Parcels being left on doorsteps without being siged for

MargeS

How are delivery companies getting away with leaving parcels on front door steps and claiming they were signed for?

Where do you stand legally if the parcel is stolen? You have no comback with the seller, as far as they are concerned they think their side of the contract is completed.

Eoinbmw

Just recently I had a parcel signed for and "delivered" to a completely different address by an post I only discovered after I received an email for Adidas telling me my parcel was delivered!

I contacted Adidas and they promptly refunded me thankfully as they are a responsible company!

You might not be so luck with other company's!

An Post can't even be contacted about such matters I actualy pulled the an Post driver a couple of days later and he went and retrieved the parcel and I had them return it as I already had re ordered the item!

Eoinbmw

It’s very handy for ordering black tar heroin off the darkweb. If a package does get intercepted then you can just claim you never signed for it and have no idea what it is.

Ger Roe

There is an unoccupied house on a road near me that has recently had it's letterbox sealed up (re-possessed by a mortgage lender) - the glass window beside the front door was piled high with mail and newspapers. Recently there were a few letters addressed to the long gone (decade or more) previous owner, just left on the doorstep - definitely a standard post delivery.

I took them and reposted as 'return to sender - address unoccupied'. I don't know why the postperson didn't do that anyway.

I recently was awaiting the delivery of a package worth €600 to my work address and opened up the office one morning to see a note from An Post saying that the package was left in the re-cycle bin outside the building. It was also the day the bin was due to be collected but luckily the bin truck had arrived before the postman, so it didn't end up on route to the re-cycle center. It was a close call though and would have been a whole heap of hassle for me to sort out.

I'm guessing there has been a dramatic increase of online shopping and delivery over the last two years, the prices have gone up and the service is under pressure to keep up with demand. I've noticed a lot of deliveries from one provider specifically employ random personnel driving their own private cars and no scanning equipment. The other one just leaves parcels and walks away, they don't even knock. Thankfully I have a smart doorbell so can always check back at the times they've called so I have some security backup.

(if I'm not going to be home I leave a note asking them to drop it around the back, there's a camera there too and less chance some passerby would spot an opportunity to swipe and run)

I've had a parcel put in my bin, on bin day. The company sent out a replacement. I have a motion triggered camera at my front door, and a lot of the time I see delivery drivers not even bother knocking. They just set down the parcel and move on - no delivery note or anything.

I am surprised that there is not more pressure put on delivery companies by sellers, as ultimately the cost falls on them. They probably just put it down to the price of doing business, which is not great for those of us waiting for a delivery. There was an undercover journalist got a job with Hermes in the UK last year, and what he filmed and reported was pretty shocking

Tech_Head

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058229149/parcels-being-left-on-doorsteps-without-being-siged-for

It’s “no contact” delivery due to COVID.

Their systems weren’t updated to give an alternative option. My postman will

mark it as signed but say “porch” on it so they know it was left unattended

Either way, if they don’t have your signature then saying it’s signed for doesn’t do much

If you do get into the situation where a parcel wasn’t delivered, contact An Post. Like a previous commenter said, I did this once and they got the parcel pack to me.

Gregor Samsa

It's always been this way. Here's a thread from 2010 with multiple examples: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2055978237/missing-post-the-postman-signed-for-it/p2 I think we're just noticing it more now as people get more things delivered to their homes. There was a time that courier companies really only did deliveries to businesses. Now, in my estate, you could set your clock by the DHL, UPS, Fastway and Amazon vans that do their rounds every single day. Plus an An Post parcel delivery in the morning and the regular postman in the afternoon. The drivers want to get done as quickly as possible, and don't want to be going back to the depot with a half full van and dealing with the paperwork of undelivered items and redeliveries, so they take shortcuts. Not an excuse, just an explanation. Most of the time it works out, I guess. But we're left picking up the pieces when it doesn't.

I had a CD delivered many years ago that the postman left under my doormat. I didn't know about it until I heard the crunch under my foot as I opened my front door. No idea why he did it, as it would have fitted easily though the letterbox.

Around here (a cul-de-sac in a very quiet estate), people look out for each other if things get left outside. I've often taken in stuff for my neighbour, and them for me. That's not to say that somethin couldn't be left outside the wrong house, stolen or damaged by the weather. But, unless the vendor was customer-centric like the Adidas example above, you'd have a bit of a battle on your hands to prove that you didn't get the item.

GreeBo

100% its down to COVID, but I suspect its here to stay.

BaywatchHQ

I like this as it means I don't have to have an awkward interaction with the driver.

Ubbquittious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118511769#Comment_118511769

Amazon vans? I have never seen one in Ireland, didn't know they were a thing.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118514387#Comment_118514387

Yeah, they're definitely in Ennis. They've only started showing up the past month or so. Grey Mercedes Sprinters with a blue Prime swoosh on them. One comes into my estate every day. I believe they're in Dublin too.

http://www.cvworkshop.ie/2020/08/amazon-announces-100-mercedes-e-sprinters-to-its-irish-fleet/

http://www.cvworkshop.ie/2020/08/amazon-announces-100-mercedes-e-sprinters-to-its-irish-fleet/

For Forks Sake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058229149/parcels-being-left-on-doorsteps-without-being-siged-for

First time dealing with Fastway OP? Still, at least count yourself lucky it was your doorstep, rather than a random one three counties over.

silver2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118511305#Comment_118511305

An post have to deliver to the address and will only return if it needs to be signed for.

As for them leaving in the recycling bin, I have the feeling you are making it up.

The reason is that we use an post and meet with their operations management a couple of times a year and under no circumstances will they leave a package in a bin unless specifically directed to by the recipient.

