Seven in 10 disabled consumers have faced delivery problems in the past year, Which? reveals

Tuesday, 15 February 2022 00:01

Which? is calling for online retailers to make it easier for shoppers to specify delivery instructions as new research shows that seven in 10 disabled consumers experienced delivery problems in the last year. A joint survey carried out by Which? and the Research Institute of Disabled Consumers found that seven in 10 (72%) disabled consumers surveyed had faced one or more problems with a delivery over the last 12 months. Half of those with...Request free trial

A joint survey carried out by Which? and the Research Institute of Disabled Consumers found that seven in 10 (72%) disabled consumers surveyed had faced one or more problems with a delivery over the last 12 months.

Half of those with a delivery issue (53%) said the courier did not wait long enough for them to answer the door and a quarter (25%) said parcels were left in an inaccessible way or that the courier did not provide the help they needed with their disability (24%).

Worryingly, one in 10 (12%) who experienced problems with deliveries said their parcel was left in a place that potentially could have been dangerous for them to attempt to retrieve.

More than half (55%) of participants who had problems with a delivery said they informed the retailer and/or the delivery company of their needs. Two in five (41%) of those who spoke to the delivery firm and/or retailer about this said it was difficult to do so.

Caroline from London has experienced problems with receiving deliveries in the past. She said: “The main issue I have is parcels being left on the ground and the delivery driver walking away before I can get to the door. As a wheelchair user, I cannot reach the ground to pick them up.

“Recently Amazon was due to deliver a package. I received an email telling me my parcel had been delivered. No-one had been to my house so I looked outside my front door and there was my parcel. I then checked my CCTV where I saw, roughly an hour previously, the driver had run up to my door, literally dropped the package outside, didn’t knock [or] ring the doorbell and just ran away.

“Being able to leave delivery instructions is not as obvious as people may think. I never knew this was an option until recently when a company brought my attention to it. When I started using this facility, I found most delivery [or] courier drivers just ignored the instructions. So now I never use them.”

Which? looked at the checkout journeys for 10 of the biggest online retailers, including Amazon, Argos, Asos, Currys, eBay, George at Asda, John Lewis, M&S, Next and Very, and found there was no standard approach across these retailers.

Some retailers offer textboxes with sparse character limits, while others only allow customers to input instructions for certain items. Asos, Currys, George at Asda, M&S and Next currently do not offer any text boxes on their website for customers to specify delivery instructions.

Even when shoppers did manage to leave delivery instructions, the vast majority found their notes were not followed. Three quarters (77%) of those who notified the delivery company or retailer about their needs found their instructions were not very well or not at all well followed.

Of those who experienced an issue, only one in five (18%) made a complaint to the retailer, one in 10 (11%) to the delivery company, and one in five (18%) to both. Half of participants (50%) did not make a complaint at all, with one in four of them saying they did not think there was any point or that anything would be done about it.

Three in 10 (28%) of those who complained to the retailer found it difficult to do so while seven in 10 (69%) found it difficult to complain to the delivery company.

Four in 10 (39%) of those that filed a complaint with the retailer said they were dissatisfied with the retailer’s approach to dealing with their issue compared to three in 10 (31%) of those who complained to the delivery company.

Ofcom announced plans in December 2021 to introduce stronger protections for disabled consumers, so that delivery firms are required to have policies in place to meet their needs.

Which? is calling on companies to move swiftly to ensure they have systems in place so disabled customers finally have access to safe and reliable delivery services. Online retailers must follow suit and make it easier for shoppers to specify delivery instructions.

Adam French, Which? Consumer Rights Expert, said:

“During the pandemic, many of us have relied heavily on online shopping so it’s hugely concerning that so many disabled consumers have had frustrating, humiliating or even dangerous experiences with delivery companies.

“Retailers and delivery companies that are falling short on customer service need to up their game and put effective systems in place so disabled consumers can specify their needs and rely on having parcels delivered in a safe and secure way.”

Gordon McCullough, CEO at Research Institute of Disabled Consumers said:

"Unfortunately what we’ve experienced over the last two years is that many services have become even more inaccessible to disabled people, just when they need to rely on them most."

"The spending power of disabled people and their households is estimated at £274 billion a year to UK businesses, and just like all consumers, disabled consumers are looking to use services and products that work for them. If they don’t, they will shop elsewhere.

