Delivery by Hermes from eBay (the same problem again)

[hayfield]

Now I am a firm customer of both the Post Office and the Royal Mail, they do in most cases do a first Class job in both delivering the items I sell and those I buy. Recently alternative delivery services have had a lot of press, mostly poor or bad. I have had a few examples from a super service with my phone where I could even track the van it was in to those without uniforms using old private cars in early evenings

 

I won an item on Sunday afternoon and paid before 7 pm. £3 P&P which is very reasonable with delivery 5 to 7 working days

 

Late last night (Tuesday) I received notices from Hermes track your parcel and eBay stating the item has been dispatched via Hermes

 

On checking the Hermes site Wednesday morning Hermes states "awaiting courier pick up or parcel drop off"

 

Now call me thick but to me the item has not been sent yet !!, Hermes does say track your parcel giving the impression of its on its way and eBay clearly states its been dispatched, this may be partly the fault of the seller jumping the gun

 

I do not state the item has been dispatched until its in the hands of the Post Office/Royal Mail as I believe I have not sent the item until its in the system

 

Hermes is quoting 2 to 3 working days but can be up to 5 working days, so should they state 2 to 5 days ? I chose to send first class and in most cases the Royal Mail deliver the next day, judging from both messages and feed back I receive

 

Now lets see how well they do, as far as I am concerned they started the clock running last night, so 12 hours and 16 mins have elapsed so far

[Metr0Land]

It MAY not be Hermes (or any other carrier's fault).  One of the 'improvements' of the ebay system in recent years is the ability to print off dispatch labels from within the ebay system in your own home/office.  Trouble is, ebay immediately records this as 'sent' despite the fact that it's sitting waiting to be taken to the PO or the courier to call.

 

eg you win something at 5pm on Saturday and the seller already has it wrapped for posting or wraps it quickly.  Print an address label and hey presto the ebay system tells the buyer it's dispatched, despite the fact it can't possibly go anywhere until Monday morning at the earliest.

[Metr0Land]

 

Late last night (Tuesday) I received notices from Hermes track your parcel and eBay stating the item has been dispatched via Hermes

 

On checking the Hermes site Wednesday morning Hermes states "awaiting courier pick up or parcel drop off"

 

On re-reading there's another problem on top of the ebay one caused by Hermes quite poor use of English.  They did steal a march on PO by being able to track low priced items with a tracking number.  Trouble is, in their computer programming they only seem to have small number of characters in which to tell you what's going on and their explanations don't make a lot of sense (sometimes) until you've used them a few times and know what the explanations at the various stages of transportation actually mean!

 

In the example you gave 'awaiting courier to pick up parcel' seems quite reasonable to me in that you know they have been contacted and a (wo)man with a van will call at the seller's to collect.  The alternative would seem to be either total silence until it's collected (which IMHO is the worst thing you can do to a customer) or for the seller to contact you saying what's going on, but not many people do that, thinking that you've been advised by 'the system'. However your and my understanding of the sytem's English isn't necessarily the same as theirs.

 

I know courier's vary tremendously but I have to say that both in High Wycombe where I used to live, and here in west Wales they've been very good.  I know from other people's complaints they can be bad in inner cities.

 

Given your initial expectation was 5 to 7days for £3 from 7pm Sunday I'd be inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt until the deadline's reached.  As stated above, if you track it daily the explanations are not very end-customer oriented, but my wife and I just treat it as 'something's happening' then 'something more is happening' etc up to delivery.

[JohnR]

I have had a recent experience of Hermes via an amazon purchase I made last week. 

 

The parcel was sent out last week, but seemed to take several days to get to our area. It went out for delivery on Monday. At the time they claimed delivery was attempted, there was someone in the house, and no call was made. No "Sorry we tried to deliver your item" card was left either. Their website said that delivery would be attempted Tuesday. 

 

On Tuesday, again there seemed to be no attempt to deliver the item to our address, and no card through the letter box either. The website, however, said the item had been delivered to our address and signed for by me (I wasnt in the house, my wife was). The lack of a card saying where it HAD been delivered was worrying.

 

Eventually, one of our neighbours came around with the parcel, wondering why we hadnt called around... well, if we knew where it was we would have done!

 

I know this is just one experience, but its not a good one. 

