Most of us buy stuff online. Some of us buy almost exclusively online, which means lots of deliveries.
I don’t want to point any fingers, but the couriers around where I live have a ‘relaxed’ way of handling goods. I have seen them throwing boxes around in the back of their van, throw sacks of goods from trucks to home-based couriers and leave deliveries in some unbelievable places.
If you have experienced the same, knowing what to do if your item arrives damaged is going to come in useful.
Your contract is with the retailer and not the courier
The first thing you need to know is that your contract is with the retailer and not the courier.
That means you contact the retailer you purchased from if anything is damaged, broken or doesn’t turn up. It’s up to them to arrange collection and a refund or delivery of a replacement.
Not all retailers take their responsibility seriously.
You’ll sometimes find a retailer will ask you to follow up with the courier or check with your neighbours if a parcel doesn’t turn up.
They shouldn’t be asking you these things.
While it’s common sense to check with neighbours if a parcel doesn’t arrive, you don’t have to.
As the customer, you are not responsible for:
- Parcels left with neighbours or other locations unless you requested it
- Damaged or stolen parcels left outside unless you specified to leave it there
- Damage external or internal packaging and goods damaged in transit
- Parcels left in communal areas like lobbies or post rooms
Even though many retailers and couriers say they are not responsible if you accept a damaged parcel without inspecting the goods, it’s not true.
Even if the external packaging is damaged when you receive the parcel, it’s the retailer’s responsibility to ensure the item reaches you in serviceable condition.
What constitutes a ‘safe place’
Ever since COVID, couriers leave parcels on your doorstep or other safe place.
But what constitutes a safe place?
Spend any time researching ‘safe places to leave parcels’ and you’ll see some strange ones, like this, or this.
Technically, the courier should deliver the parcel into your hands, well on your doorstep once you answered the door now, so they can take a picture.
Otherwise, they are supposed to choose the safe place you designate or use their common sense if you haven’t designated a safe place.
The idea of taking a picture is to protect the courier from claims but also to give you a clue as to where they left the package.
What happens if the parcel is taken or stolen?
If the parcel has been taken or doesn’t arrive, it’s up to the courier to prove they delivered it. That’s why they take pictures.
Those pictures are timestamped and can sometimes be geolocated too to prove they delivered the parcel.
If you have not specified a safe place, it’s up the retailer to follow up with the courier and prove the package was delivered.
An image is not proof regardless of what the courier says.
If you didn’t receive the parcel, it’s up to the courier to prove it was delivered. It is not up to you to prove it wasn’t.
While it makes sense to play along and do what you can to help, at the end of the day, it’s not your responsibility to make sure your parcel arrives.
If you have issues with parcel deliveries, stand firm and make the retailer follow it up. If you have ever tried to get hold of a courier or used ‘customer services’ of a courier company, you’ll know why!
