Christmas parcel chaos – your rights if your parcels are delayed, damaged or don’t arrive
More than half of shoppers say their online orders have not been delivered when expected in the run-up to the big day
THERE are just a few days left before Christmas and many Brits across the UK are panicking as they wait for their online shopping orders to arrive.
A growing shortage of drivers could mean some deliveries will not arrive in time for the big day.
According to a survey by consumer group Which?, more than half of punters said their goods didn’t arrive when expected with 21 per cent adding that at least one of their parcels did not arrive at all.
Hordes of online shoppers have already complained on social media of poor service, with delivery firm Hermes after their festive packages have gone missing, been broken or left in the snow by drivers.
To make matters worse, some Amazon customers forked out extra for the online giant's Prime service to get their deliveries before the December 25 but some say packages have taken twice as long as the promised two-day time slot.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) may now launch an investigation into the retail giant.
The Sun Online has also been hearing from disgruntled readers about their worst parcel experiences on our .
While you can avoid the last minute panic by finding out all the last posting dates for your favourite shops - delays are pretty much inevitable this time of year. Here's what you can do if it all goes wrong:
If your parcel is late or hasn't turned up
It's important to understand your contract is with the retailer, not the delivery company.
So, if the courier loses the goods you ordered, the retailer is still responsible for putting things right.
If your item has failed to show up on time, the first thing you need to do is raise it with the retailer.
It will be their responsibility to track down your package.
You should always be entitled to get what you pay for, so if you paid the seller for a timed delivery and your parcel is late in arriving, you should ask for a refund of the money you paid for delivery.
Hannah Maundrell, editor in chief of , said: " If they [the retailers] don’t step up then make a formal complaint and ask for compensation for inconvenience and any costs you’ve incurred. If you’re not satisfied you can turn to the Retail Ombudsman for an independent look at what went wrong."
If your parcel is damaged
It can be extremely frustrating when items arrive damaged, especially the week before Christmas.
Once again it is the retailer’s responsibility to make sure items arrive in good condition.
If you contact them about the damage they should either offer to send you a new item or refund you.
I'm waiting on a delivery but now it's too late. Can I cancel my order?
If your delivery has taken more than 30 calendar days then you can legally cancel the contract and get a refund - regardless of whether you bought the product online or in store.
If you've waited less than that, it will mostly depend on when you placed the order.
Online retailers commonly give you a delivery date when you are paying, but the small print will often make clear that delivery times may “vary”.
When ordered online, it may be possible to cancel the item before it arrives.
Most shops will have cancellation policies in their terms and conditions, but you can also give the retailer a call to find out.
If your item has already been dispatched you'll have to wait for it to arrive to claim your refund.
But, there's a trick you can use to enhance your rights when buying in stores.
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When ordering you can ask the shop to agree that "time is of the essence".
The more proof you have that you made it clear that delivery was essential, the better. If it then doesn't deliver by the deadline you've set, you will be legally entitled to cancel your contract and demand a refund.
Hannah Mandrell, from , added: “If you need a delivery by a certain date then you need to specify this when you buy, or you won’t be able to complain if it doesn’t come.
"A cheeky way to hedge your bets is to order the same item from two companies – as long as the item isn’t personalised or perishable you should be able to cancel one and send it back for a full refund within 14 days. Just make sure you don’t get stung twice for delivery costs.”
Someone was waiting at home for the parcel but it wasn't delivered
If you find a letter saying your package couldn't be delivered, despite you being at home, contact the parcel firm to arrange a re-delivery.
Although legally you’re not entitled to compensation in this situation, it's worth complaining to the delivery firm and retailer - they may offer you a goodwill gesture.
More about consumer rights
My parcel was left in an unsecure location
If you get a note saying your items have been left in a specific place but they are nowhere to be found, the seller should replace it or give you your money back.
If you receive the item but aren’t happy with where it was left, complain to both the retailer and delivery firm.
Remember that they are not legally obliged to do anything, they may offer you some sort of compensation as a goodwill gesture.
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