[hayfield]

Thanks both for your replies

 

The message has changed as its been delivered to the parcel shop at 10:30. In my terms in has now been posted, having paid for it on Sunday and posted on Wednesday via economy service the seller is actually limiting Hermes ability to deliver on time, and before anyone starts bleating on about not being able to post on certain days, or delays in posting may occur, there are no such comments on the listing

 

I do accept part of the problem may lie  with eBay stating its posted when only a postage label has been printed which in itself is misleading, but Hermies email if not read correctly also gives the impression its on its way 

 

Still lets see what now happens

[Metr0Land]

Thanks both for your replies

 

The message has changed as its been delivered to the parcel shop at 10:30. In my terms in has now been posted, having paid for it on Sunday and posted on Wednesday via economy service the seller is actually limiting Hermes ability to deliver on time

 

I think you're being a bit hasty here.  You accepted that £3 for 5 to 7 working days was acceptable to you.  That doesn't expire until close of play next Tuesday?

[Keith George]

Perhaps I am lucky, but I never get any problems with Hermes, either sending or receiving.

 

It is the Post Office I get problems with, regularly getting letters in my letterbox addressed to the next road.

 

Completely different postcode. I thought postcodes were supposed to prevent such things.

 

Keith.

[hayfield]

I think you're being a bit hasty here.  You accepted that £3 for 5 to 7 working days was acceptable to you.  That doesn't expire until close of play next Tuesday?

 

 

Past experience !!. And 3 days to send?

[jonny777]

I have had this experience with a number of parcels in the past. I think the confusion stems from the ability to drop the parcel off at a myHermes collection point, in my case the local Co-op convenience store just down the road.

 

As far as I am concerned the item has been sent on its way, but how long it might be before it is picked up by a Hermes delivery/collection van I can't predict.

 

In more outlying areas it may sit in the shop (or wherever) for days waiting to be collected.

[Kylestrome]

In Germany the Hermes service is only available in local shops, usually 'corner shops' and tobacconists. I expect it is the same in Britain. Parcels are usually picked up once a day. At my local shop the parcel collection is at one o'cock which means, if I deposit a parcel at any time after that, it will not be collected until the next day. Despite this, I would still mark an eBay item as 'sent' because it is 'in the system' just as it would be if I'd left it at the post office.

 

Additionally, Hermes is not the fastest of services but, in the five years that I have used the service, I have only once had a problem with them and that was in a country where they do not actually do the delivery themselves. Also, their tracking website is not always kept absolutely up to date, but this is also a problem with DHL (Deutsche Post).

[Keith George]

In my local collection shop, in Bristol, parcels are also collected every afternoon.

 

Keith.

[Metr0Land]

Past experience !!. And 3 days to send?

 

But it's not 3 days to send.  On your accounts here, the guy looks to have had the parcel wrapped ready for dispatch and to have contacted Hermes to collect the parcel in one-point-something working days*. 

 

Post sale you seem to have added a contractual term of your own that you want it in the hands of the courier before Weds, when from your own accounts you contracted with the seller to have it with you in 5 to 7 working days for £3.

 

 

Edit:  *From what you have told us am assuming that's when he input the tracking number into ebay and when ebay consider it dispatched.

[Horsetan]

.......Hermes is not the fastest of services ....

 

I'll say!!

 

I once had to wait 26 days for a parcel that Hermes had assured the sender would take 48 hours. The sender almost went bald in the process of trying to find out where the parcel was!

[Kenton]

 

Hermes states "awaiting courier pick up or parcel drop off"

 

Now that is what I call a rather useless statement!

 

What the customer wants to know is

1] when was it picked up from the seller

2] When did it get put into the delivery van that has now left the depot

two quite separate events. (just because it has been collected doesn't give any idea of delivery, or where the parcel is held up.)

 

We seem to get a daily delivery in the close from the "Hermes Lady" as she is affectionately known. A couple of our neighbours are shopperholics (one with a serious problem) and as we are both known to be at home most days they frequently end up here. Unlike UPS and others she leaves a note at their house that it has been delivered. Judging by that I would rate their service as very good.

 

But remember most of these couriers (aka CityLink) are not employees, are self-employed or franchisees and so have little loyalty/training and a great variety of work ethics.

