Hermes have lost my bloody Christmas tree

[SinkGirl]

Ugh. We’ve had a shit year and I decided to treat us to a newer fancier Christmas tree from M&S as our old one looks very sad. Also ordered some other decorations, and paid extra to have it all delivered sooner. Everything was supposed to arrive yesterday so I could put it all up when the kids were at school today.

Everything arrived except for the tree.

Yesterday morning that (separate) package showed on tracking as being with the courier. Then it changed to my item is “delayed” and will be “on the move within 24 hours”. But of course, a day and half later it still says the same thing.

No web chat for either company - just an automated “assistant” who tells you what the tracking page says. Useful.

They’ve bloody lost it and I am really annoyed - really wanted to put it up and start Christmas properly. Have sent emails to M&S, can’t call with my very loud twins around but guess I’ll have to call tomorrow.

Boo Hermes. I hate them anyway, why on Earth any company still uses them I don’t know.

I’m really sorry to hear this. What a shit thing to happen when times have already been tough. I wish their was a way to pay extra and pick who delivers. I do think it varies by area as I’ve never had any problems with Hermes.

It definitely does - we had a brilliant Hermes delivery person before and never had an issue. I mean, they get paid absolutely bugger all so I can’t really blame them. Just infuriating when the tracking page blatantly lies to you and there’s no way to talk to someone.

Urgh, typical! Your only recourse is to go to back to m&s, hermes won't deal with you as you are not their customer, good luck!

M&S on twitter?

My experience of Hermes is that big parcels tend to get stuck (“held”) for 24-48 hours while they persuade a driver to take them. My local Hermes guy does his deliveries in a Nissan Micra, he wouldn’t do a Christmas tree, and since they get paid per item and a big parcel would take the space of several small items he’s apparently not the only one. It might not be lost, it might just be waiting for a van.

Ah, good point. That might be it. Companies shouldn’t use them for big stuff really - especially as it was clear when I was ordering that it would be two deliveries, I guess coming from a different warehouse

See, this is why I should be on Twitter

I had an issue with M&S delivery a few weeks ago, similar to yours but it was coming via Royal Mail. The tracking didn’t update for a week, and it was obviously lost.

M&S have a live chat function on the website - they were really helpful and re-sent my order. Considering you paid extra for next day delivery they should agree to send it out again on next day delivery.

I agree. Do live chat, they'll send it straight back out again.

Thank you - when I looked earlier it referred to the live chat as a virtual assistant so I assumed bot! Will give that a go in the morning. Although if it’s a Hermes issue with the size there may end up being two stuck in a depot then 😂

Oh well, it’s only a Christmas tree I guess, minor issue in the grand scheme of things - I just need to start feeling festive!

@Theotherrudolph

My experience of Hermes is that big parcels tend to get stuck (“held”) for 24-48 hours while they persuade a driver to take them. My local Hermes guy does his deliveries in a Nissan Micra, he wouldn’t do a Christmas tree, and since they get paid per item and a big parcel would take the space of several small items he’s apparently not the only one. It might not be lost, it might just be waiting for a van.

Definitely the case I’m my area. Hermes driver said the same, he was the only one who’d take the large items. Others sift through and take the smaller ones as they can fit more in the van and smaller items are better for them.

That’s Hermes fault, it shouldn’t be like that. 50p a parcel regardless of size. Why would you fill your van with a big parcel?

Totally agree. It’s a crappy system and I can’t blame the drivers at all. They should only accept small packages really! Very frustrating though - although retailers who continue to use them and charge a premium for express delivery should know better as well!

@SinkGirl - a good cheat to get around the live chat ‘chat bots’. If you type “agent please” a couple of times it will usually refer you to an actual person.

It might turn up OP. They lost a guitar that my son had sold , it arrived after 3 weeks .

I had another courier lose a commission I worked on for nearly 200 hours - eventually turned up after 10 days off the grid. Very stressful. Will see if I can get some help from M&S tomorrow!

They have lost my initial Christmas sacks too :( we had a fab hermes driver but they have changed the last couple of weeks and now parcels are going missing or not turning up left right and centre.

The same thing happened to me last year with a white company Christmas tree. It was never located and never delivered and the white company refunded me. Something to do with Hermes not having a big enough van! Hopefully yours will turn up soon 🤞

M&S have sent another which I suspect will also end up “delayed”.

So my first tree has just arrived... the woman who delivered it seemed mighty irritated. I wonder how irritated she will be when she tries to deliver the second and I tell her to take it back.

But Hermes charge more for bigger parcels so it's quite cheeky of them to expect drivers to deliver everything for a flat rate!