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Thread: How do working people receive deliveries??

  1. #1
    Master
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    How do working people receive deliveries??

    OK so a bit of a overnthusiastic title but still!

    Genuinely interested in how people manage to buy loads of things online when they work away from home 9-5 or much later. This has been triggered by me ordering 2 items over the last few weeks, one unknowingly dispatched through Yodel and one through Hermes.

    The following couriers/delivery methods I have no problems with:

    DPD-choose an am or pm slot, pay extra for Sat delivery or usually just collect it from a local shop
    Royal Mail-collect from the sorting office which is open late/weekends and is local or deliver to the PO at the end of my road
    Amazon-pick up from a local shop or locker
    Collect Plus-collect from shop 5 min walk away
    ParcelForce-not ideal but depot is open Sat and is reasonably local

    Usually manage OK with DHL and UPS but don't use them regularly.

    No experience recently of TNT but sent something with them on a Sat at no extra cost

    These couriers I would appreciate other's tips on how they actually receive things from!

    Hermes-Supposedly tried to deliver 3 times, all during working hours, no card/contact details left and no way to inform them I would be out. Customer service totally useless. 2 occasions parcel has gone back to the retailer for a refund without me ever actually seeing it. Surely a waste of retailer time and money?
    Yodel-Said they left cards and tried to deliver but haven't actually left a card. Never seem to ask neighbours even when in. Couldn't rearrange to a Sat when I was in as they can't hold it for more than 5 days...
    UKMail-can't ever collect it anywhere, never leave things in a safe place and can never seem to arrange delivery on a weekend

    Did think of something like Doddle but not very local to me so would have to make a trip to pick things up there.

    Apart from avoiding any retailers using the 3 bottom couriers if they advertise what courier they use, any suggestions from the forum?

  2. #2
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Mainly they deliver to a neighbour or they put in box or they simply take it away...

  3. #3
    Master -Ally-'s Avatar
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    Get stuff delivered to the office.

  4. #4
    Master Alansmithee's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by -Ally- View Post
    Get stuff delivered to the office.

    Yeah with Amazon we have a locker onsite so that's the easiest option of all...

  5. #5
    I get everything delivered to work, even when I’m off, because I know there’s always someone there to sign for it.

    We don’t get on with the next door neighbours, so I much prefer having stuff delivered to work, as opposed to an awkward exchange with the people next door when they sign for a package of mine.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by -Ally- View Post
    Get stuff delivered to the office.
    I wish! Would solve lots of problems. Employer is fairly large and don't allow staff to get stuff to be sent to work. I think that's fair enough as would be up to 500 parcels extra per day.

  7. #7
    Some couriers allow you to select a drop off point, eg local newsagent

  8. #8
    To work, I have never understood how senders and carriers expect people to be at home during the day.

  9. #9
    Master
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    I get everything delivered at work

  10. #10
    Grand Master Glamdring's Avatar
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    Parcel box for smaller stuff. Two-shoe-box size. Or their local delivery office. I check before I click Buy.

  11. #11
    Master robcuk's Avatar
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    Doddle have just changed their operating model.

    Now you can’t get any item delivered, just those from selected retailers:-(

    http://www.doddle.com/shopping

    What was a fantastic service is now a non-runner for me :-(

  12. #12
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    We’ve got a cupboard by the front door originally used to keep bin bags in. I’ve fitted a xaomi door/window sensor to the door linked to Smartthings so I get a notification when the door is open and closed, makes a great drop off point.

  13. #13
    Master Tifa's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by -Ally- View Post
    Get stuff delivered to the office.
    +1

  14. #14
    Master
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    Cupboard/box is a good shout. There is a meter cupboard next to my door where things can be put out of sight. Unfortunately, Yodel seem to want a signature most of the time and if I could only actually contact the Hermes person I could tell them that!

  15. #15
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    I take mine round the tradesmens entrance...

  16. #16
    I've used an address where I know someone would be in, a relative's or a friend's for example - with their knowledge and permission! That way I can pick something up from them without the faff of getting home first to pick up the delivery card and then going out again.

  17. #17
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    As per others I get it all delivered to work. The laughable ones are those where the tracking comes up as "not able to gain access.." at 11.30am on a weekday. Er its a shop, in a shopping centre and yes we're always open at that time. So you didn't actually try did you!

  18. #18
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Get a Ring Doorbell Camera with 2 way talk. Have a safe place to leave stuff and ask the driver to put it there. At your risk obviously.