[ParkeNd]

This really does seem to be making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

Hermes is typically a 3 complete working days service. The sequence of events visible are usually something like :-

 

Awaiting collection by Hermes - the service has been ordered but we haven't got it yet.

 

Collected by Hermes and on the way to a Hermes Hub.

 

On the way from a Hermes hub to a point local to you.

 

Collected from that point by a nice little old man in a car.

 

Delivered.

 

This service might be initiated at say 6pm on a Monday and arrive at your house Thursday mid-day.

[Fat Controller]

We just had a delivery from Land's End (Melton Mowbray), delivered by Hermes; despatched 01:08 Tuesday morning, arrived about 16:30 Wednesday.

[hayfield]

But it's not 3 days to send.  On your accounts here, the guy looks to have had the parcel wrapped ready for dispatch and to have contacted Hermes to collect the parcel in one-point-something working days*. 

 

Post sale you seem to have added a contractual term of your own that you want it in the hands of the courier before Weds, when from your own accounts you contracted with the seller to have it with you in 5 to 7 working days for £3.

 

 

Edit:  *From what you have told us am assuming that's when he input the tracking number into ebay and when ebay consider it dispatched.

 

Paid on Sunday postage paid on Tuesday evening, delivered to the shop Wed am picked up by Hermes on Wednesday PM, 3 days have elapsed. Now OK the seller dragged their feet for 2 days, but Hermes seem only to collect once a day. Now they might surprise me and deliver tomorrow or Friday, but I am not holding my breath. I do not see your 1.something as it was not delivered to the pick up point till Wednesday. I and others are seeing the other side of the argument. OK its economy delivery, in my terms its second class post which the Royal Mail takes 2 days to deliver, and I guess at the same cost (Royal Mail £2.80)

 

Normally I am able to post on a Monday morning due to shift pattern and the Royal Mail's first pick up from the Post Office I think is 11;00 am However it is not uncommon if I cannot post till late afternoon it still arrives the next day,providing I get my skates on and get there before 5, but that's me. As I said unless stated I would expect it to take a few days. But more importantly will Hermes be as good as the Royal Mail

 

Now I am old school (that's what they tell me at work) and my dad always told me to treat every one else how I would like to be treated. I realise that not everyone is able (or be bothered) to post the next working day (and I do work), but I always try to do that. I also try to send out a courtesy message in thanking the buyer and confirming I have posted the item. As I said I am also happy to buy if the seller states they for what ever reason cannot post immediately. Same with postage I don't mind the seller putting extra on for packing etc, as I just reduce my maximum bid accordingly.

 

But I am just looking to see what can we expect from an alternative courier in delivery standards, do they match up with the Royal Mail

 

Now one benefit is that Hermes are telling me what is (or not) my item has been doing. In this case its been received at the local depot at 15.58. Now I am guessing its either in the local depot on its way from the local depot to the national hub. But according to Hermes its status is collected not on its way

[hayfield]

 

 

  Now that is what I call a rather useless statement!

 

What the customer wants to know is

1] when was it picked up from the seller

2] When did it get put into the delivery van that has now left the depot

two quite separate events. (just because it has been collected doesn't give any idea of delivery, or where the parcel is held up.)

 

We seem to get a daily delivery in the close from the "Hermes Lady" as she is affectionately known. A couple of our neighbours are shopperholics (one with a serious problem) and as we are both known to be at home most days they frequently end up here. Unlike UPS and others she leaves a note at their house that it has been delivered. Judging by that I would rate their service as very good.

 

But remember most of these couriers (aka CityLink) are not employees, are self-employed or franchisees and so have little loyalty/training and a great variety of work ethics.

 

 

Trust Kenton to have a Hermies Lady, must live in a posh place.

[hayfield]

This really does seem to be making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

Hermes is typically a 3 complete working days service. The sequence of events visible are usually something like :-

 

Awaiting collection by Hermes - the service has been ordered but we haven't got it yet.

 

Collected by Hermes and on the way to a Hermes Hub.

 

On the way from a Hermes hub to a point local to you.

 

Collected from that point by a nice little old man in a car.

 

Delivered.

 

This service might be initiated at say 6pm on a Monday and arrive at your house Thursday mid-day.

