It's every shopper's nightmare- you've ordered a gift for someone and it hasn't turned up in time- what can you do?!
I'm writing this on behalf of ALL small businesses in the UK, by the way.
'Tis the season for late deliveries, missing parcels and bad weather delays. I'm pretty sure that most UK small businesses are finding their inboxes are awash with "Where's my order" enquiries.
In fact, I know this is the case because I spend enough time on Instagram and Facebook and I follow enough small businesses to know that it's a thing right now.
The Problem With Online shopping Is...
As small businesses, we are quite literally at the mercy of the postal system and delivery companies.
We pay them to do a job, and, Lord knows they try their best, but sometimes, items can get lost or delayed. More so than ever at this time of year, and more so this year than any of our 17 years in business.
Us small businesses have really been through it in the last 5 years with regards to delivery issues- we've faced postal strikes (remember them? They nearly killed my small business). Then there was a cyber attack on Royal Mail a few years ago that meant we couldn't ship anything to USA for months, right over the Christmas period (actual nightmare!). And then we had to deal with the whole GPSR thing- we could no longer send anything to EU or Northern Ireland until we found a rep (cue massive drop in trade and many sleepless nights for us). Oh, and then the Tangerine One brought in tariffs that stopped us sending anything to USA for actual months (USA orders made up about 30% of our income when that gem came in).
At least it's not that bad now, right?!
Most of the time, parcels will arrive a few days late and everything is fine. And most of the time, customers are understanding, patient and kind. We thank you for that.
So What Can You Do As A Customer If You Have A Late/Missing Parcel?
Here are our top tips for what to do when orders don't turn up in time, whether from us, or from any other business, because I'm 99% sure they're all feeling the same as us.
1- Contact the Seller to Find Out More
I cannot stress this enough, this should be the first thing you do. Don't go straight for the negative review. This helps literally no one. One-Star reviews should be saved for terrible customer service, rudeness and shoddy/ poor quality goods. If an item is late or lost, pretty please, with a cherry on top, give the seller a chance to put things right first.
2- Messaging the Seller- Top Tips To Get Help Quicker
Always contact the seller through the platform you ordered on. Link the enquiry to the order if you can. Sending a random Instagram message when you ordered through Etsy is making a lot of extra work for a tired seller. Help them find your order and they'll be more responsive, I promise.
Your message should include as much information as you can, including the full, correct delivery address. The seller's first step will almost certainly be to check that the address is correct, so be one step ahead of the game and save yourself 24 hours.
3- Be Kind, Always.
Remember, we're all just doing our best and our inboxes are all overflowing with enquiries. We are totally at the mercy of the postal Gods. Stop asking small businesses if they really did send your order out- of course they did.
4- Double Check That It's Not Been Left Somewhere "Safe"
There is always a chance that your item might have been left somewhere "safe" - so check with your neighbours and take a look in your recycling bins and sheds. If you have access to tracking and it says that the item has been delivered, but you clearly don't have the item, have a little hunt around, just in case.
Also ask your partner/ housemates- the number of times we've been contacted for missing post when it was actually just filed away by a helpful housemate...
5- Give Your Local Sorting Office A Shout
This one is especially important if you're not receiving ANY post at all. It's always a big red flag that there is a hold-up in your area. This could be staffing issues, weather or sheer weight of postal-traffic in your area.
2nd class deliveries no longer happen every day, so this is worth bearing in mind. There's always a chance that they have your item and it's just not made its way to you yet. They may even let you pick it up if you're nice to them!
6- Print a Free Gift voucher to Give Them Instead (until it arrives)
We have these free printable gift voucher templates that you can download and print at home. Simply print them off, write in the details and give to the recipient. It shows that you've thought of them, and avoids the awkward "well.. I got you a gift but it's not arrived yet" conversation. Get your free printable gift vouchers here.
I hope this helps! As a small business owner who is writing this from Christmas-order-crazy season, I thank you for being kind, patient and understanding, and most importantly, thank you for continuing to support small businesses.
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