Shopping online and having parcels delivered to your front door couldn't be easier... in theory. With delivery delays, damaged parcels, patchy service, parcels not turning up at all and a rise in doorstop parcel thefts, shopping from the comfort of your own home isn't always trouble-free.
Since Covid, we love our parcel delivery. The latest figures show a huge increase in the number of parcels being delivered, up from 1.17bn parcels last year to 1.29bn in 2024*. So where do you start when you get home to find there's a problem with a promised delivery if you don't want to spend hours troubleshooting?
Here's everything you need to know about your parcel delivery rights to ensure you are never out of pocket again.
Late deliveries
The first thing to be aware of is that when you buy goods, your legal contract is with the retailer, which means it is responsible for the safe delivery of your order.
According to the Consumer Rights Act, your delivery must be made without undue delay and within a reasonable time - which is usually 30 days from the date of purchase - unless you and the retailer agree otherwise. So if your order is late - even if you think it's the fault of a courier - complain directly to the retailer.
If a specific delivery date was agreed, e.g. a guaranteed delivery date or next day delivery and you paid extra for this, you can claim back the extra delivery cost as the service wasn’t delivered.
Helen Dewdney, a consumer champion also known as The Complaining Cow, says: "You are entitled to a refund of the additional delivery cost. For example, if you paid £5 extra for next day delivery and it didn’t arrive until days later, you are entitled to this charge being refunded, as the retailer is in breach of contract."
Once you receive the item, you usually have 14 days to decide whether you want to keep it - known as the 'cooling off' period - and a further 14 days to return it. Whether you pay for the return will depend on the retailer’s terms and conditions. This doesn't apply if the item has been personally created for you, if it's something which deteriorates rapidly, such as food or flowers, or if there's a seal which has been broken, showing the item has been used, from CDs and jewellery to clothing.
To complain to your retailer, make sure you always:
- Put your complaint in writing.
- Reference the law that is being breached.
- Be clear about exactly what will resolve your complaint, such as a refund, repair or replacement.
Damaged deliveries
You are entitled to goods that are free from defects under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, so if your item arrives damaged, you are entitled to a full refund, repair or replacement if you let the retailer know within 30 days of purchase. You do not have to pay for return postage.
Missing deliveries
No sign of your parcel? You may have had an email from the delivery company claiming it’s been delivered when it hasn’t.
Consumer expert Martyn James says: "It’s the retailer’s responsibility to ensure those goods are in your hands, not just left on your doorstop where anything could happen to them."
So if there’s a problem, get in touch with the retailer to complain via email or through its customer service helpline.
One thing to be aware of is if you give permission for your delivery to be left in a specified safe place or received by a nominated neighbour and something goes wrong, ie it gets stolen from that spot, you will still be considered to have received the delivery. Think very carefully about those options when you’re making a purchase.
Parcel theft
Watch out for ‘porch pirates’! Thieves swooping in and take parcels left on doorsteps to sell on, when the homeowner is out, is an increasing problem. The average value of stolen parcels has, also, shot up by 52% in the last 12 months, from £66.50 in 2023, to £102 this year, according to research from postal tech firm Quadient. Around 21% of all parcel thefts take place in November and December as gangs take full advantage of the huge spike in online shopping around Black Friday and Christmas.
Around 13% of UK households – at least 3.69 million homes – had at least one parcel stolen in the last year but with many thefts not reported to the police, this is likely to be the tip of the iceberg.
If you set a 'safe place' and your parcel was stolen from there, unfortunately this is your responsibility. However, if your parcel was left anywhere that you didn’t specify, you can claim a refund or a replacement.
While investing in a secure parcel box can help to ensure that there's always a safe place for your package to be delivered, there are plenty of other steps you can take to ensure your parcels stay safe!
Follow these top tips from the Metropolitan Police:
- track your parcel to ensure you or someone else is at home for the delivery
- install a video doorbell; this can be connected to your mobile so you are notified immediately of any delivery, and is easier to install than a full CCTV system
- install a security light
- arrange for your parcel to be delivered to a trusted neighbour, or other family members who will be at home; if you live in a flat, is there a concierge who could accept the parcel for you?
- use an off-site locker service for frequent deliveries, or for expensive items; these parcel boxes are more likely to be in busy, safer locations - such as supermarkets, corner shops - rather than secluded areas which could be targeted by thieves
As a result, savvy homeowners are investing more in security. Checkatrade’s UK Home Improvement Index showed a 41% upsurge in spending on home security projects alongside a 14% jump in security and alarm jobs.
Delivery company goes into administration
It’s not unheard-of for delivery companies to go into administration.
"If a delivery firm does go bust, contact the retailer if it’s not possible or practical to collect your parcel from a depot," says James. "They should arrange for a redelivery or allow you to cancel your order."