 

 

If that's the case I will be very happy, not as good as the Royal Mail but quite acceptable

[hayfield]

We just had a delivery from Land's End (Melton Mowbray), delivered by Hermes; despatched 01:08 Tuesday morning, arrived about 16:30 Wednesday.

 

Brian

 

That's a first class service, similar to the one I received from Vodafone with my mobile, somehow don't think I will be as lucky this time

[Crosland]

Late last night (Tuesday) I received notices from Hermes track your parcel and eBay stating the item has been dispatched via Hermes

 

On checking the Hermes site Wednesday morning Hermes states "awaiting courier pick up or parcel drop off"

 

Now call me thick but to me the item has not been sent yet !!,

 

I would say it has been sent. Seller drops it off at local Hermes agency on Tuesday, missing that days Hermes pickup. It is immediately scanned and a tracking number issued. Seller gets home and marks it despatched on Ebay. Seems perfectly reasonable to me. It is now "in the system".

 

Some time later on Wednesday, after you checked, it is picked up by Hermes.

 

The Hermes staus seems suitably vague to cover all bases

 

With Ebay listings there is also a parameter for the time it will take the seller to despatch. I believe the default is 3 days. This must be added to the promised service for the chosen delivery method. It doesn't show up on all listings, however, so I'm not quite sure how that works. What were the estimated delivery dates for the auction you are taking issue with?

 

Many post offices now have extended opening hours. If I drop off a parcel at the post office I consider it "despatched" even though Royal Mail will not collect it until the next day (or day after if it's saturday). As far as i care, it is in the system. So considering "Post office~local Hermes agency", "Hermes~Royal Mail" and "local friendly Postie"~"Hermes lady" the two systems are actually very similar, apart from, perhaps, execution time and user perceptions/prejudices.

[Horsetan]

.....If I drop off a parcel at the post office I consider it "despatched" ....

Exactly, because you no longer possess it!

[hayfield]

Crossland 

 

Thanks for the reply, firstly eBay jumped the gun as the seller bought the postage label on the Tuesday night, dropping it off on the Wednesday just before 11 am. it was picked up by Hermes just before 4 pm and collected by the local depot, but as Hermes state its not on its way yet as it has not reached the national hub.

 

Now full marks for Hermes unlike the Royal mail as there is an electronic footprint of what has happened, perhaps too much info. But the good old Royal Mail would have it speeding on its way by now (I am only a satisfied customer of both companies) And I am now off to the post office to see the very nice man behind the counter.

 

No prejudices at the moment !! and it may be a preference rather than prejudice

[hayfield]

Exactly, because you no longer possess it!

 

 

Exactly what I have been saying, either in the post office or post box, but not sitting on the table at home

[Lady_Ava_Hay]

I use Hermes. About 100 times in the past 9 months.

 

I think their system needs some explanation.

 

When you buy and print the label, during that process Ebay will show dispatched unless you have deleted the parcel from 'imported shipments' in the Hermes account page. Hermes will then mark the parcel 'awaiting collection/drop off' You pay extra for collection and for a small volume seller it makes no sense unless the parcel is heavy and again you pay extra for that with a 5kg overall weight limit.

 

When the courier comes or you go to a corner shop drop off the parcel barcode is scanned. This is immediately shown on the Hermes account as 'parcel collected' This is the first time that Hermes have seen the parcel and you the seller will have had to have packaged the parcel and attached the pre-paid label. So for a number of parcels this could well be late in the day.

 

The Hermes courier will call at your home or at the drop off point once his van is empty of all the deliveries he has made. yes this is usually after 1pm but could be later.

 

The parcel is off loaded at the hub and mine is about 25 miles away in the next town. I have experience that one of my parcels was destination in that town and it was delivered the following morning!

 

At the hub parcels are sorted and put on an overnight service to other hubs, sorted into van runs which are on the label and loaded onto the van that is going to your buyers address. As it is scanned into the van the Hermes account shows 'with courier for delivery'

 

Once delivered it is scanned again and then shown as 'delivered'.

 

Hermes say they will deliver within 2 or 3 days ONCE THEY HAVE THE PARCEL and I must say that that seems to be the case.

 

Less than half the buyers leave feedback to tell you it is there and they are content.

 

I have some stories to tell about Hermes but they aren't relevant to this thread and in general I think they do a better job than the Post Office and are usually cheaper.