They also can track the exact location of where a parcel has been delivered down to 3m.

PaoloGotti

Personally I prefer them to drop at the door and go rather than not get my delivery. The odds of theft are slim in a gated mansion on sorrento drive.

Freddie Mcinerney

Happens in Cois Ghruda, Castletroy, Limerick all the time. Rain hail or snow.

Call for yere lucky dip.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515526#Comment_118515526

I’m sure an post do not ever leave parcels in the bin. But the courier companies do.

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118511774#Comment_118511774

I doubt it will be…

couriers deliver items of value…

jewellery, electronic goods, valuable artwork, pharmaceuticals on dry ice,…

if no proof of delivery exists, what’s to stop a courier pocketing diamonds worth thousands, or something less valuable that just might take their fancy ? any of the above left to the elements or to be half inched wouldn’t be good…leaving and delivery are not the same thing…

maybe some sort of non contact delivery where a courier can indicate by technological means that it’s been left then a customer can so the same via app when they receive it… put a name and squiggle a signature..

Courier doesn’t leave till he sees the app update and the customer take the box.

riclad

I would always get deliverys they ring the doorbell, ask me to sign on a small screen device, not paper, maybe they are adopting a no contact rule, an post gets paid to develiver letters if the box is closed they leave them near the door. I heard in the USA people follow the van and just take the package off the porch . Not everyone has the phone on all the time, or the battery may be low. When the delivery person arrives

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058229149/parcels-being-left-on-doorsteps-without-being-siged-for

They are getting away with it because no one is willing to pay enough for the delivery driver to care. They only make a few Euro per package so might not even earn a wage on a lot of deliveries, especially in rural areas or heavy traffic.

Not my signature item was never delivered. If the sender doesn't deal with it then charge back on CC/DC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515847#Comment_118515847

I've friends you used to be motorcycle couriers during the boom. The amount of expensive stuff they'd have left on their bikes was crazy. One had about 20kg of gold going to the Assaying office left on the back of his bike for a day, the courier companies would promise the customer direct delivery and then give the courier as many drops as they can carry. Others left expensive stuff in completely the wrong places and plenty was robbed. And that was when couriers where earning huge money, now they are earning feck all and are even busier

The courier companies don't care as they always low quote for the jobs and then pay the courier even less, the sender picks the company with the lowest quote. The couriers aren't paid enough to be waiting around for apps to update. You pay peanuts you get sh1t service.

AckwelFoley

DPD drivers sign the parcel C19 on the delivery

If the company sending the parcel requires further proof of delivery each signature POD file has a GPS location. ie the handset records GPS location. Now, while that doesn't physically show the package delivered, it does show driver was at the address at a time and date

Ger Roe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515820#Comment_118515820

My story is absolutely true ... It was an official An Post notification (delivery attempted doc), not completed with alternative collection details but with hand written note on back saying the package was in the bin. It was the second of two packages (sent at same time), the previous had arrived a week earlier, also attempted delivery before office was open, completed attempted delivery note was left in the letter box and the package was then collected at the local sorting office.

I had been to the sorting office twice during the week to track the progress of the second awaited package.

GreeBo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515847#Comment_118515847

If all that is needed, then why isnt it needed right now?

Couriers today are leaving valuable items on doorsteps, behind hedges and in bins all the time.

I dont understand why you think no more COVID restrictions will stop this attitude?

Skyrimaddict

I did laugh seeing this.

A ps4 pro was left in a box, under my door mat. Box was I think 20-30Cm high on its side, bright blue.

It was put under the door mat by Amazon driver, just comical.

Pity I didnt take a pic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515526#Comment_118515526

Rubbish.

i will never forget trying to find out where a parcel I was waiting on was, it was “delivered” but no sign inside or outside.

An Post got back to me later that evening after the delivery driver was back at the depot, it was in my recycling bin.

but you meet with the operations manager, so what do I know.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515847#Comment_118515847

Electronically scanned parcels geotag the scan.

Ever notice how the scans usually shows the location? It’s intended!

just means they can’t get away with as you say, pocketing the valuable and throwing the parcel into a ditch.

I remember once a postman was due to deliver a parcel, had been waiting for ages on this so I was anxious af for it. Anyway, I happened to be heading to the shop and he was doing the rounds in an estate near me, so I asked if he had anything for me? “Save ye going by the gaff needlessly!” (Was it fcuk save me waiting another half hour) 😂

but he said he can’t give it to me now cos he needs to scan it at my house or within a few hundred metres of my house for geotag.

didn’t need my signature or anything but it HAD to be scanned within the vicinity of my address.

TheWonderLlama

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515526#Comment_118515526

An post did the same thing to me, left a parcel in the recycling bin. he wrote a note on a pizza flyer, which someone also put into the recycling bin.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118514375#Comment_118514375

WTF is wrong with people that they can't handle a 2 second convo at their own front door. Jesus, lads.You don't even have to speak a lot of the time.

Sonics2k

I worked for a courier for a good bit during the pandemic's first few months.

Even now I know a few lads working there, and it's mad busy everywhere. Quite often you're basically told to just drop the parcel at the door as much as possible to save you standing around, and gods forbid you return anything to the depot. I think I returned items twice and I got in the neck from the boss when he saw.

Quite often those lads are under crazy pressure to get deliveries done on time, and waiting for someone to answer the door and sign for a package can be a big waste of that time. It's weird to say, but having done the job, it does add up.

Ger Roe

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118515526#Comment_118515526

20220124_153740.jpg

As said previously ... I am not making it up. Signature and location are obscured, but this was the note put in the letterbox about the €600 package delivered to a recycle bin.