Couriers - Amazon

Amazon has been of the size now where it experiences glitsches in "the matrisx".

A few years ago, for work, I ordered a Netgear switch. It was showing as tracked and after 2 days was due for delivery in the AM when all of a sudden the tracking said "expected in 3 days". NO communication whatsover.

My colleague at the time commented this had happened a couple of times (which does make me wonder if it is an account thing ?). And that the second time they had 2 items delivered. One in the "cancelled" slot and one in the revised one.

From 20 years experience, Amazon customer services fix problems quickly, so it's hard to know what happened.

Every system can have its faults, but in general I'd say if every delivery service could be as reliable as Amazon's, the world would be a better place ...

The problem we have round here is that couriers appear to give up and go home part way through their round, maybe if the driver is out of hours. Numerous times we've been close enough for the delivery status to show a map and "n deliveries ahead of you", and we see the van move and the number go down, and then suddenly the status changes to "sorry we could not deliver this - delivery expected <tomorrow's date>". Suspiciously, it often happens in the same village - maybe we should move there ;-)

We found that Evri was good for us. A lot of people have bad experiences, but our usual driver was conscientious and had enough common sense to ask the first time "where should I leave parcels that mustn't get wet?". His replacement was just as good; sadly when she went on holiday, the temporary stand-in was spectacularly bad, leaving parcels at random houses, with photos which was too tightly cropped for anyone to recognise whose front door the parcel had been left at - out village Facebook group was full of postings "my parcel has been left here [photo] - does anyone recognise their front door?".

DPD were also very good.

Amazon's own couriers are *usually* good, and give good tracking of where the van driver currently is, but they are the ones who sometimes give up and go home if they are running late.

I find delivery drivers are generally good considering this is a rural location.

AFAIK there is no provision to complain/criticise a delivery on the Amazon site.

The other point I came across... generally, if you specify the delivery location beyond postal address, you invalidate any delivery insurance?

The only real problem I had with Hermes/Evri was when a GBFO digging bar (6' long and 14lb) just disappeared in their system.

In general I expect them to take a couple of days longer than other couriers, partly due to the way their system seems to be a harder split to get items "in" and then "out" again, but partly down to the sellers not dropping parcels off to the collection point quickly enough.

Don't get much via them nowadays, used to love their timed slots and map tracking.

Just totalled up my amazon deliveries, I pay for prime and think I get my money's worth, 312 deliveries since 2010 (plus maybe a dozen or so that were ordered on my work-account, rather than home account).

Their options in the event of a problem seem limited though, not a delivery driver problem but Amazon generally.

I ordered an NVidia Shield TV Pro from them and the driver drove up to my house, got out, walked down the path to the front door then turned round and went back to the van - he had nothing in his hands. I ran out and asked him if he had anything for me and he said oh yes and got it out of the van and handed it to me.

I spoke to Amazon customer service, web chat from memory, explained the situation and asked if that was normal, they had no idea what to say or what the issue was. I was bounced between 7 people before the final one said he would give me a refund. I said that wasn't the point but he had nothing else on his script so no options. I got a £200 item free.

I had an issue with Sainsbury's. I ordered what described as a jam sponge and when it arrived it was a jam sponge mix and I had to turn it into a jam sponge. Spoke to them, again web chat, said several times it wasn't a complaint just pointing out an incorrect description, they had no idea what to do so gave me a refund.

I had a chat many years ago with the IT manger at work about "de-skilling" jobs which I felt was a horrendous concept but it has arrived sadly.

I decided to cancel the order, having already asked for a refund. They have credited me the cost of the item and said please would I send it back if it is delivered.

I don't think they know where it is!

And lo and behold it turned up with today's delivery!

While the driver was looking at his screen it turned red and he snatched the box back as quick as a flash, obviously the cancellation had made its way through.

Now to set up the Tp-Link DR3650V-4G Omada and put the Three SIM in it (came with the driver as well) and see what mobile Internet is like.

There is, click on the order and then then the link for 'Return or replace items.' Eventually you'll get to a person. A few years ago I had an issue with a rechargeable B&D substitute battery that I wanted to return because it was dud but the return instructions said batteries couldn't be returned in the post but didn't say how they could be returned. I finished up talking to an agent who gave me a link to use and assured me it would work. But it didn't, led me to the same form that I'd already tried. A few minutes later I was invited to review my customer service experience, so I posted a one-star review saying that it would help if they listened to what the customer was saying. A few minutes later the agent was on the phone, apologising, and saying that he would refund me, that I didn't need to return the dud battery and would I please alter the review. (Had an Amazon delivery at 8.30am on Saturday. Guy in his own car.)

That's where the driver lives, or has a girlfriend.....

I ordered a TV card from Amazon on 14 May 2026 but it was only available from the USA. We were only given the vaguest range of dates, thelatestbeing 29 June 2026.

As we arrived home from shopping, our drive was blocked by the delivery driver's vehicle. We watched him drop the familiar padded envelope onto the door-step and phograph it.

When I finaly opened it, to my surprise it was completely intact in a solid cardboard box.

Most things these days seem to come in plastic bags!

As my father-in-law used to say "mustn't grumble."