"The changes that are needed in this case are very simple and low cost to implement – listening to people and responding. We hope this research can be both a wake-up call and positive step towards enabling retailers and delivery companies to review their services and ensure they are accessible for all the UK population."

ENDS

Notes to editors

Which? surveyed 704 members of the panel of the Research Institute of Disabled Consumers in November 2021 about their experience receiving deliveries.

Checkout journeys for the 10 biggest online retailers

Retailer	Delivery textbox?
Amazon	Customers are able to input delivery preferences, such as designating a safe space, requesting delivery to a neighbour, or choosing delivery to a collection point, when setting up their account. There is also a textbox function. Amazon then conveys specific instructions to its third party delivery providers.
Argos	Argos does offer a textbox with 70 characters for home deliveries - on some products this won’t be available due to a manufacturer’s involvement in delivery. In these cases, customers can contact its customer service team.
Asos	Asos customers cannot input delivery instructions on the retailer’s checkout page. The retailer told us it works with a number of different delivery couriers, and its customers are able to input delivery instructions to the courier once one has been allocated to them and contacts them directly.
Currys	Currys doesn’t offer a textbox for customers to specify delivery instructions. It told us it’s committed to improving the accessibility of its website. Customers with specific delivery requirements can follow up with its customer service team with precise instructions which will then be shared with the delivery team, it told us.
eBay	On the checkout page, you’re given the option to message the seller in a textbox with 500 characters. Here you can specify any delivery instructions with the seller.
George at Asda	Asda uses a number of third party couriers, each with their own options for delivery preferences including the option to manually input into textboxes. If customers find they are unable to communicate their preferences they should contact their chosen courier service or Asda's customer service team.
John Lewis	For large items, which are delivered via a John Lewis & Partners van, you can add delivery instructions to a 50-character textbox. This option isn’t offered for smaller items as they’re sent via third party couriers. It told us it’s looking to introduce the same function for smaller items, but in the meantime customers can leave instructions for smaller parcels with its customer services team or directly through the majority of its delivery carriers.
Marks & Spencer	There is no textbox to specify delivery instructions. Customers can update delivery instructions via the courier once their items have been dispatched. M&S told us it’s currently reviewing its delivery proposition to make it even more accessible and will be taking Which?’s feedback into consideration.
Next	There isn't a freetype text field for delivery instructions when you place an order on Next’s website. The retailer told us it uses Hermes to deliver smaller parcels and on their app you can select options to indicate where the parcel can be left if required, along with other preferences such as preferred neighbours.
Very	Shoppers can choose a neighbour preference for where they’d like their parcel to be delivered if they’re not home, which is a free text field of 35 characters. Customers can also select an alternative delivery instruction from a pre-populated list.

How the biggest couriers are making their deliveries more accessible

Delivery firm	How to specify delivery instructions
DHL Parcel	DHL Parcel says customers with disabilities can keep in touch with their courier once their parcel is out for delivery via Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger. There is also a ‘Just a Minute’ option, alerting drivers that they may need to wait longer than usual to give the customer time to get to their door, and an option to leave the parcel in an accessible ‘safe place’ if they’re not going to be home.
DPD	The DPD app enables you to share your delivery preferences so drivers are fully briefed before every delivery. The text option doesn’t have a character limit. For non-app users, DPD has delivery notifications which offer similar options. DPD is also developing a new option called ‘Need More Time’ for those who need a bit more time to get to the door which will launch later this year.
Hermes	Hermes told us many retailers allow customers to add delivery instructions at the point of purchase which is then carried through to Hermes’ IT system and is printed on the delivery label. Shoppers can also change where they want to receive their parcels or choose a safe place once the delivery journey has started via the Hermes app, the tracking email or website. Customers can also provide delivery instructions via its web chat (Holly) - this is free text with a character limit of 943,719.
FedEx	FedEx was approached for information but had not responded prior to publication.
Royal Mail	Royal Mail says it monitors customer feedback to identify rounds or individuals that need extra support. It then seeks to arrange support through a customer’s local delivery office. You can specify delivery instructions via its customer service.
UPS	You can sign up to UPS My Choice free of charge which allows you to provide advanced delivery instructions such as leaving the package in a specific, safe location or delivering to a neighbour. If you don’t want to sign up for UPS My Choice, you can choose to have your package re-directed to a UPS Access Point location if you’re not going to be in. Customers can also contact its customer services team with other instructions.
Yodel	Yodel encourages anyone with special requirements to provide instructions online or via its app. Customers can also contact its customer services team for support.

