Online shops witb late despatch time

ITS used to dispatch up to about 10pm, can't remember what the order cut-off time was. Not used them since the ffx merger, and notice they've just hoovered up toolstop.

CPC I did order late afternoon/early evening a week ago, and arrived (UPS but a plain white rather than branded brown van) 11am

Ordered a claw hammer from Amazon after midnight last Sunday (not seen my old one in over 2 years. lost? lent? it's guaranteed to turn up now) arrived about midday Monday

I generally do ok for couriers here (even evri)

I think it depends on the individual depot and/or driver. I used to dread Evri - to the extent that my mind seems to have blotted out their previous name. But just recently, deliveries to me through them have been quick and punctual and the bloke on my round really seems to know what he is doing.

Nick

Thanks, looks to be 8pm M-F cutoff and 4pm Saturday/Sunday, which is pretty good. I've always thought of them are more of a 'tool' outfit than general DIY supplies - eg look to have quite a small range of plumbing fittings - but still useful to have.

Unfortunately around here the UPS drivers are incapable of using postcodes and seem to rely on typing the address into their satnav, which autocompletes to the wrong place.

Amazon's free returns is handy as a search tool. Order a new one, then the old one invariably turns up, so now you can return the new one within 30 days.

Theo

I like it!

J^n

It really boils down to the nature of the driver, whetrhger [s]he will work all hours and do the job, or whether he will nick the parcels and sell them down the pub

Probably the drivers are just following the pre-planned route they get from the distribution hub. There is probably an algorithm that determines the fastest or most efficient delivery route for all packages on the van.

Around my way deliveries are usually OK (except for Royal Mail*) but only one of the delivery companies seems to be at my location in the morning. Where something is tracked I seem to be delivery 60 to 100 dependant on the courier so usually mid afternoon.

• RM are still sending me emails saying my package will turn up "today"but in reality the package will be delivered one or two days later.

LOL. Its the hardest maths problem ever and has to my knowledge not been solved yet Look up TSP or VRP (Travelling salesman problem or Vehicle Routing Problem)

Mm. In general I find the advisory emails and texts tio be accurately.

Occasionally a 'your package could not be delivered today' happens and it gets sent back to the local centre for re -dispatch the next day

Amazon vans do a good job, but the price you pay reflects that.

I recently had an M&S return, and they offered collection. Sadly they used Evri.

On the nominated day, even though we had been around, they claimed no response. Similarly for day 2.

I contacted them, though their system really isn't set up to allow you to deal with a collection.

They responded:

"Firstly I'm sorry we haven't delivered on time for you. I can see the reason for the delay is that the parcel missed the connection to the courier. We are aiming to get your parcel back on track and delivered today. I'll check first thing tomorrow that your parcel has been delivered. If it hasn't, I'll be in touch before 10am."

I responded:

"As it is a collection I am chasing, I don't understand what you are saying about a missed connection.

So far, despite there be "Thank you for bearing with me whilst I had the depot conduct a search over the last 2 days. Unfortunately they have not been able to locate your parcel and as it has been 5 days I must advise you that it is potentially lost in our network."

By now a week had passed, and I popped into my local M&S whilst I was shopping. Evri are not displaying the slightest demonstration of competence.

Chris

It can be proved that it is insoluble, so don't hold your breath! :-)

It depends on what you're buying though. While I find that eBay is

I think RM advisory emails are automatically generated based on the receiving scan and often take no account of possible delays or staff shortages.

Other companies seem to send out delivery adversaries based on the package actually being at the delivery hub and updated as the package is put into the van and when the driver actually sets off.

It may also depend on if you are paying for prime.

If not it's a £35 spend on Amazon for "free" postage. Many Amazon market place items are not included towards that £35 spend. For a one off cheaper item Ebay usually wins, and often its the same seller on Amazon and Ebay. I've had many packages bought on Ebay, purchased from UK sellers, turn up quickly with Prime packing tape sealing the package. I suspect delivered in the same way as Amazon packages.

I'm currently receiving medication that comes packed in ice, always via RM tracked 24, it gets to the regional hub late at night, which claims it will be delivered by the local office the next morning, but it generally doesn't reach the local office until lunchtime, then comes out for delivery late afternoon ... but it's always within time.

Hermes, that should have put you in a cold sweat. As for RM, placed an order just before 3:00pm yesterday with Saxton Blades which they despatched that pm and it surprisingly arrived within RM’s scheduled slot today, that’s a win.

Richard

It may depend on area. I know that RM have a serious staff shortage around my way and are unable to retain new recruits for any length of time. Where friends live in a rural locations with long distance rounds in vans it may be worse - they are short of around 30% staff and many of the existing posties are close to retirement.

In general, my RM post is delivered by someone different each time. The last time I had a regular postman was before and during Covid.

You'd have thought. But they don't use postcodes. Our address is similar to:

and they frequently deliver stuff to another address miles away:

The postcodes are completely different (it's about 20 mins drive between the two) but more often than not they manage to deliver to the wrong town.

So all I can assume is somebody starts typing '123 Hig...' into their satnav and lets it autocomplete to an address that 'looks about right' but isn't.

Or they're using some US satnav system that doesn't understand postcodes.

Either way it's pretty incompetent for a major courier.

Theo

Friends have a similar address where the hamlet name they live in is followed by the name of the large town nearby (4 miles away). They find that leaving out the "Bigton" part of the official address to give

works just as well.

AAAAAAAArrrrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! Nurse, the screens! I think I'm going to have one of my turns!!!

Nick

They give you the delivery slot the day before delivery, when they can have no idea of what they'll have to deliver.

What you get depends on what you've ordered and where the nearest stock is. I had a sameday, non Prime, delivery a couple of weeks ago. The first time I've been offered that for a long time.