Rant - Bute's gone missing in the post.

[criso]

I got a prescription for bute recently to try and save some money by buying online.
The best price I got was from Pet Drugs Online There was the usual banner saying free delivery if you spent more than a certain amount which I had factored in when comparing prices. When I ordered free postage was selected by default and I didn't change it. Yes it was estimated 3 - 5 days and there were faster options, but I had two weeks before I ran out so wasn't in any hurry.

I wasn't wildly impressed when I ordered on the thurs and wasn't posted till the following Weds, but still OK and plenty of time.

When it still hadn't arrived after the weekend I decided to see if I could see where it was in the system. When I looked at my order history to try and find a tracking number I realised the address was wrong.

When I registered I opted for the tick box to use the billing address as the delivery address but when I looked at the order the address there was different in one crucial way. The delivery address was missing the street name and building number. So I had a flat number and a street.

So I contacted the company so they could correct it and their attitude was tough, nothing they could do as there was no tracking. if I had wanted security on it I shouldn't have left it as the default post but opted for 1st class. I frequently add signed for when I send things and you can do this 2nd class.

My mistake was I assumed as a prescription only medicine it would have been sent as signed for and there would have been some level of security. I've only ordered drugs from my vets before and I know they send everything signed for because they are POM so it never occurred to me I would have to pay extra. They won't even send a prescription without a signature so my mistake was that assuming a company that specialises in supplier drugs would be equally careful.

All they've offered is if it's returned to them they can send it out again

 

[Beausmate]

Do you know which courier they used? Might be worth contacting them to see if they have your parcel in a depot still. Undelivered items are sometimes held for a couple of days, depends on the company.

 

[criso]

They didn't use a courier just royal mail.

Local delivery office won't 'discuss' mail with you unless you have a "we tried to deliver card". Said it's up to the sender to query it.

 

[Beausmate]

Ah. Undelivered Royal Mail stuff goes to Belfast, then back to sender (if they find it!) and can take a while to return. I had a parcel sent to work, no problem normally, but the sender addressed it to my maiden name, work said 'who?' and the postie took it back to the sorting office. I just missed it Bloke behind the counter had a good laugh about it and said I'd be lucky to see it again! It arrived back at the sender's (in one piece!) about a month later.

Could you get another prescription? Don't suppose you can get the order cancelled and your money back until they receive the bute back. Bums.

 

[criso]

Well if they'd addressed it correctly in the first place it would have been OK.

The address on my account is correct, it's just on that order that it's different, it looks like address line 1 has been printed out but not address line 2 which is where the street and building number is.

It's only been a week so I'll give it a few more days and then look at opening a paypal dispute.

 

[smellsofhorse]

You can claim from royal mail if something goes missing.

Dont give up, keep on at the company.
Its not good customer service if they wont help.

 

[EmmasMummy]

If you put in the address correctly, but their system messed up then its up to them to sort it. They will have to pursue royal mail and also issue you a refund.

 

[PandorasJar]

^ this.
I'd be spitting feathers.

 

[criso]

Currently they are still telling me to try the delivery offices even though I have tried to explain that they won't talk to me and it's up to the sender to follow up missing post not the recipient.

I still can't believe they send out restricted items like POMs without any tracking or signatures required.

 

[PandorasJar]

No legal obligation to criso.
Just suitable sealed packaging and the senders return adress on there. It's far cheaper for them to chance it when they're paying delivery and fob you off

 

[criso]

Signed for recorded costs 95p

To compare I ordered something from Feedmark yesterday as they had a special offer.

Goods cost less, weighed alot more (just under 2kg) and qualified for free delivery. This morning I got a text with the name of the courier company, tracking number and the day they were going to deliver. And a number to text to arrange a different day if that wasn't convenient.

 

[Boulty]

If the address on your account is correct and it's their messing up that's caused this then I'd keep pushing for them to sort it (yes you should've checked details at point of order but if they hold the correct address and you tick the box for them to use this then you would expect them to be able to have it put in correctly). Even if it's not signed for there should still be some insurance on it (can't remember how much, may not be full value but it'll be something) and they should have some proof that it was posted at their end which they should be able to use to claim whatever it's insured up to from royal mail.