Right of replies

Ofcom said: “It’s unacceptable that disabled customers are far more likely to experience significant problems with parcel deliveries. We’ve set out plans to strengthen protections for disabled customers to ensure they’re treated fairly by delivery firms. If we don’t see significant improvements in customer service, we’ll consider enforcement action or further regulation.”

Amazon said: Amazon is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion, and that includes when delivering to customers. Customers can input specific delivery preferences to their Amazon customer account, including designating a preferred safe space, requesting delivery to a neighbour, or choosing delivery to a collection point such as a Post Office branch or an Amazon Locker.

Where a customer provides us with a specific delivery preference we convey those instructions to our third party delivery providers. In the event of any concern, including accessibility, our customer service team will work closely with the customer to understand their particular needs and ensure a practical solution is implemented.

Argos told Which? customers can add instructions at the checkout either by using the textbox or by speaking with its customer service team. It said customer feedback is important and its customer services and delivery teams are always on hand to provide support. It prides itself on being an inclusive retailer.

Asos said: “As we work with a number of delivery partners, allowing customers to input instructions to them directly ensures they receive the relevant information and that no instructions are missed.”

Currys told Which? it is committed to improving the accessibility of its website. Currently customers with specific delivery requirements can follow up with its customer service team and this will be passed on to delivery teams.

eBay declined to comment.

George at Asda declined to comment.

John Lewis told Which? it wants to make it as easy as possible for customers to shop with them and offers a wide range of delivery options. It already provides the option to leave delivery instructions for larger parcels and is looking to introduce the same for smaller ones. In the meantime, if customers want to leave instructions for smaller parcels, they can contact its customer services team or provide instructions through the majority of its delivery carriers.

Marks & Spencer said it is committed to offering its customers a seamless experience and is currently reviewing its delivery proposition to make it even more accessible. It will take Which?’s feedback into consideration.

Next said there is not a freetype text field for delivery instructions when you place an order, but it uses Hermes to deliver smaller parcels and you can use their app to specify instructions.

Very declined to comment.

DHL told us that since spring last year it has worked with HelloDone to improve the accessibility of its delivery service for customers with disabilities. Customers can keep in touch with their courier, and update them about accessibility requirements, once their parcel is out for delivery via WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger. The service also includes a ‘Just a Minute’ option, alerting drivers that they may need to wait longer than usual to give the customer time to get to their door, and an option to leave the parcel in an accessible ‘safe place’.

DPD told us they have a range of options that can be used by disabled consumers. The DPD app lets customers tailor their delivery preferences, including choosing a safe place, setting neighbour preferences, and using a textbox option, so drivers are fully briefed before every delivery. The app also lets customers track their parcels and receive a ‘You’re next’ notification’, giving people more time. For non-app users, its delivery notifications include similar options. DPD is developing a new option called ‘Need More Time’ for those who need a bit more time to get to the door, which will launch later this year.

Hermes told us many retailers allow customers to add delivery instructions at the point of purchase and this is carried through to its IT system and can be printed on the delivery label. Recipients of these parcels can change where they want to receive their parcels once the delivery journey has started via the app, the tracking email or the website. They can also choose a safe place and a specific place on their property. Customers can also provide delivery instructions via its web chat. Its couriers cover the same geographical area on their round(s) so get to know consumers well and can be responsive to their needs.

FedEx was approached for comment but did not respond prior to publication.

Royal Mail told us its postmen and postwomen generally know their customers’ needs well and benefit from significant local knowledge. It also monitors customer feedback to identify individuals that need extra support. It’s committed to continuously improving its services and has recently started to collect parcels from customers’ homes as well as delivering them, delivering on Sundays, and constantly refining estimated delivery windows to increase convenience.

UPS said when recipients receive a delivery notification before delivery, they have the option to sign up for UPS My Choice free of charge which allows them to provide advanced delivery instructions, such as leading the package in a safe location or delivering to a neighbour. Customers can also choose to have their package redirected to an UPS Access Point location, or can contact its customer service teams. It said it’s constantly evaluating ways to better serve its customers and meet their individual needs.

Yodel said it is committed to providing all customers with equal access to delivery services and it encourages anyone with special requirements to provide instructions online, via its app or by contacting its customer service team for support.