The day is dreich, rain much of the morning and little fun to be had although these two on the neighbours roof appear content. I wandered around Sainsburys attempting to find things, they have moved everything for reasons unknown, and enjoyed the battle with old men driving trolleys they did not understand, old women barging into you as if you did not exist, ignorant women gossiping where you wished to obtain things, they then glare at you when you insist they move is a straightforward manner, crowds desperate for goods they already have too much off and little me in the middle of this. A mad rush next Monday or Tuesday for the goods that will cover Christmas, I expect that if any store opens on Boxing Day the same people will be back in again filling the trolley while grumbling about lack of cash.
I meanwhile was merely concerned to meet the Amazon man who attempted to contact me yesterday. I found him today, blocking the pavement and struggling with the ipad type computer that requires a heavy thump to work properly. Interestingly his had a crack on the screen and after his fifth attempt to get the screen to change I understood why. Poor man was trying his best. As he was delivering a bottle of 'Highland Park' whisky all the way from Orkney they now insist my date of birth is recorded, just in case kids drink it I suppose. This took longer than driving all the way from Bulgaria where I deduce he came from, his screen had Cyrillic writing, and Russians are all living of Putin's money so I suspect Bulgarian is his nationality. Eventually the deed was done, he passed on his way with his white van and 500 more drops across Essex to deliver, the rain and ipad not helping. I know how he feels, I have been there, and I sympathise with him and all those others racing around crowded streets for little pay.
I failed to tip him right enough...
I've spent the day looking through this window for the delivery from Amazon. Using 'Amazon Logistics' whatever that is, they have my book out last night for delivery today (hooray!). This means sending it to the local carrier at Basildon (a hundred miles away) and then he leaves the depot just after ten in the morning to deliver. This sounds acceptable even if the depot is clearly too far away. The 'OPD' vans come from Chelmsford thirty minutes drive away! Recalling my delivery experience I know he would arrive here around lunchtime so I await developments.
Now 'OPD' offer a guide on the laptop indicating what time the van will arrive and this I have found works near perfectly. Amazon do not offer this. The tracking on the laptop indicates he has left the depot and 'it's out for delivery.' It gives no indication of time.
Clearly 'OPD' win hands down.
Royal Mail deliver between nine in the morning until lunchtime, though often it can be much later, and with the sorting office being in town it can be reached if I was out and had to collect. There is no chance of getting to Basildon!
Late afternoon I go on to Twitter and bleat re non delivery from Amazon. Short time later an answer from Amazon Help " Our couriers deliver until 21:00! Please keep us posted on the delivery! ^MT"
Deliver up till 21:00!!!!
You expect me to wait until NINE at NIGHT for a delivery!!!???
I sent my deliver no to them and got the reply that Amazon Help do "not have access to account info on Twitter!" Then what is the point of being on Twitter or being Amazon Help?
I made it clear that of it is not delivered by Six the door will remain closed and I will cancel the order. I can get books from elsewhere and have them delivered on time.
Tonight I will be watching the Dundee Derby and do not expect to be taken out of my bed (where I will watch it in comfort) to answer the door to a drookit delivery man offering me a parcel in the dark.
A quick search for 'Amazon Logistics, Basildon' reveals a whole host of complaints about bad delivery, non delivery, lies re delivery and another failing company taking on more work than it can handle. It has too few drivers, too many inexperienced men and far too big a delivery round for them to complete. In short a shambles and it is all Amazons fault! Incompetence at the top using a company on the cheap and not equipped or competent enough to do the job. This ought to have been sent out on Monday (I ordered the book on Sunday) and it would have arrived today by post if Royal Mail was used. This is a gift for another and that makes it worse. If I realised both Amazon and Amazon Logistics (previously called APLE) were such cheapskates I would have gone into town and bought one from Waterstones! If they insist on using this inept company I will never use them Amazon again!
It's coming up to six O'clock and I am off to prepare for football!
Addendum!
I had just posted this and settled back to work out the grub situation when there was a knock on the door. My knees and I struggled down while again the door was rapped yet when I got there he was off up the road again! I called far from cheerily and he returned with my precious book.
It was as he struggled in the rain to get his failing computerised device to register that I began to feel sorry for him. A recent immigrant I thought, desperate for legitimate work, being used by the employer and now knowing the grumpiness of the public! I found it difficult to abuse him however I will be reluctant to use Amazon Logistics ever again as the link on Amazon UK to complaints covers several years and clearly nothing is being done about this.
Still now I feel relaxed, at 18:15 hours!
