A new report from Which? has outlined a number of problems that British consumers face when carrying out safe shopping online, with delivery-related hassle highlighted as the biggest concern, according to the Mail Online.

Ten thousand people participated in the study, with a quarter of those questioned putting poor delivery practice at the top of the list of gripes for customers. Of those who said that they had been dissatisfied with delivery after ordering a product online, over half were critical of packages arriving later than arranged, while two per cent complained of items being damaged on receipt.

As a result of this survey, Which? has launched a new campaign in which it is hoping to reduce the number of delivery issues which arise when you place an order via safe shopping online in the UK.

There are a number of demands laid out in this initiative, including a call for retailers to set out specific time slots, during which a parcel can be expected to arrive. This will mean that customers do not have to sit at home all day to wait for the delivery to show up, or face a trip to the sorting office if they cannot stay in.

Which? would also like to see retailers give customers the opportunity to provide instructions as to what to do with a package, if there is no one at home to receive it on the day of delivery.

It is worth pointing out that a growing number of e-commerce sites already offer this kind of facility to those placing orders. So if you shop around and read independent reviews, it should be possible to link up with a retailer that will see to your needs in a way that takes the sting out of delivery.