Delivery disaster

[Beketaten]

Just wondered if anything similar had happened to others.

I got home yesterday evening and there was a message left on my landline at 12.46pm from the QVC courier, saying he had left my package "with the builders at number 88".
I live in a block of flats at number 30, so I have no idea why he didn't leave it with any of the other flats in my block, or at any other nearby address. :angry:

I went to try to find this number 88 and found it is a builders' yard about 5 minutes walk away. The yard is now obviously closed until Monday so I can't pick up my delivery.

I am really annoyed that I can't get my parcel, and I'm going on holiday on Tuesday and worry what will happen if I can't get it before I go. I was also unaware that QVC give out customers' home phone numbers to couriers. I have 2 orders pending with QVC at the moment, so I do not even know which order this is. :angry:

 

[rainbowdottie]

I'm quite suprised that couriers have access to numbers too.

 

[ArtDeco]

I didn't know couriers have access to phone numbers either. What is really strange is how far it seems the courier in this case went to try to find someone to take the parcel in! Hope you get it before your holiday and that whatever it is it's a keeper :happy:

 

[Beketaten]

Yes, I thought it was weird they went so far too! :tongue:

It will be either my Laura Geller or my Philosophy TSV...

 

[vampyre]

Over here couriers will return a parcel to the depot automatically if there isn't a phone number even if the address is well known to them, something that has caused me many problems:angry:

 

[Toril]

I'm fairly lucky because it's usually the same courier who delivers goods I've ordered from QVC and she knows where to hide them if I'm out or at work. She then pops a card through the door. If it's raining she leaves it with my neighbour. I moved here in November 2009 and amazingly enough it's the same courier who used to deliver/hide goods to me at my old place.

It is a bit odd that QVC gave the courier your phone number. I'd have thought that QVC would contact you directly if the courier told them he couldn't deliver your goods.

And what an odd place to leave your parcel ........ a builders' yard. :thinking: Have you rung QVC to tell them what's happened?

 

[Beketaten]

Yes, I rang them that evening and they weren't that helpful, so I've put it all in an email and sent that.

 

[Kyresa]

I didn't know couriers have access to phone numbers either. What is really strange is how far it seems the courier in this case went to try to find someone to take the parcel in! Hope you get it before your holiday and that whatever it is it's a keeper :happy:

I can tell you exactly why:

They had another delivery at the builder's yard, so rather than be bothered to find someone local, they just went there instead.

 

[Choppysocks]

I thought it was common practice for numbers to be given to couriers for delivery? A lot of websites state that it why they are requesting the number. Not sure if QVC make this explicit though.

 

[fifi]

We use quite a few different couriers at work, and they all need a telephone number for the delivery - think it's common practice these days.

ETA - dumping the package at the next stop down the road not so much though!

 

[Beketaten]

After several days I got a call back from a very apologetic man at QVC and replacements for both parcels were express couriered to me at work. So it took a while to sort out, but all ended well.

I wonder if the builders are enjoying the Laura Geller goodies...?

 

[ArtDeco]

After several days I got a call back from a very apologetic man at QVC and replacements for both parcels were express couriered to me at work. So it took a while to sort out, but all ended well.

I wonder if the builders are enjoying the Laura Geller goodies...?

Glad you got your items in the end! Did I miss something (I think you were going away?) or were you unable to get the originals back from the builders? Are you seeing them locally with fantastic smoky eyes and smooth foundation post-spackle?!:wink:

 

[Lottie]

Why is it so odd that a courier, who is delivering should have phone numbers? Many a time I have been phoned by someone delivering an item, or coming to do work on phone lines etc to check if I'm in.

If it's any consolation, the courier will have had to pay for the courtesy call to you out of their own pocket and as they only got paid 45p for delivering your parcel (and that's to cover all costs including fuel/car) then it will have reduced their profit.

You say you lived in flats - well all the flats I used to deliver to had a security device which locked the doors at midday, so maybe that's why the courier went to the time and trouble to find someone who could take your parcel in the hope you'd get it sooner rather than later. If they could get access to your flat then they would have left a calling card - the fact they had to go to the trouble of calling you suggests they couldn't leave a card.

 

[Lottie]

I didn't know couriers have access to phone numbers either. What is really strange is how far it seems the courier in this case went to try to find someone to take the parcel in! Hope you get it before your holiday and that whatever it is it's a keeper :happy:

Maybe everyone closer was out at work like the OP and the Trade entrance was locked?

Hats off to the courier - at least it was delivered. If the parcel had been returned to the depot then there's always the chance that it would not have been delivered, but returned to QVC, especially if the courier had tried already. :sad:

 

[Beketaten]

Yes, I was supposed to be away by now, but then the volcano erupted and it all got cancelled :down:

I have deliveries all the time and if I'm not in they leave the parcel with a neighbour - there must be several hundred people living between me and that builders' yard, so it was a very odd place to go. I tried to get into the yard 3 times and never found it open, so it's a miracle it was open when the QVC courier turned up! There's a church about 100 metres from my flat in the opposite direction - I wonder if they tried to deliver the parcel there too...

