M&S hamper cancelled :(

[Youkai]

I live abroad and there are issues with the international post that means sending a parcel to my parents in the UK is very expensive at the moment as only courier delivery is available, so I thought an M&S hamper would be a better option as we don't get to see them this Christmas.

To be honest, when I placed the order I wasn't 100% sure it would happen due to the postal issues in the UK at the moment, so when they emailed me this morning to say that the hamper was out for delivery, I was so pleased and now a few hours later I got an email saying the order had been cancelled due to an issue with their delivery network. What on earth happened!?

I did get a 10 pound voucher as compensation, but feeling a bit gutted really that they won't get anything from us and it's too late to order anything else now.

I know it's a small thing as they are happy and healthy and hopefully they will have bought in some treats for themselves. I've tried ordering stuff on Amazon for them in the past but Evri is a complete disaster in their area and it never arrives.

Anyone else having postal problems?

I've used www.postalpantry.co.uk/product-category/gifts-hampers/ successfully this autumn

Fortnum and Mason emailed me this morning and said they are still sending for Christmas today (I guess that might not include remote postcodes).

Just don't buy the caviar £3,500 for 500g.

You have my sympathy OP. We live in the Scottish Highlands and this is par for the course.

Your parents won’t be surprised. Just tell them what happened.

Amazon are still delivering until the 23rd in my area using their own couriers and there are still Tesco slots available for tomorrow and on the 23rd, though further out in the hills this may not be the case.

If they’re near a town / very touristy village there might be a local florist, deli or gift shop that could help you out, though as someone who lives here I think that’s unlikely!

Good luck.

Online deliveries have been awful this year.

I usually order a fair bit from Amazon, but made the decision to order a few things from other companies.

I ordered a present for my husband from a hobby retailer and it sat in the warehouse for almost 3 weeks before it was delivered with no delivery notification. I had to phone them twice to see where it was.

Lego were the worst. Sat in the warehouse for over 3 weeks with no way of cancelling because they say you can't cancel once it's in the warehouse. It's always in the warehouse. It's supposed to be coming today, but in the meantime I had bought a different item to replace it.

Amazon Prime has been quick and reliable, apart from one lost parcel that was just a couple of household items and no great loss. I can see why Amazon has such a share of the online market. I probably won't buy from anyone else next year as it cuts out so much stress.

My daughter is waiting for a present for her boyfriend that is being sent by Royal Mail, so unlikely to arrive. Her boyfriend is having the same issue.

We always use small suppliers for food gifts and seem to hit lucky - even this year. Sent DB a cheese/wine hamper from The Deli Society - despatched Monday and delivered Tuesday on time by DPD. Parcel from DB arrived here on Monday from a shop local to them (3 hrs away from us) by APC as arranged. We used a local deli cooperative for relatives in Bristol and it was delivered by bike!

Is there not a shop in their local town that might be able to help you out even if they can only put a hamper together and get your parents to collect when doing their food shopping?

Amazon is your best bet as they have their own delivery network

www.regencyhampers.com/christmas-hampers?gclid=Cj0KCQiA-oqdBhDfARIsAO0TrGGkLBqKVhIcbRs5kl9tF4co6wGTiVpoT-iWZyO1HzW-N-kZw2bTbfAaAgEnEALw_wcB

These might be able to help? As they use couriers?

You could find the addresses/numbers of local businesses near them? We did this rather than using a chain for sending fresh flowers. The local florist made a wonderful display and was happy to take it to the address.

Local butchers etc. might do the same if you can contact them.

@Youkai - Fortnum and Mason might still be able to get some treats to your parents, if you order today. And they don’t use the Royal Mail.

just had a look on hampers.com and many of the hampers have been discounted. They look fab.

Have a look at Costco@Youkai , you don’t need to be a manner for all of the the online stuff . If you put in your parents postcode it will tell you what they deliver to that area - I sent one of their treat towers to a friend in the Highlands . It may be too late for pre Christmas but worth a try

If you can’t get a hamper to them in time, have you thought about an E-voucher for something special? I know it’s not as good as an actual present but if you got something that suited both their interests they might like this?

I’ve just read on a local FB site that the courier firm DPD that they are not able to deliver parcels to several Greater Manchester postcodes, including mine, until the New Year! There are a lot of disappointed people out there, just like you.

The worst must be when you get notification that a parcel is on its way only to get another email cancelling it altogether.

I'm just so glad I ordered all my online Christmas presents early this year! I have no choice but to buy online as I am unable to walk around the shops due to arthritis.

You might JUST sneak in under the wire with house of bruar.

cartwright and butler are still guaranteeing Christmas delivery. I’ve checked using a postcode on one of the islands in the outer hebredies and it would cost an extra £8 for postage, but it would get there before Christmas - you’d have to order before 6pm today though.

Try posting on the Scotsnet board, there might be people who can suggest local stores who’d deliver. This where the local farm shop type place should come into their own!

I'd try the most local florist you can find and just send a nice arrangement of flowers.

Book it over the phone so you can specify any particularly flowers you want or don't want and can give them very specific instructions on how to find their house. If it's a local enough florist they'll probably know the area pretty well.

A few of the local farm shops round our way do a pick your own hamper. Pay a fiver for the hamper and pick what you want to go in to (local cheeses, meat, jams, etc). They then deliver it locally when dropping off the Christmas veg boxes on Friday/Saturday.

The cut off for Christmas orders from Fortnum & Mason is 6pm today. They still have a lot of hampers left as well as other gifts.

Could you contact a local pub or restaurant or tea room and get a voucher for a meal?

See if you can get a delivery slot with sainsburys or Ocado and send things you select yourself. Diabetic chops for mum , Cheese for Dad etc.
Amazons hampers that are available with prime say delivery before Christmas.

If you can give name of a local town a deli might help. Our deli at the bottom of the hill is still delivering locally and stock really lovely products, but we are (literally) the other end of the UK to your parents.

Fortnum and Mason allow you to make up your own hamper. I don't know if they deliver to Scottish Highlands but their delivery page has a clear list of postcodes. But after Christmas some of the hampers might get withdrawn.

You sound quite angry! It's important to keep a sense of perspective

Bunches flowers do hampers and are very reliable. I also agree Amazon are good and they do hampers.