What to do when your parcel hasn’t arrived?
Online shopping has grown significantly in recent years, over the pandemic this increased even further and purchasing online is now most customers favourite way to shop. It has meant massive changes to the high street, and retailers have put more emphasis on warehousing and shipping in order to fulfil our online shopping orders. Getting an order from the warehouse to our homes in an efficient, timely manner is so important- but sometimes things can go wrong. As a customer it’s so frustrating when our parcel doesn’t arrive and can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety- especially if the item ordered is expensive or very important. But don’t panic, follow the steps below to resolve the issue of your missing parcel.
Check the tracking information
When a parcel doesn’t arrive, the first step is to check the tracking information to see if there have been any updates on the delivery status. If you login to your customer account on the seller website or check your emails, you should be able to find shipping and tracking information. If there isn’t any specific tracking information, take another look at the listing or the shop’s shipping information to see how long it usually takes. If for example your order is coming from overseas it might take a number of weeks to get to you, which is normal.
Make sure it hasn’t been taken in
If the package is confirmed to be delivered but you haven’t received it, be sure to check with anyone you live with to make sure they haven’t taken it in. Search porches and around your door or any safe areas outside where it might have been left. Carefully check to see if a card has been posted through your letterbox with details on where your parcel is, such as left with a neighbour.
Contact the seller
If you definitely don’t have your parcel your next step should be to contact the seller or the delivery company to inquire about the missing package. Most delivery companies now have GPS tracking on board so are able to pinpoint exactly where a parcel was left, this is useful if it was accidentally delivered to a neighbour or a house in the wrong street. The parcel might have been accidentally left on the van- sometimes it is a case of human error as delivery drivers are only human! But thanks to modern technology, it’s usually pretty simple to work out where things have gone wrong.
Find a resolution
In most cases, it will be as simple as having your parcel redelivered once it’s been located. In other situations, the parcel may be missing or the delivery time may not be acceptable. Busy times with the postal service can lead to errors and lost parcels, or postal strikes can mean large backlogs where items won’t arrive in time. This is particularly problematic when it comes to things like food items or certain medications, although many health businesses like online pharmacies will use an urgent medical courier to ensure everything arrives safely. If your order is delayed and your goods are no longer usable, your seller should refund or resend the item, so there’s no risk to you as a buyer.