The one element of online shopping that I hate is when something goes missing in the post...correction, when someone somewhere along the line helps themselves to the item or items that you have ordered. You see, nothing really goes missing in the post unless there is no address label attached or the incorrect postage amount has been applied. In most cases when it comes to the latter, the post office will send a card to the sender requesting they apply the correct postage in stamps which is then popped back into the post and on it goes.
I recently ordered something from a major online retailer. Now I order many items from this store and never has the item arrived without an clear address label and as it is part of an automated process it is hard to imagine the label not actually being applied to the parcel prior to posting. Of course others may have an alternative view on this, but I can only go from my own experiences.
Anyway, the problem is that it hasn't arrived by the estimated arrival date which was today. Now experience tells me that this item will not arrive anytime soon or not at all as it was despatched on the 4th October and as far as I can tell, the mail service in the UK does not have a service which takes 4 days to deliver, though of course I could be mistaken, but that is certainly not what is advertised in the local post offices.
Even allowing for a slight delay the estimated time of arrival is usually given to mean the very last day you can expect deliver under normal circumstances. Well we are under normal circumstances and it is not here. This is not the first time this has happened. I am still awaiting delivery of Stranglehold for the PS3 which I ordered about three or four years ago now. No doubt that provided a nice Christmas prezzie for someone. I hope the fucking disc got scratched and blew their bastard console up!
The thing is, where does the blame lay with? In my opinion the postage company. Why? Well, what sense would it make for the online store to tell me they had sent something that they hadn't? If the item fails to arrive then they have to issue a replacement or a refund so it is hardly in their best interests to lie to their customers.
However where these online stores don't function is when it comes to none delivery. If we accept that their estimated delivery date allows for delays then why do I have to wait a further 10 days before I can ask for a refund or replacement? Just what do they expect is going to happen in those 10 days? I miraculous change of heart from the criminal who stole the package? Hardly, and what if the item was ordered specifically for a birthday or some other occasion? That means that I would have to go out and buy the same said item again from the high street - probably pay more - then have to wait to get my money back for the item that never arrived, leaving me out of pocket for at least 15 days. That is hardly fair is it?
It might be 'policy' but it is wrong. If an item does not arrive by the estimated arrival date then you should have the right to cancel and get a full refund. If the mail service is not good enough in this country (which it isn't by the way) then these large companies that effectively finance the mail firm should start to apply pressure in order to get a better service. After all it is their customers who are let down.
Incoherent rant over.
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