MoneySaving Poll: Parcel delivery firms: who are the best and worst?

A question about : MoneySaving Poll: Parcel delivery firms: who are the best and worst?

Poll started 9 December 2014

Parcel delivery firms: who are the best and worst?

With the festive season nearly here, parcel delivery firms are zipping around the UK helping out the big man in the red suit. Yet sadly parcel delivery horror stories abound - ranging from no-shows to “they threw the goods over the fence” or “they lied that we weren't in”.

So it’s time for our annual poll to work out who are the good guys and who are the cowboys...

Vote in this week's poll

Did you vote? Are you surprised at the results so far? Have your say below. To see the results from last time, click here.

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Best answers:

• No real surprises in this poll. Yodel are by far the worst delivery company on the planet. I can only imagine they offer very cheap deals to companies to use them.
• I actively try and avoid Yodel where I can. Unfortunately so many places use them it is difficult at times.
  First thing I dislike about Yodel is their delivery times. 7am to 9pm delivery slots? DPD send you a text message giving you a one hour window in which they'll deliver - admittedly it is on the day of delivery but it is still an improvement over Yodel.
  The big problem is though that they have continually let me down. Just a few months ago I had an experience where I waited in all day and they never turned up, yet their delivery driver marked "Attempted delivery" on the sheet. I have CCTV at my house. I can prove that no delivery was attempted.
  Two days later, the same thing happened again and when I called to complain the first person I spoke to said that they could tell the driver hadn't been to my street while the second person said the opposite. Then the item was marked as delivered (which it had not been at this time) and I lost another day waiting around for these items to come.
  Fortunately the retailer reimbursed all the delivery fees for me.
  I do get that places will use them because they're obviously offering a good rate but when I've had the choice of buying from one company that doesn't use Yodel and another company that does, even if the former is charging a bit more, I'll go with them because avoiding the inconvenience of dealing with Yodel is worth a few quid extra.
• Hi all
  I dont buy this survey at all. I found Yodel and Citylink the best UK based carriers but seem to be not so good here.... Also how can DPD be better than UPS/Fed-ex/DHL, all these have worldwide networks.
  Each to their own i guess
• Personally I've had nothing but rude delivery people from Yodel. Once I was in the bath (I was getting uni books delivered from the OU and was never given a date) and someone knocks on the front door. I wasn't expecting anyone and while I was deliberating whether to answer (probably cold callers I thought) the knocks turned to outright banging! I thought there must be some kind of emergency so I leapt out of the bath, dried myself a bit and threw on a dressing gown. I got to the door and no one was there. I ran and quickly knocked next door (lucky we were friendly with them) and asked if they had seen or heard anything. Apparently a woman from Yodel had left a package for me with them, without leaving me a note. We've had the same woman since, I know because of the severe lack of patience it takes her to launch straight into knocking hell out of someone's door!
  Another Yodel employee we get is a very grumpy guy who acts as if it's somehow your fault he hates his job. I got a package from him once, I had a couple of things coming so not sure what it was, and I asked if it was heavy. I'm a 5ft nothing girl and can't do any heavy lifting because of an aortic aneurysm. Instead of answering me he just dumps the package in my arms. Turns out it was the heavy package, with a pestle and mortar and a heavy pan amongst other things. I had to practically drop it to the floor and he walks off without saying a word. He has been very funny with my boyfriend too.
  I would never willingly choose Yodel, it just happens that I find out that's what a particular company uses after I've paid. I think it should be more clear, some websites are great at letting you choose and I've noticed the ones that use Yodel tend to hide it.
• I see that Yodel gets a bad press here. My first experience with My Hermes was poor and one that I will not be repeating. Used them because of cheap introductory offer and also because the drop off point was handier than the PO. 3 parcels sent, 2 delivered and 1 claimed to have been delivered through the letter box, but can't have been the right letter box as it never arrived! Also received an email to say that, due to technical issues, 1 parcel would take longer to be delivered than expected. It did arrive eventually! Claim process for what was an inexpensive parcel is not worth it, particularly as I'm informed I can only claim a max of Ј5 back. Lesson learned the hard way - won't be using My Hermes again! To be fair, PO have also lost post in the past - who do you trust?
• First of all none of them use my doorbell (before anyone ask yes it is working and is placed in visible place) every time I asking to use it still no one does and it driving me mad as you can not hear one or two knocks on letterbox slot especially with double doors and from upstairs. Also if I'm lucky to hear knock running downstairs just to find out they are already gone in less than a minute (and again before you ask no I'm not elderly nor slow).
  Just this week while I was at home Yodel left my parcel just outside on doormat next to the street there was sticker on parcel to leave in secure location it easy could be neighbours back garden gate or even blue bin could be more secure they didn't even bother to leave card that parcel waiting outside!
  My other disappointment Royal Mail it took 6 days after posting to deliver parcel with 24hours service and 7 days for 48 service what a joke I understand it may be busier than usual but this is so upsetting when you waiting for deliveries
• What i find very interesting is that a company who score very highly is Collect plus...Guess who they use? yes, Yodel.... Yodel collect and drop off at these stores.
• I always use Royal Mail but in the last 3 months they have lost 3 packages, also one large letter took 9 days, and a parcel to me took 18 days - and had 24hours on the label.
  If you sell small items on Ebay and they get lost, making a claim is a nightmare! It takes so long to sort out original receipt (which could be years old), proof of sale, proof of customer's payment, buyer's phone number and email address, proof of posting etc. You could lose the will to live.
  Then there is the claim form which you can print at home - if you want an empty colour cartridge - the entire form has a coloured background and red coloured header bars!
  They won't pay you out on what you sold it for but what you bought it for. If you are in business, claiming for anything less than Ј8 is COSTING you money (in the time wasted and printing costs)!
  Not very fair eh!
• Re the poll - how about one that is more specific?
  How many items didn't arrive? for example.
• I have had an exceptionally poor service from UK Mail in the last 10 days. I paid an additional cost to have a faster delivery.
  After 10 days the parcel was still not delivered with UK Mail telling the supplier that they had tried to deliver twice, had left cards both times and had heard from the recipient (me?) regarding delivery. None of which was my experience!
  Sadly the supplier seemed to accept their version of events!
  I am awaiting a refund which will not compensate me for the stress and running around to try to obtain the goods that I had ordered.
  I have to say that this is the first time I have had problems with ordering from the Internet.
• Hermes is the worst - they've had my parcel for over a week now - and tracking says 'please allow 2 extra working days'. Can't call them - there's no number(!) so I might get my order before Christmas, but I doubt it!!!
• Royal Mail, DPD and Hermes have been the best for me this year. Both with sending parcels and receiving them.