Missing the delivery of a parcel

TL;DR

• Delays in parcel delivery can occur due to disruptions, holidays, or traffic.
• Use Flexible Changes to reschedule delivery if you won’t be at the address.
• Book shipping in advance to avoid issues and ensure you’re available for delivery attempts.
• If unreachable, parcels are held at a depot for five days before being returned.

Whether you are going abroad for a vacation, leaving the country to move to another, or leaving for a semester abroad, it may happen that the delivery you were expecting won’t be there on time for you to get it.

A delay in the delivery of a parcel may be caused by several reasons such as major disruptions, the busy schedule of the driver, bank holidays or just traffic. It is unlucky, but chances are you will need to postpone the delivery date. 

Which is the best way to proceed if the consignee will no longer be at the delivery address where the parcel is delivered? 

A suitable option if you are unsure you or the consignee will be able to be at the delivery address is to opt for a Flexible Changes booking. If you didn’t add this service when you placed the order, you can still amend the address by contacting us. 

This will give you the opportunity to re-schedule the delivery of the parcel to a different address, as long as it is located in the same country as the original one. Nevertheless, this will give you the reassurance of your parcel being delivered to someone you trust on your behalf. 

There are few tips that can assure you to be on the safe side when it comes to shipping 

The first suggestion is to place an order with some advance: if you know you are due to leave the country on a specific date, be sure you start organising your shipping on time, remembering that weekends shall not be counted as working days. You can easily estimate the standard delivery time using our tool. 

This will not only save your time (and nerves) but also give you the chance to be there for the second delivery attempt. Most of the courier companies indeed will re-schedule the delivery on the next business day. 

If you really cannot make it, consider asking the courier to deliver the parcel to the neighbors. 

What happens to the parcel if the consignee is unreachable? 

After one or more unsuccessful delivery attempts, the parcel will be sent to the closest courier’s depot or a parcel shop: in such cases, the package will be kept for a maximum of five working days. 

While at the depot, you can arrange someone to go and get it for you: depending on the situation, the person in charge of the pick-up will need to present a mandate or a certificate that legally allows him to do it on behalf of the original consignee. 

Remember that after the 7 working days at the depot, the courier company will send the parcel back to the collecting address. In that case, the shipping is considered as completed and you will need to arrange a new booking to an address you know the courier can reach you. 

Still have questions?

Check our articles that answer the most common questions about shipping.