someone was waiting at home for the parcel but it wasn't delivered
If you find a note saying your package couldn't be delivered, despite you being at home, contact the parcel firm to arrange a re-delivery, or if you don’t want it any more you can cancel the order if it’s been less than 14 days since you bought it, and you'll get a full refund.
Although legally you’re not entitled to compensation in this situation, it's worth complaining to the delivery firm and retailer - they will value your feedback and may offer you a goodwill gesture.
Your parcel was left in an unsecure location
If you get a note saying your parcel has been left in a certain location but it isn’t there, the retailer should replace it or give you your money back.
If you receive the item but aren’t happy with where it was left, complain to both the retailer and delivery firm. Although again they are not legally obliged to do anything, they may offer you some sort of compensation as a goodwill gesture.
Are you aware of any tricks supermarkets use to encourage customers to spend more? Email us at money@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 78 24516