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AIBU?

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Original poster

Wwyd cake delivered too late

54 replies

piraterach · 05/03/2018 11:35

Wwyd lovely MNers. It was my daughters christening yesterday, luckily it went ahead despite the best efforts of the "beast from the east"!

I ordered a christening cake from a shop several hundred miles away (they deliver all around the country routinely) a few weeks before the date.

I emailed them on Monday to ask if they would still be ok to send despite the predicted weather, they replied to say it would be dispatched Tuesday and arrive on Wednesday. That is when the snow hit. My cake was stuck at a depot around 10 miles from my house. Parcelforce kept "attempting" delivery but despite all the roads being driveable told me it was returned to depot due to adverse weather.

They are attempting to deliver again today, the cake is no good to me now as it's too late and I had to rush out and buy another yesterday morning. I am now out of pocket but don't feel it was the bakery's fault. Would you complain to parcelforce or chalk it up as just one of those things??

OP posts:

SnowiestMountain · 05/03/2018 11:38

Could you have gone to the depot to collect the cake? I'd complain but they may fall back 'adverse weather, out of our hands, nothing we could do'

falsepriest · 05/03/2018 11:38

Eat it

Mrsfloss · 05/03/2018 11:38

I would just chalk it up as bad luck. If they have good customer service they might give you some money back but it’s no ones fault as it’s act of god with the weather. A bit rubbish though

I had a spa day booked and couldn’t go as was snowed in. The spa was accessible in the snow and I won’t be complaining or asking for refund as just one of those things

unicornpoopoop · 05/03/2018 11:38

Surely the cake company won't be out of pocket as the delivery company didn't deliver as promised so they will be able to claim the money back?

Sirzy · 05/03/2018 11:39

It’s one of those things

PlayingForKittens · 05/03/2018 11:40

I would claim a refund from the cake company, you correctly contacted them and expressed concern but they made the decision to go ahead. They can claim from the courier if they want to.

19lottie82 · 05/03/2018 11:41

If it’s not delivered then you don’t need to pay for it, the fact a delivery was attempted doesn’t come in to it.

Ask for a refund and if they refuse then conduct a charge back on the card you used for payment.

I appreciate this issue is not your fault, but it’s not your problem. The cake didn’t arrive by the date you needed it by, so it’s jo use to you now.

frasier · 05/03/2018 11:41

Aww I'm sorry. Will be a story to tell to little one when they are older though, how their cake was sabotaged by the Beast from the East!

Will the cake still be OK? If so, I'd get it, take photos, cut yourself a slice and chalk it up to one of those things. You could even send pieces to people (assuming weather doesn't get bad again).

If it was a guaranteed delivery it will the bakery, the one who had the contract with Parcelforce, who has the grievance. Your only comeback would be with the bakery if the bakery had guaranteed delivery to you I think.

19lottie82 · 05/03/2018 11:42

PS no use complaining to Parcelforce. They won’t discuss this with you, their contract is with the cake company, not you.

royaltunbridgewells · 05/03/2018 11:58

The fault lies with the courier company as long as they stated to the bakery that they would deliver within a certain time frame, or otherwise the fault lies with the bakery.

But surely ten miles isn't that far to travel there by yourself and pick it up?

Rattymama · 05/03/2018 12:01

I'd refuse delivery so it gets returned to sender and ask for a refund. They should be able to claim it through the courier company.

They should have sent it earlier so it arrived before the storm hit.

kubex · 05/03/2018 12:02

I wouldn't be complaining to anyone in this situation.

Bad weather, bad luck! Just one of those things.

I wondering why the hell you ordered a cake that had to be delivered 'several hundred miles' though?!

Viviennemary · 05/03/2018 12:03

I think there would probably be some rights to claim against the parcel delivery service. Depends on their terms and conditions. But that would need to be made by the bakery. If you paid by credit card you might have a claim there.

Rosamund1 · 05/03/2018 12:04

What playingforkittens said.

zzzzz · 05/03/2018 12:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Valentinesfart · 05/03/2018 12:09

I'd send an email politely stating that as you had double checked regarding weather conditions that you would like your money back.

It is no one's fault but they took the risk in keeping the order. They can deal with it through the courier, someone's insurance can deal with it.

TheJoyOfSox · 05/03/2018 12:10

Let the cake company know what happened, they may be able to claim some costs back from the delivery firm.

Valentinesfart · 05/03/2018 12:12

But surely ten miles isn't that far to travel there by yourself and pick it up

20 miles return and 10 miles in the snow with a cake is quite a distance actually. And the OP paid for delivery. That's assuming that she can even drive. Fuck that with a bus.

Valentinesfart · 05/03/2018 12:13

I wondering why the hell you ordered a cake that had to be delivered 'several hundred miles' though?!

Really? Presumably she wanted it?

AnnieAnoniMouse · 05/03/2018 12:13

Contact the bakery & ask for a refund. They didn’t deliver it on time. It’s not your problem who/what/where/when/why.

OohMavis · 05/03/2018 12:21

The bakery will have insurance through the courier and will be able to claim on it. I'd send a polite email explaining that it didn't arrive in time for the event and let them go from there.

If they don't refund you they may give you a whacking discount on your next cake.

Bluelady · 05/03/2018 12:22

The bakery despatched the cake on time, it reached the depot on time, Parcelforce failed to deliver it so it's PF's issue. Only the bakery can take that up with them as their customer. Logically it seems unfair to ask the bakery to take the hit when it fulfilled its part of the bargain.

Mummyoflittledragon · 05/03/2018 12:22

Contact the bakery, see what they say. You can decide from there whether you wish to proceed with a request for a refund. They may even offer. Better to discuss than demand.

WaxOnFeckOff · 05/03/2018 12:23

personally I'd just chalk it up as one of those things as really no-one has been negligent it sounds.

The cake was required by the weekend. Even though you phoned on the Monday, they probably couldn't dispatch any earlier as it probably wasn't ready to go until Tuesday.

I'm waiting on a parcel that was due to be delivered last wednesday and not here yet or a date even given. Luckily is nothing time critical but I wouldn't have liked some poor sod trying to get to work to sort it in that weather and wouldn't have wanted someone out delivering in it either.

Rattymama · 05/03/2018 12:24

She may not even drive.

And I'm assuming she paid for delivery so she didn't have to collect it

She even called to check it's arrival and it didn't arrive.

What's she supposed to do with a christening cake now? And those saying 'eat It' I'm sure if she wanted cake today she would get a £4 one from tesco.
Not spend god knows how much in a special occasion cake when it's passed!

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