Home delivery but I'm not home...

chocky909 · 14-10-2006, 18:45

I'm sure other people out there have the same problem as me which is, they work Monday to Friday, 9-5 and want to spend some of their hard earned money. Of course we all know how much cheaper you can get certain things when you order them off the internet. Problem is, there's no one home when the items are delivered. Apart from the few companies that offer Saturday delivery for a reasonable price (thanks Argos) this is a massive problem for someone who doesn't have a partner or parent or whatever to stay in and wait "between 9 and 6".

I'd just like to see what kind of solutions people in a similar situation to me might offer. Do you just take a day off work? Do you book a day off or just pull a sickie? How do you know exactly what day the things going to arrive? Do you let the first attempt go then arrange a specific day for the second attempt and take a day off work? If I'm given the choice I will always say to leave with a neighbour but sometimes they're not around. I've got a day off on Wednesday 18th and I've got a couple of things I want delivered but I can't guarantee that they will arrive on that day no matter how well I time the order.

One thing I was really interested in was I heard about places like 24hr garages and the like were looking into accepting parcels for people as a sort of half way house so people could collect them after work or at the weekend. Surely this has to be the future? Only problem with this is that a lot of companies insist that the mailing address be the same as the billing address. I know you can collect from the depots but some of them are miles away and I haven't got a car.

Anyway, would be interested if anyone has something new to add to what I put and if not, at least I got my frustrations out in the open.

SnoopZ · 14-10-2006, 18:47

I've never really had a problem ordering off the internet as i just select, deliver to a different address. The last time someone tried to deliver at my house and i was out, i just phoned the number on the card and asked for redelivery at my works address, which they happily did.

Halcyon · 14-10-2006, 18:50

We get on well with my elderly neighbours and they are always at home. They don't mind if I get things delivered to their house and then I pick it up in the evening.

Chrysalis · 14-10-2006, 20:07

most companies I know off only allow 2nd delivery address on 2nd order.

greencreeper · 14-10-2006, 20:51

Good point. I think there's a niche marketing waiting for the taking - evening and weekend deliveries.

I have things delivered to my parents, or my mate, depending on the nature of the package. Sometimes I have things delivered to me, safe in the knowledge that I'll get a note and can collect the parcel from the sorting office on my way to work (I pass it).

Escapee · 14-10-2006, 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

most companies I know off only allow 2nd delivery address on 2nd order.

Some dont even allow that, I have had to order something I dont really want that fits through the letter box so I can then order what I want to be delivered to my parents house.

The only way around it is to change my credit card address to my parents, or have a second one registered at my parents address.

I now refuse to buy off companies that will not deliver to an address other than the credit card holder address, I see no use in internet shopping for the majority of people who have to work for a living if this is the case.

aliferste · 14-10-2006, 20:55

Can you not just go to the post office or depot and pick it up ?

rockin_plumber · 14-10-2006, 21:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliferste

Can you not just go to the post office or depot and pick it up ?

If you read the original post....

Quote:

Originally Posted by chocky909

I know you can collect from the depots but some of them are miles away and I haven't got a car.

Sorting office is fine for me... just round the corner.

But Parcel Force....
Have you ever tried ringing them after work

And they do this thing where if the 1st delivery fails you can ring and get it
dropped at a post office convenient to you. (for a 50p charge

)
This doesnt work either

So one thing I make sure of is that the parcel isnt delivered by Parcel Force

14-10-2006, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockin_plumber

If you read the original post....

Sorting office is fine for me... just round the corner.

But Parcel Force....
Have you ever tried ringing them after work

And they do this thing where if the 1st delivery fails you can ring and get it
dropped at a post office convenient to you. (for a 50p charge

)
This doesnt work either

So one thing I make sure of is that the parcel isnt delivered by Parcel Force

I have had problems trying to phone a ParcelForce depot, also, even in working hours...

The best way, I find, is to use a company that will deliver to where you work, but like Chrysalis says, that is usually not available for first orders

tucker61 · 14-10-2006, 22:17

I work for the largest Catalogue company in the uk and we now have a option of weekend delivery, or you can specify the day you want your item delivering. Also in the past i have had deliveries sent to my place of work !!

**Maggy J** · 14-10-2006, 22:59

I think that the Post office will allow for you to phone the depot and arrange for the parcel to be redelivered to your local PO for an extra 50 pence.Unfortunately what with the differing companies now involved in this sca...service it's not that easy.

I just leave the instruction to throw it over the back gate if ithe contents are unbreakable these days.For anything that's breakable I go to the shops and buy when I'm not working.

**Rob** · 14-10-2006, 23:29

It's a state of impasse. The mail order internet companies need it delivered to your billing address on the first delivery for anti fraud reasons. After that they are usually happy to send it where you like i.e. your workplace.

But it is a problem. I can get to my local mail sorting office easy enough for a missed dielivery. Some of the couriers are miles away though. To get to them makes it easier and cheaper to buy from the high street. The courier companies were set up to deal with business not the householder. Maybe one that at least gives a mornign or afternoon slot would be better than the vague, anytime delivery most offer.

cookie_365 · 15-10-2006, 12:38

It's a pain, isn't it?

One reason I get stuff from www.play.com is that they use ordinary mail, so if I'm not in - and I won't be, because I have a job - I can collect it from the local sorting office.

The trick is to check delivery options before you buy. If they only use City Link, then don't bother. See if they offer Saturday deliveries. A lot do for an extra couple of Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£.

And if they don't, get in touch with them to explain why you'll be taking your business somewhere else - if they don't know, they can't do anything about it.

AntiSilence · 15-10-2006, 13:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliferste

Can you not just go to the post office or depot and pick it up ?

Where I used to live the main Post Office collection point was in the same town. Nice and handy. Then Royal Mail, in their wisdom, moved it a couple of miles up the road. Not so good when you don't drive.

Escapee · 15-10-2006, 13:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliferste

Can you not just go to the post office or depot and pick it up ?

I am able to do that if I can either finish work early or able to get there on a Saturday morning. I'm quite lucky in that respect because the post office delivery place is walking distance from my house.

My problem is with parcel delivery firms, some companies will not send via Royal Mail. The last couple of occasions I have had to take an afternoon off to get to the office of parcel delivery firms after they have failed to deliver on the agreed day when I knew I would be at home. One was near Chepstow ie: about 15 miles away, and the other was in Bridgend ie: 40 miles away.

It's hardly convenient to take half a day off work and drive to their office when they have been paid to deliver on a certain day when I was at home.

This is the whole reason why internet shopping is a failure for the majority, for a single person or a couple where both work in 9 to 5 jobs the idea of internet shopping falls down. I buy off ebay, I always pay by cheque and use my parents address for delivery. I have had far less trouble with buying with this method than I have from companies who advertise, I have had cheques cashed by companies and had to chase them for the goods in the past.