OT: message from courier company

Nov 20, 2025 Last reply: 8 months ago 8 Replies
D

I purchased one of the BBC Countryfile calendars, to be sent to friends in the US. Today, I received an update message from a company called excelot*, who I assume is the forwarder for the calendars. It tells me that the shipment has been delivered to Heathrow ready for export. I have never heard of excelot before today.



I have 2 problems.



1 The message, although sent to me, is addressed to the recipient. excelot do not know his e-mail address, at least, I didn't give it to them.
  1. excelot's message says that "You've received {this message} because you've subscribed to our service updates." No, I have never heard of them before, let alone subscribed to their updates. I thought that one had to opt-in to these things? I appreciate the information, but that's not the point.


*excelot is how they write their name, so I am happy to follow their lead.



Puzzled,


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A

In my experience where tracking is implemented the tracking information is always automatically sent to the email address you used when ordering. This could be from the supplier or more often from the carrier. Also in my experience it is only used for this purpose until the item is delivered PLUS the annoying single survey email asking for a positive review on how well the delivery company performed.

When you say "addressed to the recipient" do you just mean the name you used when filling out the delivery name and address or do you mean their email address? If the former then it's obvious why they mentioned the recipients name.

Subscribed may be an unfortunate use of the word for supplying tracking information but in the UK any "subscribed" email should have an unsubscribe link somewhere in the email. The link may only be clickable by displaying the (HTML) email in a web browser etc.

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D

The message was addressed by name to the person to whom the calendar is to be delivered. He has no chance of reading it.

I don't wish to be 'subscribed' to a company of whom I know nothing. I don't mind them sending me tracking news if they are handling something on my behalf, but 'subscribe' is a confusing term in this context.

- Davey.

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S

Would the BBC not require GDPR consent to transfer data in this way (especially if it is going outside UK/EU)?

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A

It may be a advert on the BBC for the calendar but the OP is not dealing with the BBC. He purchased it form Hallmark Consumer Services

It's different from getting tracking information from Royal Mail, Evri etc. Delivery companies would also like your mobile number to text you when you are their next delivery or to inform you of the hour slot for your delivery.

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P

A few weeks ago I was expecting an Evri delivery between 13.00 and

15.00. It had arrived when that window expired but a few minutes later an email arrived from Evri telling me that the driver was running late. She arrived about 40 minutes after the due time and told me that she had only started the previous day. (This was a Saturday. Weekdays and it's the usual driver.)
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A

I consistently get RM tracking saying that my parcel will be delivered "today" but then turns up one or two days later :( Most of the other carriers have a better record of turning up within the times they quote, or as you say, text when they have been delayed.

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D

Royal mail here always delivers within its stated window, just.

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