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Original poster

To expect companies to have been prepared for the Christmas rush

134 replies

Noodledoodledoo · 12/12/2020 11:06

I am getting so fed up with Christmas deliveries not arriving.

I have not left things to the last minute, I have 2 orders I made in November, one the 14th one the 26th which I am having a nightmare being delivered.

I get they are swamped but it has now messed up 4 peoples presents which are unlikely to get there on time as I need to wrap and send on. I am aware there is a backlog at the post office so don't want to leave to the last minute when I ordered in good time!

Hobby craft and M&S have badly let me down this year, my attempt to not just rely on Amazon!

OP posts:
bonjonbovi · 12/12/2020 11:11

This is a Christmas like no other. More and more being transacted online instead of through retail.

Social distancing measures introduced into picking warehouses have made the whole operation less efficient too.

Not sure what else many companies could do?

Cocomarine · 12/12/2020 11:13

When you say, “I get they are swamped”, the thing is - you actually don’t get it, do you?
Have you any idea, for example, the number of hauliers available to subcontract at this time of year? There’s a shortage anyway, even with Covid!

TrollTheRespawnJeremy · 12/12/2020 11:16

The postal service is swamped at the moment. Not only are they dealing with increased levels of post, they're also coordinating covid tests to labs etc.

There's only so many hours in a day.

Original poster
Noodledoodledoo · 12/12/2020 11:17

But if I ordered something 6 weeks ago I would expect it to be have taken into account. It's not last minute orders, it was planned to arrive to give me time. On both shops they said delivery within 7 days - not 4 weeks. Even with the current situation 3 weeks delay is excessive.

I planned my shopping to make sure I gave myself plenty of time to send them on, now I am going to add to the issue with the post office.

OP posts:
Original poster
Noodledoodledoo · 12/12/2020 11:18

Maybe they should limit orders - like Sainsburys Tu have done, to combat not enough hours in the day.

OP posts:
Plonque · 12/12/2020 11:25

I keep hearing people saying that their post is badly affected but I honestly haven't had a single issue with any of my orders.
A small business I follow on Instagram said last week (pre 7th Dec) that they had closed their orders cos of postal issues and they weren't going to be sending out any more items but this last week alone I have bought on eBay, Argos, Superdrug, Amazon & Smyth's and everything (bar one thing, marked for delivery today!) has come on time (or faster, even)
I must be lucky I suppose, but if you could see how far out from civilisation I live, you'd think I should be the one that never gets anything on time!

Lougle · 12/12/2020 11:30

There was lots of coverage on radio 2 about containers being delayed at the ports.

Simplyunacceptable · 12/12/2020 11:31

Few issues. Stock levels have been affected due to delays in shipping containers particularly from China, lots of technology has been affected for example including new games consoles.
SD means less warehouse staff on the shop floor at any given time.
More people are shopping online this year than ever especially with the recent lockdown closing shops so couriers are struggling to keep up.

Not difficult to understand why there are delays this year really.

VeganVeal · 12/12/2020 11:40

I planned well in advance knowing the potential problems a pandemic would bring. Everything I have ordered has turned up as expected in a day or two and everyone will get their presents.
The trick is to plan ahead and order in time. Dont blame the delivery companies for your poor organisational skills. Still you have learnt a valuable lesson for the future.
Hope is doesnt ruin your Christmas, sending you flowers Flowers

Hahaha88 · 12/12/2020 11:44

Yanbu. It's very frustrating. I placed an order with boots on 28th Nov which still hasn't arrived. People complain about hermes but I'd rather they delivered my parcels other royal mail for sure right now

Blurp · 12/12/2020 11:45

Bear in mind that the rules keep changing with relatively little notice, so the supply chain is a bit all over the place. Shops don't know whether their stock should be going to the shop floor or staying in the warehouse for online orders.

Significant numbers of staff (including those in the warehouse, those in the supply chain, lorry drivers etc) are off, either ill or self-isolating.

I'd just hang on to the presents until all the bits arrive, and let the recipients know that they'll receive them a bit late this year! We had to tell DS(6) that one of the things he wanted has been delayed; he was absolutely fine about it, knows it'll be something to look forward to after Christmas. People will understand.

Hahaha88 · 12/12/2020 11:45

@VeganVeal

I planned well in advance knowing the potential problems a pandemic would bring. Everything I have ordered has turned up as expected in a day or two and everyone will get their presents. The trick is to plan ahead and order in time. Dont blame the delivery companies for your poor organisational skills. Still you have learnt a valuable lesson for the future. Hope is doesnt ruin your Christmas, sending you flowers Flowers
She ordered one on the 14th November, how do you make that her having poor organisational skills? Hmm
Springersrock · 12/12/2020 11:55

YANBU

Dont blame the delivery companies for your poor organisational skills. Still you have learnt a valuable lesson for the future

When she ordered the middle of November?

