The boss of one of Burton's leading support organisations has issued a warning after shock new figures reveal how many online shoppers have had parcels lost, damaged or turn up late in the last year.

Citizens Advice Mid Staffordshire chief executive officer Dawn Green spoke out after it was revealed two in three people (69 per cent) who shop online have had parcels go missing, damaged or turn up late in the last year, according to new research by her organisation.

As summer sales season gets under way, Citizens Advice Mid Staffordshire (previously Citizens Advice East Staffordshire) says problems with late deliveries affect online shoppers the most - including those who paid for a premium service guaranteeing next day or named day delivery.

Other common issues include parcels being left in unsecure locations, such as inside bins, and unnecessary failed deliveries - where people waited at home for a parcel, only to receive a note saying they’d missed it.

Emily Sendell, digital support assistant for Mid Staffordshire, also fell victim to a problem delivery, saying: “Even in the office - I had a parcel left in our wheelie bin.

"It was a Monday and I was out that day until 11pm - luckily I thought to check the post that night as our bin day is Tuesday and it would've gone to the tip - £100 worth of clothes!

"I also had a parcel 'successfully' delivered and it was at our house number but three streets away - luckily they brought it to us.”

Citizens Advice is calling for people to take action over lost parcels
Citizens Advice is calling for people to take action over lost parcels

She said another colleague in Burton ordered a watch as a Christmas present and it was thrown over the gate. She claimed the company weren't willing to refund but she showed them a section of the Citizen’s Advice website and she was offered a refund in full.

A new report ‘Parcel delivery: Delivery services in the online shopping market’ published by the charity, highlights the problems people face resolving their delivery complaints.

More than half of people (54 per cent) don’t take any action if their parcel is late - such as complaining or asking for a refund.

Meanwhile of those surveyed a third of consumers who receive a damaged parcel don’t take action. For those that did try to complain, more than 40 per cent ran into problems - such as difficulty contacting the retailer or delivery company on the phone.

The research also found that half of consumers were unsure about who was responsible for the delivery of their parcel in the first place.

Citizens Advice’s consumer service helps people with around 2,600 parcel delivery issues each year. In 2016, more than 23,000 people also visited the charity’s website seeking help for parcel problems.

A common issue reported to Citizens Advice was parcels that had been left in rubbish bins.

One woman from Burton who came to Citizens Advice for help was on holiday when her parcel was left in a bin. When she returned the bin had been emptied and the parcel gone. When she tried to complain to the retailer she was told it was not their responsibility.

Another man ordered a car part online which was left in a bin that was emptied by the time he got home from work. He complained to the sender but they said it wasn’t their fault.

Dawn Green said: “Online shopping should be quick and convenient - but problems with delivery create unwanted hassle.

“Waiting at home for an item that doesn’t arrive is frustrating and time consuming - but our research shows many people aren’t taking action to resolve delivery issues, and others are running into problems if they do.

“Retailers are responsible for getting the parcel to the customer - and making this clearer to customers at the checkout could help them sort out problems quicker if deliveries go astray.”

Citizens Advice Mid Staffordshire suggests a number of measures to make it easier for consumers to sort out their delivery problems, including:

  • Asking retailers and parcel firms to explain more clearly on their websites what customers’ delivery rights are;
  • Setting up a quality mark scheme for parcel delivery firms that retailers could use to judge which offer the best service to their customers.

A survey of more than 2,000 online shoppers carried out in December 2016 reveals:

  • Thirty-eight per cent of people have had a parcel arrive late - including more than one in 10 (16 per cent) who paid for premium delivery service;
  • More than one in 10 have received damaged items;
  • More than one in five had a parcel go missing;
  • Twenty-eight per cent had a parcel left in an unsecure location; and
  • Twenty-eight per cent were at home but had a note through the door saying the parcel couldn’t be delivered.

How to solve online delivery problems

If your parcel doesn’t arrive when you expected it to...

Standard delivery: If you’re worried an item hasn’t arrived by the date agreed on your order, contact the retailer to find out where it is. The retailer is responsible for getting orders delivered to you, not the parcel company. If you didn’t agree a specific delivery date, it should arrive within 30 days of when you ordered it. You can cancel the order and get a full refund if it doesn’t arrive after 30 days.

Premium delivery: You can claim a refund for some of the cost of delivery. Legally, retailers only need to refund the cost of the cheapest delivery option - so if you paid for a premium ‘next day’ or ‘named day’ service, you may not get all your money back.

Your parcel is damaged
It is the retailer’s responsibility to make sure items arrive in good condition. Contact them about the damage and they will either offer to send you a new item or refund you.

Someone was waiting at home for the parcel, but a note said it couldn’t be delivered

Contact the parcel firm to arrange a redelivery, or alternatively if you don’t want it any more you can cancel the order, if it’s been less than 14 days since you bought it, and get a refund. Although legally you’re not entitled to compensation in this situation it's worth complaining to the delivery firm and retailer - they will value your feedback and may offer you a goodwill gesture.

Your parcel was left in an unsecure location

If you get a note saying your parcel has been left in a certain location but it isn’t there, the retailer should replace it or give you your money back. If you receive the item but aren’t happy with where it was left, complain to both the retailer and delivery firm. Although not legally obliged, they may offer you some sort of compensation as a goodwill gesture.