'Track Package'; what's the point?

[The Johnster]

My experience of the 'Track Package' feature has not been very re-assuring, and perhaps I have been unlucky with it but it does seem rather meaningless.  I recieved 3 items from eBay yesterday, which were 'estimated' to arrive on 1st Dec, and are still listed as being 'in transit'.  I have another allegedly scheduled for Monday, which has allegedly not yet been dispatched and which I have no faith whatsoever will turn up on Monday; had one like this two weeks ago but it arrived before it had apparently been accepted into the mail system.  Now, this is almost the perfect example of a first world problem, as the items invariably turn up eventually, but their arrival seems to be completely disconnected from the tracking informaion. 

 

It doesn't even serve the arguably useful purpose of indicating when an item should be expected so that one knows when things might have gone astray and need chasing up, all that happens is that the due date is missed, more often than it is hit, and you are left wondering if you should leave it for a few days, and how long a few days actually are!  It just causes concern when there is no need for concern!  The carrier, if you contact them, will simply repeat the information on the website, which you already have and know to be incorrect...

 

Had one earlier this week which was not given a Royal Mail tracking number so far as I could tell, but was delivered and stated to have been delivered with proof of delivery under a tracking number for another item, which had not been delivered, causing me some worry that I would not recieve the second item and be unable to say that it hadn't been delivered because RM had proof that an item connected to that tracking number had been delivered with proof.  Phoning RM during the restricted hours you are allowed to do this was a waste of time, nobody answered, so I had to undertake a complex journey to the other side of town, four buses including the return journey and three hours I'll never get back, to turn up in person at the sorting office counter.  The guy behind this assured me that the item I was chasing was out for delivery, and if not there when I got home would arrive 'tomorrow'; in fact it was waiting for me when I got home, but a wasted cross-town schlep and the uncertainty surrounding the whole thing was irritating.

[Sjcm]

As you say it's pointless as it basically depends on the seller and how bothered the deliverer is. I always completely disregard the estimated delivery date as it seems to be based on their despatch info.You can buy postage online with the tracking number provided and as soon as you type it in, it's shown as despatched on ebay, but that does not mean the courier actually has it and I often have a 1 or 2 day delay before they actually get round to getting it to the courier.  As someone who only provides a tracking number when it's actually in royal mail's hands I always type in the tracking number to see what it's showing and sometimes it comes up with an error and try later, sometimes I get "we've got it" message and I have often received delivery confirmation from the buyer before it's shown as delivered, so yeah it's more for the seller rather than an accurate tracking for the buyer.

[The Johnster]

There's a distinct disjoint between what I think is reasonable expectation (but, to paraphrase brave little Mandy, I would, wouldn't I?} and what actually happens, and this being the UK with a thousand years of peasant culture and doing what your betters tell you, we roll over and accept it meekly like the good little serfs we are...

 

To my view, a button that offers me the facility to 'track my package' suggests that there is a facility by which I can track my package, i.e. that I can go to RM/Evri/Amazon/whoever's website and find out where my package is, not perhaps in terms of a six-figure OS map reference but at least at what stage of it's journey between the supplier and me it has reached.  But in practice this imputed claim is somewhat mendacious, as I can't do that in any meaningful (meaningful to me, the recipient customer, that is) way.  I have come to realise that 'in transit' means 'we have no idea where your package is, but it left xxxx on this date...', and 'out for delivery' means much the same but on a more local basis.  You'd think that 'out for delivery' would mean it's on it's final ride in a van, but Tuesday's experience with RM, who at least provided me with a human being to speak to if I was prepared to go to considerable trouble to turn up at the counter, suggested that 'it' had been out for delivery since 07.43 the previous day and would be delivered either today or tomorrow. so 'out for delivery' means 'tracking number logged as ready to deliver': it does not, apparently, mean that the item is out for delivery in the way that I would understand that phrase to mean!

 

We are all, retailers/sellers, delivery companies, customers, at the mercy of the computers, and the computers must be right because they are computers, incapable of human error, aren't they?  The stuff turns up when it turns up, and there is a valid argument for ordering it and forgetting about it until it arrives.  But last Monday's debacle concerned a loco, an expensive item for me and something to worry about (Rapido Hunslet 16"), and RM texted me Monday am to inform me that the item had left Cardiff sorting office at 07.43 and would arrive by 19.00 and I assumed that that meant delivery that day.  As it was a loco, and I didn't want a) any chance of it going missing or b) to have to schlep two buses across town and two buses ba of a few hours to pick it up from the counter with the little card saying I wasn't in, I cancelled all plans until I had my piggy little chip fingers clutched around a Rapido 16".  Sure enough, about 20.15, I went out into the passageway (the building is flats and the passageway and stairwell are communal to see if anything had turned up and there was a packet one of the neighbours had put in my cubby for me.  I'd been listening for the knock all day, and so had The Squeeze who has much sharper hearing than me. 

