There have been talks that Amazon Prime UK might be up for investigation by Advertising Standards Authority due to complaints that the delivery service is failing to deliver packages on time due to the holiday rush.
Waiting for a third day now, on an important delivery @AmazonUK Your #AmazonPrime service is really slipping, the last two months here in Glasgow.
— ZenoWatson (@ZenoWatson) December 18, 2017
So does @amazon deliver whenever these days? Why do I pay for #AmazonPrime when deliveries take a week+?
— K Smith (@officialklsmith) December 18, 2017
A spokesperson from the ASA has said, “We have received a handful of complaints (five) about Amazon parcel deliveries and we are at the initial assessment stage. We have not yet made a decision on whether the complaints warrant an investigation.” This failure to deliver the packages on time could result to a breach of contract.
The express delivery fee for Amazon Prime UK is £7.99 per month after an initial 30-day free trial period. To get packages by Christmas, Amazon says the latest order date is Wednesday for standard customers but Saturday for Prime customers.
The site’s guidance page suggests, “will be dispatched with the intention that it’s delivered one day after dispatch.” Amazon advises contacting Customer Service if any problems come up.
The consumer rights group Which? has said: “If you paid for delivery by a certain date or time (eg by Christmas or next-day delivery) and the delivery arrives late, this is a breach of contract. If it was essential that your goods were delivered on time, you have the right to terminate the purchase and get a full refund.”
In 2015, the ASA started an investigation after six different people claimed Prime’s advertising was misleading. It was in the customer’s favor, Prime did not seem to make it clear that a paid subscription to the service would automatically start after the 30-day free trial has ended.
Amazon Prime UK has not made any comments towards this matter. Since the holiday season is upon us, it is quite concerning that such a mogul could be facing a problem like this. Hopefully, Amazon Prime UK gets their act straight and addresses the questions soon or the problem may become bigger.
