Major retailers and delivery firms are failing disabled customers

Seven in 10 disabled consumers faced one or more delivery problems in the past year, a joint survey with the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers has revealed.*

The survey of 704 disabled consumers found that half of those with a delivery issue said the courier didn't wait long enough for them to answer the door.

A quarter told us their parcels were left in an inaccessible way and the same proportion said that the courier did not provide the help they needed with their disability.

Which? also reviewed 10 of the biggest online retailers' checkout pages after many people told to us it was difficult to leave delivery instructions when placing orders.

We found that while some retailers provided textboxes for delivery instructions, others only allowed this function for some products and with sparse character limits. And other retailers didn't provide this function on its checkout pages at all.

Here, we look at the delivery issues faced by disabled consumers and call on retailers to make it easier for shoppers to add delivery instructions.

' Couriers never wait for me to get to the door'

Caroline from London told us delivery drivers regularly walk away before she has had time to get to the door.

Caroline said: 'As a wheelchair user, I can't reach the ground to pick the parcels up. If I manage to get the driver before they've driven off, they come back begrudgingly and make you very aware of this.'

With a recent Amazon order, Caroline received a notification that her parcel had been delivered, but she hadn't heard anyone knock on her door: 'I checked my CCTV where I saw, roughly an hour previously, the driver had run up to my door, literally dropped the package outside, didn't knock or ring the doorbell and just ran away.'

Frustratingly, Caroline has found it difficult to leave delivery instructions when shopping online.

'Being able to leave instructions is not as obvious as people may think,' she explained. 'I never knew this was an option until recently when a company brought my attention to it. When I started using this facility, I found most courier drivers just ignored the instructions.'

And to make matters worse, Caroline's found her complaints are dismissed or ignored entirely: 'I have complained in the past but little to nothing is ever done. I feel complaining is just a waste of my time.'

Unfortunately Caroline's experience isn't unique - half of those with a delivery issue in our survey said the courier didn't wait long enough for them to answer the door.

One in four participants told us their parcel was left in an inaccessible space, and the same proportion said the courier didn't provide the help they needed.

And, concerningly, one in 10 said their parcel was left in a dangerous way.

• Find out more:your delivery rights explained

Major online retailers not doing enough

Half of participants who had problems with a delivery said they informed the retailer and/or the courier of their needs prior to the delivery.

But it wasn't always an easy process - two in five of those who informed the delivery firm or retailer of their needs said it was difficult to do so.

Some participants found character limits in textboxes made it challenging to explain their needs. 'I find the biggest issue is that if you can leave details, you can usually only use about 20 to 30 letters and this is not enough. Some delivery staff just don't care,' a shopper told us.

We looked at the checkout journeys for 10 of the biggest online retailers, including Amazon, eBay, Currys, Asos, Next, George at Asda, Argos, Very, M&S and John Lewis, and found there was no standard approach across these retailers.

Some offered textboxes or shoppers to add delivery instructions, while others only provided this function for certain items and with sparse character limits. Other retailers - including Asos, Currys, George at Asda, M&S and Next - don't offer a textbox function on their checkout pages at all.

Which? is calling on all online retailers to do more to ensure disabled consumers can specify their needs during the checkout process.

• Read more:best and worst online shops for resolving complaints

Delivery instructions rarely followed

But even when participants did manage to leave instructions, the vast majority found they weren't taken into account by the delivery firm.

Three quarters of those who notified the delivery company or retailer about their needs found their instructions were not well followed.

One participant told us: 'On the notes space I added information about my disabilities and that I need the parcel brought inside. This was met with eye rolling and a sigh. I felt a nuisance and under-valued.'

Others find that couriers ignore the disability badges on their front doors: 'Nine times out of ten parcels are left on my steps which means I have to bend over to reach them and this is difficult with my disability. I even have the wheelchair logo on a badge on my door and no one acknowledges it.'

Ofcom announced plans in December 2021 to introduce stronger protections for disabled consumers, so that delivery firms are required to have policies in place to meet their needs.

Ofcom told us: 'It's unacceptable that disabled customers are far more likely to experience significant problems with parcel deliveries. We've set out plans to strengthen protections for disabled customers to ensure they're treated fairly by delivery firms. If we don't see significant improvements in customer service, we'll consider enforcement action or further regulation.'

Complaining isn't easy or effective

Seven in 10 of those who complained to the delivery company found it difficult to do so, compared with three in ten of those who complained to the retailer.

Four in 10 of those that filed a complaint with the retailer said they were dissatisfied with the retailer's approach to dealing with their issue, while three in ten of those who complained to the courier said they weren't satisfied with how it was handled.

But half of participants who experienced an issue didn't make a complaint at all - with one in four saying they didn't think there was any point or that anything would be done about it.

One participant described how they struggled to get in touch with a delivery firm after a failed delivery: 'I couldn't find a telephone number for the delivery company. I struggle using the phone and use text relay and sometimes the calls are not accepted and the phone is put down.'

'It makes me feel frustrated, angry and discriminated against, as it is so much harder for me to contact the delivery companies,' they told us.

Gordon McCullough, chief executive at Research Institute for Disabled Consumers, told us: 'The changes that are needed in this case are very simple and low cost to implement - listening to people and responding. We hope this research can be both a wake-up call and positive step towards enabling retailers and delivery companies to review their services and ensure they are accessible for all the UK population.'

What are delivery firms doing to improve accessibility?

Each delivery firm has different advice on what to do if you need to leave specific instructions, as outlined in the table below.

Your delivery rights explained

Complain to the retailer if your order is late, missing or has turned up damaged - even if you think it's down to a poor service from the courier, because your contract is with the retailer.

Think carefully before selecting a safe space or nominated neighbour - be aware if you give permission for your delivery to be left in a specified safe place or received by a nominated neighbour and something goes wrong, you will still be considered to have received the delivery.

Your delivery must be made without undue delay and within 30 days from the point of purchase unless you and the retailer agree otherwise, this is stipulated by the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

If your order arrives damaged or faulty, you have a right to refuse it and get a refund, repair or replacement. Understand your next steps if your goods arrive damaged in the post.

• Find out more:my parcel hasn't arrived, what can I do?

*Which? surveyed 704 members of the panel of the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers in November 2021 about their experience receiving deliveries.