 

Checked on the website and there it was, with the Hunslet's correct tracking number, delivered with proof of delivery (though what proof a picture of the packet in a postie's hand against a dark background constitutes is perhaps a matter of faith; the photo was indubitably the very packet I'd had delivered, but it was a 3D printed row of stone cottages, not a Hunslet.  What to do?  Forget it and let events take their course, it'll turn up eventually?  Not with something that costly!  Phone RM in the morning to sort out the confusion?  Ok, tried that, you can ring them or visit only between 7 and 9am or 5 and 7pm.  Rang at 07.30, stayed on the line until 9, and gave up.  It's xmas, RM are up it.  Ok, I can make use of a visit to Lord & Butler even if my wallet is screaming in terror at the prospect, and L&B is only a quarter mile from the Sorting Office, so took some sandwiches and set off on the expedition; crowded buses, and a couple of 'street' guys in the seat opposite on the Penarth bus who were none too fragrant, manky clothes, fags & cider, oh, what joy...

 

Tracking a package should increase your confidence in the delivery process, and it probably does for the carriers, but it actively destroys that confidence for everyone else.  Useless, but worse than that one is texted to be informed that things are going to be delivered but aren't, so a stress-generator as well.  First world problem to be fair, but I could still do without it!

 

[D9020 Nimbus]

The tracking provided by eBay is, at best, somewhat behind reality, but you can — after a lot of fiddling — get the tracking number which you can use on RM's website. In my area I've found that it usually is shown as "out for delivery" when it is out for delivery, although on one occasion an item was indicated as being "out for delivery" at two different times on the same day.

 

The best from my POV has been DPD. They email you on the delivery day when the van with your parcel leaves the depot, giving you a one hour window — and the tracking information on the website includes a live map showing your house and the van's positions, and a line saying "(Driver's name) is currently making delivery XX. Your delivery is YY. Estimated time to delivery is (time).”

[TheQ]

Track package..

Amazon, normally works fine, to the detail, I can see the van moving on the map.

 

Royal Mail, not to bad, but only goes from sorting point to sorting point. By the time they say it's out for delivery I've normally already got it.

 

DPD, works fairly well, but sometimes the tracker stops for a couple of days and reappears from a different direction. Good when it gets to being  local..

 

Ervi / Herpes, what a joke. Useless, it sits at the drop in point for days , eventually moves and often arrives long before it "goes out out for delivery" either that or it disappears into a black hole for days.

[TinTracks]

22 hours ago, The Johnster said:

crowded buses, and a couple of 'street' guys in the seat opposite on the Penarth bus who were none too fragrant, manky clothes, fags & cider, oh, what joy...

 Are you sure you didn't nod off and wake up here in Teesside?

 Regards, Rich (a reluctant smoggie)😉

[Bucoops]

Not ebay but I had a package from Slaters go walkies - there was no information on the tracking at all, it simply said would update when delivery attempted. Long story short - new neighbours had it delivered in error, and passed it to the old neighbours with other items, then they passed it to me.

 

If unscrupulous could probably claim for it being lost in the post.

[Tofufi]

On 10/12/2023 at 21:13, Bucoops said:

Not ebay but I had a package from Slaters go walkies - there was no information on the tracking at all, it simply said would update when delivery attempted. Long story short - new neighbours had it delivered in error, and passed it to the old neighbours with other items, then they passed it to me.

 

If unscrupulous could probably claim for it being lost in the post.

Regular 1st/2nd class only updates when delivery attempted.

 

Tracked 24/48 services are updated throughout their journey.

 

Both services rely on the postie scanning the parcel when they deliver. If they don't, the tracking won't complete and (in theory) unscrupulous people could claim the items aren't delivered. 

[PaulCheffus]

On 10/12/2023 at 21:13, Bucoops said:

Not ebay but I had a package from Slaters go walkies - there was no information on the tracking at all, it simply said would update when delivery attempted. Long story short - new neighbours had it delivered in error, and passed it to the old neighbours with other items, then they passed it to me.

 

If unscrupulous could probably claim for it being lost in the post.

Hi

 

That wasn't a tracked service as such and is what you get with just a proof of posting.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Bucoops]

1 hour ago, PaulCheffus said:

Hi

 

That wasn't a tracked service as such and is what you get with just a proof of posting.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

The franked label said Signed For.

[Gareth Collier]

Whenever I have something switch to "delivered" on online tracking through Evri/Yodel/Amazon what it actually means is it's been chucked on the doorstep in plain view of the world and a vague photos confirms I have it in my possession. As to the last part it all depends on if it's still there when I get home.

If I was dishonest I could claim non delivery in every case because a doorstep is not delivered, just abandoned.

Of course on occasion the "evidence" photo means a trip around the neighbours to see if you can find a front door the same colour as in the photo.

[PaulCheffus]

28 minutes ago, Bucoops said:

 

The franked label said Signed For.

Hi

 

That's not tracked in the way that Royal Mail 24 / 48 or special delivery are. All it means is that you have proof of delivery nothing more.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[Bucoops]

1 minute ago, PaulCheffus said:

Hi

 

That's not tracked in the way that Royal Mail 24 / 48 or special delivery are. All it means is that you have proof of delivery nothing more.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

Ok, but you have to put the number in on the "track your item" page on their website so from the consumer point of view, it's tracked.