Anyway, I am changing my QVC delivery address so everything will come to work from now on.

 

[ArtDeco]

Maybe everyone closer was out at work like the OP and the Trade entrance was locked?

Hats off to the courier - at least it was delivered. If the parcel had been returned to the depot then there's always the chance that it would not have been delivered, but returned to QVC, especially if the courier had tried already. :sad:

I can't concur that this is a case of "hats off to the courier" because - if I've understood the situation correctly - they only attempted delivery once instead of the three times that they are required to and then left the parcels quite some distance away despite there being other opportunities nearer.

Many couriers are reliable and helpful (including one of mine) and I have no doubt that when you were doing the job you did it well. I also agree that they are paid very poorly indeed and sometimes receive the undeserved wrath of frustrated shoppers as they are the 'end point' of the shopping process. But as QVC seems to have recognised, the actions of the courier in this particular case were not acceptable.

I wasn't aware that couriers have the phone numbers of the people they are delivering to. I don't object to this - it seems to make sense - but I don't recall it being made explicit when I've placed orders with QVC. I guess they accomodate Data Protection in this regard in the T&C's they advertise.

 

[ArtDeco]

Yes, I was supposed to be away by now, but then the volcano erupted and it all got cancelled :down:

I have deliveries all the time and if I'm not in they leave the parcel with a neighbour - there must be several hundred people living between me and that builders' yard, so it was a very odd place to go. I tried to get into the yard 3 times and never found it open, so it's a miracle it was open when the QVC courier turned up! There's a church about 100 metres from my flat in the opposite direction - I wonder if they tried to deliver the parcel there too...

Anyway, I am changing my QVC delivery address so everything will come to work from now on.

Glad you got replacement products but sorry the volcano disrupted your break. Hope it's re-schedule-able!

 

[SuziQ]

I am heartily sick of the courier I have now. She went through a phase at first of leaving cards thrpugh the door saying she had left parcels 'in my porch'- the poblem being, I don't actually have a porch! Of course the parcels weren't there and although QVC replaced one I had to have refunds for the others as they were oos. I was told she had been told not to do it, and then I had a card saying 3 parcels had been left behind my bin-on bin day!- when I checked only 1 parcel was there. By this stage I think QVC were suspicious of ME which really annoyed me, as I have been shopping with them for over 5 years now. I then had a spate of her leaving cards and returning (this makes me realise how many things I have ordered this year-ouch!) and then I had a letter from QVC-after the problem had seemingly resolved-saying in future the couier would always have to get a signature from me. I have only ordered the ultrasun tsv and a bag for my DD since then so both of those she got me to sign. She is dodgy tho-if you are returning something she asks loads of questions about what it is, which makes me think she wants to pinch it-silly I know but I always check very carefully if I return things by courier now. Considering how much QVC charges for post I think it is a lousy service, given that free p&p from amazon is usually 48 hous for me if in stock and most ebay sellers are 48 hrs too. Some craft shops I have used have delivered next day for half the cost of QVC ( good old CUTTINGEDGECRAFTS!)

 

[Lottie]

I can't concur that this is a case of "hats off to the courier" because - if I've understood the situation correctly - they only attempted delivery once instead of the three times that they are required to and then left the parcels quite some distance away despite there being other opportunities nearer.

As a calling card wasn't left (for whatever reason), we don't know how many times the delivery was attempted.

And couriers aren't required to try 3 times.
It's something Hermes try and con them into doing, but no courier can now afford to consider this as payment is so low compared to fuel and other operating costs.

 

[Lottie]

I am heartily sick of the courier I have now. She went through a phase at first of leaving cards thrpugh the door saying she had left parcels 'in my porch'- the poblem being, I don't actually have a porch! Of course the parcels weren't there and although QVC replaced one I had to have refunds for the others as they were oos. I was told she had been told not to do it, and then I had a card saying 3 parcels had been left behind my bin-on bin day!- when I checked only 1 parcel was there. By this stage I think QVC were suspicious of ME which really annoyed me, as I have been shopping with them for over 5 years now. I then had a spate of her leaving cards and returning (this makes me realise how many things I have ordered this year-ouch!) and then I had a letter from QVC-after the problem had seemingly resolved-saying in future the couier would always have to get a signature from me. I have only ordered the ultrasun tsv and a bag for my DD since then so both of those she got me to sign. She is dodgy tho-if you are returning something she asks loads of questions about what it is, which makes me think she wants to pinch it-silly I know but I always check very carefully if I return things by courier now. Considering how much QVC charges for post I think it is a lousy service, given that free p&p from amazon is usually 48 hous for me if in stock and most ebay sellers are 48 hrs too. Some craft shops I have used have delivered next day for half the cost of QVC ( good old CUTTINGEDGECRAFTS!)

Sorry to hear that Suzi and yes, it does sound very suspicious that she's asking you what's in it. I certainly can't think of any reason why a courier would have to do this. As for the cost of postage, I agree....but who's making the profit, I don't know. I suspect it's Hermes, because it's not the courier.