Delivery firm Yodel sorry over parcel delays

Thousands of worried families have been assured that Christmas gifts ordered online will arrive in time.

The boss of major courier company Yodel has vowed that deliveries hit by delays “will get back on track”.

Yodel is the second largest delivery firm in the UK and is one of the couriers used by Amazon, Waterstones and Boots, amongst others.

It was forced to temporarily suspend new collections from retailers and admitted parcels may be delayed by up to three days as it struggled to cope with a surge of online orders on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

The company’s executive chairman Dick Stead last night apologised for the problems.

He said: “You have to remember that from the order to delivery, there are a number of points in that chain.

“But the industry as a whole has got to do better in these circumstances.

“Again, I say apologies but we will get it back on track.”

The unprecedented surge in online shopping sparked chaos with warnings that those who have not yet done their Christmas shopping should consider hitting the high street rather than risk missing out on the web.

Consumer group Which? is campaigning to improve parcel delivery services.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd said: ”Consumers tell us they are put off buying online because of delivery issues.

“We want to see retailers make sure delivery services are first class, first time.”

Other delivery firms struggling to cope with demand include CityLink, which delivers parcels for Mothercare and John Lewis, and Hermes, which delivers for ASOS and Zara.

Hermes suffered a fire at one of its warehouses last week, sparking delays, but said it is “working flat out” to meet demand.

Marks & Spencer has warned customers that standard delivery could take up to nine days, four days longer than normal.

“Our customers are always our top priority and that is why we’ve extended some of our delivery options,” an M&S spokeswoman said.

“The vast majority of orders are delivered on time.”

As estimated £810 million was spent on Black Friday 50% higher than expected. Retail analysts say there are no guarantees this year presents will arrive in time.

“If you haven’t bought gifts for your loved ones yet, you may be better off hitting the high street,” said one.

A spokesman for Amazon said their orders continue to be processed and delivered in the normal time-frame.

A Waterstones spokesman said: “Some deliveries are taking longer than we would like. We are very sorry if this affects your order.”

A spokeswoman for Boots said: “We know how important it is for our customers, particularly at this time of year, to get their packages delivered on time.”