[PaulCheffus]

5 minutes ago, Bucoops said:

 

Ok, but you have to put the number in on the "track your item" page on their website so from the consumer point of view, it's tracked.

Hi

 

As you can for proof of posting but its not tracked in the way you are expecting.

 

https://www.royalmail.com/sending/uk

 

Look at the more information for each service

 

Cheers

 

Paul

Edited December 12, 2023 by PaulCheffus

[Crosland]

6 hours ago, Gareth Collier said:

Of course on occasion the "evidence" photo means a trip around the neighbours to see if you can find a front door the same colour as in the photo.

We get regular posts on our local facebook page of the "that's my parcel, but it's not my door" kind. Often they are in the next town/village.

 

Evri are a total s**tshow around here. They seem to take the satnav "you have reached your destination" as having reached the exact address, without realising a postcode can cover quite a number of properties.

[The Johnster]

I had a check of my recent Bay purchases last night, and three items have arrived that have, according to the tracker, been dispatched but are not yet in transit...  I've paid for my stuff and I've 'ad my stuff, so no cause for complaint on that score, but I am far too old and 'traditional' to trust this new-fangled netty thingy (didn't feel entirel relaxed about the previous mail-order world either) and this sort of thing doesn't help.  Inevtitably, a lot of my purchasing for the layout is online, but I get nervous when expesnive items are involved, and need reassurance; meaningless, incorrect, and misleading tracking information provides plenty of it but in seriously negative quantities...

 

The proof of delivery photo of the other packet which RM delivered with the tracking number of the packet with the Hunslet in was definitely of that packet, but by the time it was delivered it was so dark that it was impossible to state that the porchway was the one to this building. 

 

I've a lasercut shop somewhere in the system as well, given a tracking number on the 4th, with an estimated delivery on the 7th.  RM cannot provide me with any more information about this thing, depsite having a tracking number, because 'we have not tried to deliver this item yet'.  Which brings me back to the question, what is the point of the tracking number, beyond presumably indicating when the item entered the system, but then again that's only my assumtion and it may mean something completely different.  No sign of my lasercut shop, and all the other stuff ordered at that time is here, so I'm a little concerned, but there will be absolulely nothing I can do to chase the thing up.  Can't get them on the phone and if I go down to the sorting office counter between 7 and 9am or 5 and 7pm the guy is only going to tell me that a tracking number has been issued and that I will be informed when the item is out for delivery, which may mean that it has been sorted for delivery but has not been taken out yet.

 

Pointless.

[The Johnster]

The shop dropped through the letterbox yesterday lunchtime.  I was not informed, and RM’s webby is still suggesting that I check it when the item is out for delivery.  Don’t think I’ll bother!

[Sjcm]

I'm currently experiencing Yodels tracking and to be honest I think I'd rather not know where it is😂.

 

Parcel was dropped off by seller on 28th December

Got to sellers Yodel local depot 29th

Got to yodel national hub 2nd Jan

Got to my local yodel depot 3rd jan and still there currently

 

To be honest I'm in no hurry, it's post christmas and it's only a day off its estimated delivery but if you were in a hurry you'd wonder why their local depots take so long to move stuff.. For comparison I ordered something on the same day via Royal Mail 2nd class, no tracking and that arrived Wednesday.

 

Edit: probably worded that wrong. I'm not unhappy with yodel at all.  7 and a half days for standard post at this time of year with a national holiday in the middle is not bad service imo. Was just an illustration that tracking can actually decrease your satisfaction because you see all the delays you wouldn't see if it went into the not tracked blackhole.

Edited January 5 by Sjcm
Badly written post

[Tofufi]

5 hours ago, Sjcm said:

I'm currently experiencing Yodels tracking and to be honest I think I'd rather not know where it is😂.

 

Parcel was dropped off by seller on 28th December

Got to sellers Yodel local depot 29th

Got to yodel national hub 2nd Jan

Got to my local yodel depot 3rd jan and still there currently

One Yodel parcel I received last year was dropped off by a GSF (car parts) delivery driver who found it on the pavement a mile or two away...

 

I'm currently waiting on one loco which was dispatched on 28th by Royal Mail tracked 48, but no tracking uploaded.  Other items posted since have all arrived. Wish I could see the tracking for it, as it's not an easy thing to replace!

Edited January 5 by Tofufi

[Tofufi]

On 05/01/2024 at 14:59, Tofufi said:

I'm currently waiting on one loco which was dispatched on 28th by Royal Mail tracked 48, but no tracking uploaded.  Other items posted since have all arrived. Wish I could see the tracking for it, as it's not an easy thing to replace!

And just in case anyone was waiting on tenterhooks... my Caprotti Black 5 (high running board) arrived this lunchtime... with a posted date of 2 days ago (seller must have marked it despatched a week before they sent it). 😆

[Sjcm]

mine is now in its 4th day of getting the 15miles from the depot to my address. if I knew they delivered on foot, I could have saved the guy the walk and met him half way.

[Sjcm]

My item is now officially missing, so if you want to track your item to the point where it disappears into the Bermuda triangle of parcels (Somewhere near lichfield) I heartedly recommend Yodel. 😂