I’m also waiting for stuff ordered in the middle of November - one from New Look I ordered on the 14th November and one from Superdrug on the 18th November haven’t even been bloody dispatched yet.

NekoShiro · 12/12/2020 11:56

You're not the only person that shopped early this year, I also started shopping in Nov, October would of been the best time to shop early to avoid shipping issues, obviously everyone was waiting until black Friday to buy things.

In a normal year buying 6 weeks early would of been being prepared but not this year with so many more people relying on online shopping, how were companies supposed to scale up for the sudden demand this year, they can't hire 1000s of people because then how do they keep them all safe from covid risks? A warehouse is just a box with people shoved in together, also think about how many outbreaks happen within those settings and then they loose the staff for two weeks due to isolating rules.

Sennetti · 12/12/2020 12:00

jesus christ i don't believe what i'm reading!!!

HELLO!!? wake up op....a pandemic means people are off work sick!! either with covid and/or isolating!

workforce is running on skeleton staff in places

you dont have a bloody clue and are SELFISH!

SpnBaby1967 · 12/12/2020 12:09

I think some of the pps are being rather rude and I can see what you're saying and had it been any other year I would be agreeing with you.

But 2020 and its clusterfuck has caused that many issues worldwide I think it isnt surprising. I completed most of my online shopping mid October just in anticipation of this occurring.

WhereverIGoddamnLike · 12/12/2020 12:17

I am starting to panic a bit. I ordered 2 hoverboard and hoverkarts for my boys a month ago. They gave the delivery date as the 14th of December, which I know hasnt come yet but I'm starting to worry. When I placed the order, most of their reviews on trust pilot were great. They've been around for years, and they're the number 1 seller in the UK for hoverboards and they have a hoverboard repair centre etc. They're a legitimate, good company. But the reviews from the last few days are all "ordered a month ago, delivery date has long past and they keep saying it is on the way" etc.

I know my date hasnt past yet, but if people who were give dispatch dates that passed a week ago, then will they actually be able to get mine out? It's coming by DPD and they've told me that my order has been packed up and is in the queue to be collected by DPD. I just really hope they arent living.

WhereverIGoddamnLike · 12/12/2020 12:17

*lieing

nosswith · 12/12/2020 12:25

The main blame should be with the government. Who should have had the four week restrictions (aka second lockdown) in October. Proper testing long before that as well, so with both actions there would now be fewer people self-isolating. More delivery drivers available.

What I also think should become law is that when ordering online you know who the parcel carrier would be. There would be improved service, albeit at a cost, I think.

TheSandgroper · 12/12/2020 12:32

I saw that either the Daily Mail or the Guardian noted that the empty containers are usually sent back to China for the next load. For various reasons, containers for a number of months have been slow to unload in Europe, slow to be sent back because the amount of shipping has reduced, Chinese factories suffered from COVID in the early months this year when Christmas is actually manufactured, slowed in every port etc etc etc. This year it is what it is.

VeganVeal · 12/12/2020 12:35

@nosswith

The main blame should be with the government. Who should have had the four week restrictions (aka second lockdown) in October. Proper testing long before that as well, so with both actions there would now be fewer people self-isolating. More delivery drivers available.

What I also think should become law is that when ordering online you know who the parcel carrier would be. There would be improved service, albeit at a cost, I think.

Yes I totally agree, it really is the governments fault people didnt order their Christmas presents in time.
BritWifeinUSA · 12/12/2020 12:41

I’m surprised you are having problems with M&S. I ordered some things from them last weekend and they were delivered Thursday - and I’m on the west coast of the USA, 5000 miles from the UK.

TheTrashBagIsOursCmonTrashBag · 12/12/2020 12:44

It’s not just the “Christmas rush” it’s the Christmas rush during a flow along pandemic which is making everything so much harder than it usually would be.

Backbee · 12/12/2020 12:48

I agree with PP that places should limit the amount of orders per day like tu are doing to ensure they can fulfil them. It wasn't unforseen that there was going to be increased demand and strain on deliveries, but they're happy enough to take peoples money of course.

BlackCatShadow · 12/12/2020 12:51

This is why I handcraft all my Christmas presents. I have an organic coppice wood behind my house and grow my own produce.

Not really...

The international post has been weird for ages. Some things arrive really quickly, some take months. Hopefully, friends and family will be understanding about the delay. It's shit, but I don't think anyone is at fault here.

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