Dosh dilemma – ‘Help, I’ve not received an order I made five weeks ago!’

Paul reached out to us sounding stressed. He had all the best intentions, getting ahead with his Christmas shopping by ordering his wife’s bottle of Prada perfume in early November.

“I even bought it before Black Friday, skipping the deals to avoid the postal rush. I’ve had issues with this particular delivery firm before, so I should’ve known better when I saw they were handling the delivery. It’s been over five weeks now - what are my rights?”

Well, Paul, the good news is that you’ve definitely got rights. Here’s what you should do.

Complain to the retailer, not the courier

Your gut reaction might be to contact the courier where the item was last seen. But because your contract is with the retailer, it’s their responsibility to make sure you receive the order within the specified timeframe and in good condition, as per the Consumer Rights Act.

So, contact the seller and ask them to track down your perfume. They should be able to chase up the delivery company and give you an update, or at least provide tracking information.

If it’s still missing…

With any luck, your wife’s perfume is on its way. But, if it doesn’t show up, you’ve got a few options:

• Request a redelivery.
• Ask for a full refund or cancel the order.
• If all else fails and you think the seller has broken the law, you can report them to Trading Standards. Be aware though, Trading Standards may investigate but they won’t usually be able to get your money back.

Since it’s been over five weeks, you can cancel the order and request a refund. Retailers must deliver within 30 days unless a specific timeframe was agreed, so if it hasn’t arrived, you’re entitled to cancel and get your money back.

Delivery issues?

If the parcel’s been left with a neighbour or in a ‘safe place’ and you didn’t approve it, the seller is still responsible for not delivering it to the correct place and must offer a refund or replacement. But if you gave specific instructions for delivery and something goes wrong, like the package goes missing after it was left in the specified place, the retailer isn’t at fault.

What to do if your parcel looks tampered with?

If you receive a parcel that seems tampered with, resist the urge to open it immediately. Instead, take photos from every angle and close-ups of any resealed areas. Once you’ve documented everything, open the parcel and inspect the contents carefully. Make sure everything you ordered is there and take photos if something’s missing or doesn’t look right. Then, contact the retailer right away to request a refund or replacement.

We hope this helps Paul and you manage to get your hands on your wife’s present in time for the big day.

Got your own dosh dilemma you need help with? Send it to: [email protected]