This was an especially acute problem over Christmas with a lot of complaints on the Amazon website about my Hermes (different from the Hermes network) but this applies to most online sales companies. The issue is this: as a customer you have to pay postage (quite rightly) but get no choice of who is used and usually no visibility of which company before you’ve paid. So, most Amazon purchases are delivered by the cheapest, most unreliable form whose online tracking system is sheer fantasy and is acknowledged as such by many frustrated customers. A company that many would not choose to use is getting their money, paid under compulsion. I’ve asked the question (but received no reply, which makes me think that the answer is yes) as to whether 3rd party sellers on Amazon are obliged to use my Hermes to deliver. Customers on the Amazon website who appear to know the background say that my Hermes had to buy a tracking system if they wanted to get the Amazon contract but bought the cheapest, most unreliable one that had been rejected as totally unfit for purpose by other delivery companies. It feels like a possible abuse of dominant market position, though of course that may be an unfortunate appearance not borne out by the facts. I think if CAG were to investigate they'd get to the bottom of it in a way that individuals can’t. I’d be prepared to put time into this. A good result would be to have a transparent choice between at least 2 named companies (at different prices if necessary) on checkout when shopping online.

to say i am mad at barclays is an understatement i have got myself a cashplus prepaid credit card that is used for the USA in dollars. it is a dollar card from cash plus and not to be confused with the normal gold mastercard issued also i went into barclays and ordered £3000 in dollars to be collected and paid for this friday while at the counter i realised i needed it in sterling as i could not top up the pre paid card in dollars and asked to cancel the transaction and have sterling ready. they point blank refused saying the request has allready been sent. they then stated they will be able to buy them back at their own buy back rate. that will cost me £300 which is the difference from the sell and buy back rates. all in the space of 10 minutes phoned customer service who were no help also this is all about some torag getting his commission and stuff customer service comments please on how to get even with barclays and whats more important is that i will be travelling accross the USA with about $5000 in cash