DPD have just changed their UK delivery from;

Try once, Try Twice, Advise, Return
to

Try once, deliver to a parcel ‘shop’ and return (at the senders expense)

It used to be that (as a sender) we could choose after two attempts to either return the parcel or perhaps just choose to leave it safe - a typical choice if the goods were worth less than the return postage.

Now the driver attempts to deliver and then dumps the parcel at a local collection spot. As the sender we have no in flight options, we cannot request a redelivery, either the customer goes and collects it or we are forced to pay to have the parcel returned.

It’s sheer madness - We used to pay for two attempts at delivery - Now that is one, We used to get the chance to leave the parcel safe, now we are forced to pay for it’s return.

Both Parcelforce and Royal Mail (tracked24/48) operate a deliver once and wait for instructions, but at least we as the sender to get the chance to re-deliver, or deliver to a different address.

It’s such a serious issue that we are having to divert 150+ parcels each week away from DPD. They have gone from being what I considered just about the best delivery company to one of the worst.

Oh and obviously as any Amazon customer knows, if their parcel gets delivered ‘somewhere close’ to where they live. They just demand an immediate refund. I cannot see how DPD’s delivery policy meets Amazon’s expectations.