Money News
Complaints by shoppers about the failed delivery of goods purchased online have risen substantially in recent weeks. And with the Christmas trading season well underway, they're set to go higher.
In the last 6 weeks alone Government advice service, Consumer Direct, has registered close to 3,000 complaints - a 29% rise on the same period in 2006.
The soaring number of complaints comes against a backdrop of accusations that postal workers have deliberately left 'you are out' messages at people's homes without bothering to check whether the package recipients are in or not.
The Royal Mail has strongly denied this claiming this isn't part of its standard practice at all. However, in what amounts to an admission that some packages will arrive late it has described 'isolated incidents' as 'unacceptable'.
A spokesman for Royal Mail said claims that postal workers have systematically failed to check whether homeowners are indeed at home have no credibility. Indeed, it says more than 2 billion letters and packages have been safely delivered over the Christmas period so far.
Consumer Direct essentially agrees, believing the increase in complaints having been blown out of proportion. It says the rise in complaints is due to the fact that more people have shopped online this year. For the people who've yet to receive all of their Christmas goodies it will be of little relevance.
27 December 2007 © Moneyextra.com
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