    I don't work but use it when we're out and have a parcel delivered, 'Hi please leave the parcel behind the log store' or 'please leave next door' and never had anyone not do it. Postman was telling me today that there must be 10 more on his round this month, they get to recognise them. Couriers like it because they don't have to come back.
    Last edited by oldoakknives; 16th April 2018 at 23:56.

  19. #19
    Master PipPip's Avatar
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    Quite a few get deliveries to the office at my place. Surprised they allow it at a site with 250 people but they seem to cope. One of the girls in my team must spend all her money on clothes as she gets a delivery, sometimes a number of them, every single day. Personally I’m lucky as I work from home Mondays and Fridays and my wife runs a small business from home so is usually around. However sods law applies and deliveries do regularly turn up during the 20 minutes my wife nips out for the school run.

  20. #20
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    I'm lucky as my wife works from home.
    I've often thought the courier companies are missing an opportunity not offering evening deliveries.

  21. #21
    Master
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    Get delivered to work.

  22. #22
    Craftsman Rbains0708's Avatar
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    Concierge


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  23. #23
    Master
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    About half the time deliveries are dropped off with neighbours in my little rural, trust-filled, idyllic area.

    A quarter of the time I have to go to the post office.

    The last quarter tends to be left in the greenhouse.

  24. #24
    I pretty much could not take delivery of anything bigger than an A4 letter if I could not have deliveries to the office.

  25. #25
    Master gunner's Avatar
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    Either delivered to work or just ask them to leave it in the porch. Not visible from the road so usually fine.

  26. #26
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    I'm pretty lucky.. Amazon installed one of their lockers about 2 minute walk from my office. There's also various schemes cropping up such as being able to get eBay purchases delivered to my local Sainsburys (which has an Argos in it... confused yet?!) where I can also go and pick stuff up. And reception at work don't care about me having stuff delivered there either. So I'm sorted!

  27. #27
    Master Maysie's Avatar
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    I had a pair of very heavy leaf-springs for my classic car delivered to my office a few years ago.

    Carrying them back on London Transport was not an experience I want to repeat. Ever.

  28. #28
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    I get stuff delivered to my Mums. Not joking but she has agoraphobia so she’s always in!

  29. #29
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    Life would be so much easier with deliveries to an office/work! I can't say that I get that much delivered but anything beyond a normal RM parcel seems to be a pain as it involves significant planning. Even that was bad when I lived miles from the delivery office and had to hope I could leave work on time to get there before they closed!

    I am surprised no one has come up with an Amazon Locker style thing which could be dotted around. Courier scans their ID and can open enough lockers for which parcels have been booked for delivery there. Customer then within a set timeframe can access only that locker with their PIN or similar to collect the parcel and anything undelivered after so long can be accessed by the courier again for return. Could work for customer returns too in reverse to save having to queue at the PO or similar.

  30. #30
    Craftsman Jpshell's Avatar
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    To the In-Laws

  31. #31
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    Luckily we have 3 (At least) pick-up / drop-off locations for couriers (+ an RM sorting office) in what is a pretty small 'town' (Marple, Cheshire) plus I work from home around 2/3 time so can take in whatever it is that wife keeps buying ...

  32. #32
    Craftsman
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    Colleagues always have things being delivered to work, sometimes several items during the day!

  33. #33
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    Send them to the office normally. Larger items just have them delivered at the weekend.


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  34. #34
    Master luckywatch's Avatar
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    MyHermes brilliant. They take parcels from my shed when I am too lazy to go into town. They deliver to the same shed when we are out. As good as it gets.

  35. #35
    Craftsman
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    I've recently started addressing stuff to the ball and chain's work.

    I feel content knowing she'll be excited to get a delivery and then get increasingly mardy throughout the day as she sits next to a case of red wine she doesn't like or some tech gizmo she doesn't understand.

    Sent from my [device_name] using TZ-UK mobile app

  36. #36
    Grand Master Seamaster73's Avatar
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    Amazon Lockers, FTW. Except when they’re full, of course.

    I see Amazon will also now let you get something sent to your local Royal Mail delivery office.

    Both of these suit me as I live in a city centre where both are within walking distance.

  37. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by Seamaster73 View Post
    Amazon Lockers, FTW. Except when they’re full, of course.

    I see Amazon will also now let you get something sent to your local Royal Mail delivery office.

    Both of these suit me as I live in a city centre where both are within walking distance.
    I use both of these, does mean lots of purchases can go unnoticed...

  38. #38
    Grand Master
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    Delivered to work.

  39. #39
    A local business accepts items on my behalf. Open longish hours, will sign for items and well worth a generous Christmas box!

    R
    Ignorance breeds Fear. Fear breeds Hatred. Hatred breeds Ignorance. Break the chain.

