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?

What about some sort of festive floral arrangement? Local florists make them up for bigger companies like companies and deliver in their own vehicles.

I have had a lot of luck buying last minute knitting wool. It does come via Hermes/Evry hit and run though. Unfortunately it is not everyone's idea of a good Christmas present :( 🤷‍♀️

Mine has officially been cancelled too @Youkai I'm so disappointed!

The last deliver day for The House of Bruar is today. If you pick the next day delivery option it might make it there in time. They have one £150 hamper left:
www.houseofbruar.com/highland-luxury-hamper-suitable-for-overseas-shipment/

Try this company - they are saying 2 days left to order. 15% off if you are a first time user as well.

cutterandsquidge.com/?utm_term=cutter%20and%20squidge&utm_campaign=Brand&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=5272391548&hsa_cam=1758759539&hsa_grp=68378937346&hsa_ad=480731943763&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=kwd-587385199344&hsa_kw=cutter%20and%20squidge&hsa_mt=e&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=Cj0KCQiA-oqdBhDfARIsAO0TrGFyPbFBjPm_ObnQB691tjcWZmdJTd8wPQpYSCLjH_gB03BGspH6lX8aAqJlEALw_wcB

Sorry i can't do links.

I too, have been let down by M&S with a hamper order this year.

Placed the order last month, then a day before delivery they sent am email to say one of the key items was unavailable. No replacement offered and too late to cancel the order. They haven't even bothered to refund the (inflated) cost of the missing item!

Left feeling totally ripped of by M&S, and embarrassed by the underwhelming hamper sent to my Aunt.

This is the last time I will trust M&S. Their customer service is shocking. I have had problems with Fortnums hampers in the past, but at least you can get through to a real person when you call customer service.

I get the impression that M&S aren't even bothering about any form of customer service this year.

I don't know if boots can get things tge Re before Christmas, but I used to buy loads of different foods from boots and send them out. The alternative is could your parents travel to a shop and collect their gift?

Sorry things are lame this year. I only managed to post cards today and I think I missed last post too 🤦‍♀️

I haven't even put my tree up cos I've just got back from NY - no proper holiday this year - so whilst everyone's got something to open, this year has been full on work esp since Sept, so little time to plan...

Fortnum and Mason do next day delivery for £9.95. Expensive but lovely. You can make your own selection or choose one of the hampers.

amazon Prime?

@Adviceneeded200

no, the cheap stuff is nowhere near as nice!!!

@NeedToChangeName if you think he sounds angry here, for god sake don't ask him around for dinner & give him Chinese
food!!

Amazon, for everything. They are the only reliable delivery company.

Could you totally change tact and buy your parents a voucher for a local lovely restaurant, fancy place, afternoon tea, etc?
We managed to get vouchers for a beautiful manor house near to our parents- so easy as they just emailed the voucher. It’s too late for you to post it now but you could forward the email on when you’re on FaceTime/singing carols.

Funnily enough, I did recognise the name !!

Amazon Prime really helped me yesterday. They have loads of hampers with panettone, etc. and still in time for Christmas. I did a thorough investigation! Fortnum & Mason are the other, and Selfridges. I have had the Highlands problem, too, and Amazon always delivered even in a v remote place.

Ocado still have slots and sell
M&S food. It won't be a hamper but you could have the same food delivered.

DC works for MnS and said they were waiting the turkeys the other day, hundreds as have been pre-ordered.

4 were delivered.

They said the only good thing about the xmas food drive is the actual adverts (though when you GET the food it is delicious!) the organisation/stock deliveries are ridiculous

Annoyingly yes, but only if you live somewhere where they fully deliver. In more remote places it's often outsourced to e.g. Evri so you're no better off.

I've had so many emails from M&S about it apologising. Yesterday, they sent me an email asking me to call them about the order. I called them and they were very helpful. It seems like the problem was the goods are perishable. I couldn't get it exactly, but I think maybe the courier didn't refrigerate it or something. She offered me a refund or re-delivery. I thought great, I'll take the re-delivery, but then she said it was out of stock, so I could only get a refund. I then had another email this morning apologising with a 10% discount code.

Thank you all so much for the ideas!! I've looked around but I can't find anything that I think they will really love and I'm worried because my mum is in a battle with her doctor about her diabetes, so I don't want to upset her. We are going to visit them next year, so I will take them out for a nice lunch or dinner somewhere. They aren't really that bothered about stuff. I just thought it would have been a nice surprise but it didn't work out.

Where we live the couriers are amazing. I ordered some ice cream for my son to arrive between 2pm and 4pm on Wednesday and it arrived perfectly on time and of course still frozen. We've never had a parcel arrive late or disappear but I always seem to have problems sending stuff to my parents. It's such a shame!

I've not heard a peep from them about our cancelled hamper @Youkai ☹️

Just to update, I found a hamper on House of Bruar which is things like cheese, pork pies, etc. So, have ordered that but it won’t get there until after the New Year unfortunately. Hopefully, it’s the thought that counts though!

Glad you found one, hope they enjoy it when it arrives.