My little Sony...

When I got my new Sony R100-4 last week I felt I ought to get a screen protector, a handgrip (because I'd hate to drop it) and a battery charger because although it can be charged through the camera I always like to carry a spare battery.

I didn't want to take a chance with copycat products so I ordered genuine Sony stock.  Placed the order on Friday and was promised delivery by Tuesday.  Now arranging the delivery is a bit tricky because Amazon sent me to a 'free' delivery site which seems it means free if you buy their £79 Prime delivery service which for 1 parcel is a bit stupid - and misleading.  Hey, but when you have a company that knows everything in the book on how to avoid paying UK tax they're not going to care too much about UK taxpayers.  Then they directed me to a £6 next day deliver charge site.  No thank you, I'll just have it when it's ready.  £3.95.

Surprise, surprise, they tried to deliver it on Sunday!  Great service except it was the wrong address.  I know it was the wrong address because they said my gate was locked and I don't have a locking gate.  Obviously by a driver slavishly following sat-nav, - brain out of gear.  Phoned Raphael in the Philippines, sent him a map and phone numbers and he fixed things for me.  Delivery Monday, guaranteed.  

Sat in the pub on Monday evening while my takeaway was being prepared and my phone binged.  "Tracking note from Amazon - We tried again to deliver your parcel but the gate was locked".  No it bloody wasn't.  Got home and rang Amazon and Reynard rang me straight back, a patronising Irishman with a speech impediment and a very slow drawl.  After he'd gone through his crib sheet  I told him what the problem was. By now my curry is getting cold and I've missed the first half of Coronation Street.  Next, my flabber was gasted.  He wouldn't pass my phone number to the driver so that I could give instructions because "Sure we wouldn't want him using his phone while he was driving would we sur".  I suggested he stopped his bloody van.  Opps!  first rule, never lose your cool.  I struggled on.  Give me your email address and I'll send instructions to you on how to find my house I suggested.  "Ho no sur, sure we wouldn't be wanting to do that would we sur".  The transcripts of the conversation will prove I'm not lying.  Then he asked for my address, I said he had it in front of him.  He said it was for security reasons and would I tell him please, then he asked me to spell out every single word of my address.  I pointed out that he was ringing me.   Aaarrghhh.  I later got an email saying "How did I do".  There wasn't a tick box for what I wanted to say.

On Tuesday the parcel didn't arrive and Friski in Manilla told me it was because the van driver had crashed.  (There is a God).  Yesterday I tracked my parcel again at 6pm.  Amazon said the driver handed it to me PERSONALLY at 1.34pm.  Obviously NOT!!!

I spoke to Akhaim in Jamaica and he has raised an new order and promised me delivery by Friday at a new address.  He added that if the missing parcel turns up they'd collect it.  That should be interesting.

So my parcel, wherever it is, took 4 days to be delivered to the wrong address from a depot 9 miles from my house.  Amazon, your delivery people are liars or incompetents or both.