  40. #40
    Master senwar's Avatar
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    Having been home based for years i've always been fine. Also, when I'm not in, 99% of the time it is delivered to a neighbour - I live in quite a rural area and the delivery drivers are really good

    However, I start a new job (not home based) and I pick up my new car next week and this may be an option.....

    Volvo in car delivery

  41. #41
    Craftsman
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    I had stuff delivered to work for years and then last year someone from up high was poking around the courier and mail rooms and realised that the vast majority of parcels were not 'Business' related. Each parcel has to be scanned in an airport style scanner before it is accepted which obviously takes time.

    On the 18th of December last year, they stopped accepting any external mail or parcels. (Right before christmas!) Suffice to say that a lot of people were not happy about this and made their voices heard. It didn't make any difference.

    I now have my Amazon stuff delivered to the newsagent in the shopping center just under my building which is fine. Have to take ID with me every time but no big deal. For anything else, we do have a Ring video doorbell which is just fantastic. If it needs to be signed for, then I go to the local depot which luckily is a 5 minute walk from my house.

    The other day I went down to the courier room because I had to courier some documents to a client. the usual guy was there. He said that he only had another 3 weeks left in the job because they were letting people go due to the drastic drop in the volume of letters and parcels that were coming their way. Bit of a shame really. He's been there for 13 years so i hope he gets a half decent pay out at least.

  42. #42
    Craftsman Dunce's Avatar
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    My employer stopped accepting deliveries to work. It got way out of hand for the ladies on reception. The last straw was 5 Defender tyres and 4x20 litre tins of paint delivered to a university post room. Can't say I blame them, just a lack of sensible consideration.

  43. #43
    Master
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    They get delivered to their parents house, well my lot do, its like a parcel hub here some days

  44. #44
    Grand Master snowman's Avatar
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    I've worked from home for the last 5 years, so that was easy in one respect, but before that I'd have stuff delivered to work.

    In some ways that was easier as the wife was less likely to see the many parcels arriving :)

    M

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  45. #45
    Master
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    All my deliveries, and the wife’s come to my work.

    The couriers have all sussed out my home address, so if we enter that address by accident, they still arrive at work.

    Easier for them as our unit is in an industrial estate that they’re in every day anyway.

  46. #46
    Craftsman
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    Work doesn’t accept them so I try to order from websites that have pick up point delivery available using collect plus or other similar services.

    I order a lot to the Amazon locker through Amazon Prime. Anything else I tend to try and organise in advance and then work from home

  47. #47
    Craftsman
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    Retailers and couriers (some use InPost lockers already) need to invest in an Amazon locker type solution for themselves in or outside their stores. It will make collection and returns a heck of a lot easier and will likely give time back to store colleagues. Plus it could allow customers to use them outside of store hours assuming they are outdoor.

    I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve gone to Halfords for a click and collect and spent at least 5mins hanging around whilst they “pop out the back”. Frustrating, and it doesn’t encourage me to buy more whilst I’m dwelling (read getting pi$$ed off).

    - - - Updated - - -

    BTW - The answer is a RING Doorbell and a “leave it in the garage” message.

  48. #48
    Grand Master oldoakknives's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gavsw20 View Post
    Retailers and couriers (some use InPost lockers already) need to invest in an Amazon locker type solution for themselves in or outside their stores. It will make collection and returns a heck of a lot easier and will likely give time back to store colleagues. Plus it could allow customers to use them outside of store hours assuming they are outdoor.

    I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve gone to Halfords for a click and collect and spent at least 5mins hanging around whilst they “pop out the back”. Frustrating, and it doesn’t encourage me to buy more whilst I’m dwelling (read getting pi$$ed off).

    - - - Updated - - -

    BTW - The answer is a RING Doorbell and a “leave it in the garage” message.
    Have not missed a delivery since having the Ring doorbell. The other day we were in the local garden centre when a delivery turned up early. Doorbell chime goes off on phone. Spoke to the Hermes driver via the video and 2 way conversation link and asked her to leave behind the wood store. Simples.

  49. #49
    Delivery to wherever you are going to be

    or

    Delivery to a dead-drop which is safe and you can reach when convenient

    or

    Delivery to someone you trust who you can reach when convenient

  50. #50
    Craftsman
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    We shop a lot online, deliveries multiple times per week.

    We are both in/out irregularly, sometimes work from home, other weeks 3 nights in hotel. So for last 11 years we have had a parcel box and a larger than normal wall mounted post box outside near front door. Delivery guy puts parcel in the box, locks it and writes down the code as proof of delivery.

    We have retired and work from home neighbors on odd occasion the box is full already.

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