Lost in the post-advice required!

[hunnymonster]

My only surprise there is that there are people apparently happy with DHL!

 

[Chibbs11]

Basic contract law. As UK Rob has already stated, you need to contact the seller as it's them you have the contract with & not the carrier.

Actually most of us pay via credit card or Paypal etc.. Therefore it is a tri-party agreement, where the card company can refund you and they then go to the supplier to recoup the money. But you are right it is worth talking to the supplier in the first instance and go to the card company if you get nowhere.

 

[Ferrum]

Not strictly a propos, but, as a result of being rather cross about delays and the rest, I blew £1.99 on an iOS app for my iPad called Parcel - Delivery Tracking. This is an annual sub (the free version only allows 3 tracks at a time), but it allows me to track any number of consignments (obviously only those with tracking numbers) from a wide range of post and delivery outfits worldwide, all in one place. For example, USPS can be tracked from the United States to UK, and then the track be transferred to Royal Mail for the UK leg.
There are probably many other apps available, but I tried this one as a freebie, and was impressed with it.