Missed deliveries, parcels abandoned on doorsteps or sent to the wrong house – online shopping has gone from a convenience to a hassle. But why do couriers provide such bad service? Asks Emma Revell

It’s not a career I ever expected to get into, but I appear to have found myself working as a parcel delivery driver. I didn’t apply for this job, I wasn’t even offered it. But still I find myself spending a fair amount of time tracking parcels, arranging re-deliveries, hunting down lost packages in far-flung post offices and hoping the guy behind the counter at the corner shop can tell one John Lewis parcel from the small mountain building up behind him.

In just the last week, I’ve had one parcel “delivered” but nowhere to be seen, one left on the doorstep, at the mercy of any passerby who thought it looked worth stealing, and one Royal Mail delivery driver playing knock down ginger while I was definitely, despite their claims, in the house. Another delivery company clearly thought I needed to ingratiate myself with my community and left the parcel with a neighbour. This was somewhat helpful in that I had my hands........

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