If you order a parcel to come in time for Christmas but have realised you won't be in for the delivery, there are steps you can take to redivert packages.
DPD, Royal Mail and EVRi offer services to redirect parcels, while Amazon will - in many cases - give you the option to send packages to one of its lockers dotted around the North East.
You can also often choose to nominate a safe space for the courier to leave your parcel, if you have one.
Read more: Final delivery dates for Christmas shopping including Amazon and Evri
However, the options you have may depend on the delivery service paid for by either the customer or the vendor. For example, Royal Mail lets customers change delivery dates and redivert to Post Offices if they are using the Tracked and Special Delivery Guaranteed services.
I won't be in for a parcel delivery, can I rebook and redivert it?
Depending on the service you or the shop you've bought from has paid for, there are options to redivert packages due to be delivered.
They vary from courier to courier. Here we look at your options with EVRI, DPD, Royal Mail and Amazon.
EVRi
If your parcel is due to be delivered by EVRi (formerly known as Hermes), you can use its tracker tool to redivert to a neighbour's house or a safe space if you're going to be out when it is delivered.
EVRi says: "If you have a parcel that’s due to be delivered and you’d like to divert to a neighbour or safe place, first go to our parcel tracking page.
"Enter your parcel’s 16-digit tracking number and delivery postcode.
"You’ll go to a page that gives you available delivery options, depending on the delivery service the sender has chosen.
"Depending on what kind of service the sender has selected you’ll either be able to divert to a safe place or neighbour or neighbour only. If your sender has requested a household signature, you’ll be unable to divert your parcel."
DPD
Packages delivered by DPD can be rearranged for a new date, left somewhere safe outside your home or rediverted to neighbours and local shops.
You'll need your reference number and post code on DPD's help page to see your options.
If you do nothing, DPD will attempt to deliver to a neighbour.
Royal Mail
"You now have the option to change your delivery options when your parcel is on its way, offering flexibility for your delivery," says Royal Mail.
"You can now change when and where your parcel is delivered after it has been sent.
"Being able to change delivery options means that you don’t have to worry if you are no longer going to be in.
"You will have peace of mind and control over when and where you receive your parcel."
If your parcel is delivered with Royal Mail Tracked 24 or 48, you can choose to deliver it to a neighbour, a safe place, a Post Office or Royal Mail Delivery Office.
Items delivered through Special Delivery Guaranteed can be dropped off at Post Offices and Delivery Offices.
Delivery options can be changed through the Royal Mail's Track and Trace service.
Amazon
The way delivery changes work with Amazon depends on whether you've bought direct or through a third-party marketplace seller.
Orders shipped by Amazon can be changed in the "Your Orders" section. Those shipped by Marketplace sellers can be changed but only within 30 minutes of placing the order.
If you are not in for a delivery, Amazon will attempt to deliver your package to an Amazon Locker, where you can retrieve your parcel by using a pick up code or scanning the barcode.
If you can't collect from a locker that day, Amazon will attempt to redeliver to your address the following day.
"We'll attempt redelivery and if needed, redirect the parcel to a locker, up to four times. Every time we redirect the parcel we'll send you a new pick-up code," says Amazon,
It adds: "After five delivery attempts, we'll hold your parcel at our delivery station for two days. During this time, you can contact us to make alternative arrangements. If we don't receive further instructions, we'll take back the parcel and give you a refund."
Read more:
- When supermarket fresh turkeys go on sale for Christmas including Lidl, Aldi, Tesco and Asda
- DWP: Full list of extra money payments worth £842 which could land before Christmas
- Relive a Woolworth's 1990 Christmas in our 3D virtual tour of a store
- Mrs Hinch fan shares oven rack cleaning tip which 'works a dream' to get rid of burnt-on grease
- The North East angels helping families with the Cost of Living Crisis this Christmas
