Customers of Gusto, Argos, and Nespresso may face late deliveries due to the capacity crisis, which Yodel blamed on rival firms poaching HGV drivers in the run-up to Christmas.
Sky News claims to have seen a memo sent from Yodel to some of its customers. The memo referenced “significant delays in processing [parcels] therefore impacting the availability of empty trailer[s] and our planned driver schedules”.
It added: “Unfortunately, this combined with a number of our peak HGV drivers not arriving for their agreed time slot has impacted our ability to provide the number of agreed collections.
“Upon investigation, we uncovered that this was due to significant financial incentives being offered elsewhere. We are working closely with these drivers as they had made a commitment to Yodel for the peak period.
“With this in mind and the reduction in network productivity due to the… high numbers of large, manually sorted parcels entering the network, we are unfortunately requesting that you reduce your planned volume for our network for the upcoming week, if you are able to divert parcels through your other carriers.”
Wellness and wellbeing holidays: Travel insurance is essential for your peace of mind
Out of the pandemic lockdowns, there’s a greater emphasis on wellbeing and wellness, with
Sponsored by Post Office
Your rights if your parcel is late or missing
Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, the seller is responsible for the goods until they are delivered to you.
According to this legislation, if your parcel goes missing, you should first contact the retailer. Even if the courier is at fault, as with the current Yodel scenario, it remains the seller’s responsibility to resolve the issue.
Nick Drewe, founder of online discount platform Wethrift, said: “If you paid a surcharge for next-day delivery or a guaranteed delivery date and this service was not fulfilled, you can request the retailer for a refund for the additional delivery cost.
“You may also ask the seller to resend the item or provide a full refund if the parcel does not arrive by the agreed date. When contacting retailers, include the following statement to support your claim: ‘Failure to deliver within a reasonable time and after the agreed deadline is a breach under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.’ This reminder may prompt retailers to respond more swiftly.”
If the retailer fails to take action, you can escalate the matter to the Retail Ombudsman.
Alternatively, you can request a chargeback for debit or credit card purchases through your bank. If authorised, the bank will contact the seller’s bank to reverse the payment into your account. However, it’s worth noting that this scheme is less commonly known and may involve certain risks.
In some cases, a stolen parcel may be covered by homeowners’ or renters’ insurance. If you choose to file a claim, you will likely need to pay an excess, which could be higher than the value of the parcel.
If your parcel is delivered to the wrong address, the seller remains responsible for resolving the issue. It is the courier’s responsibility (acting on behalf of the retailer) to retrieve the parcel or arrange a redelivery.
Related: Cost of giving: Brits to spend more this Christmas than in the last two years
