Most Common Christmas and New Year Complaints

The Christmas and New Year period is the time of year for families to reunite and spend quality time together over the festive break. It is also a busy time for most companies, therefore it’s no surprise to see a spike of complaints.

But what are the most common issues consumers face during this holiday period? And what should you do when you have a complaint yourself?

Transport Companies

It may come as no shock that transport companies top the list at this time of year. After all, what could be worse than being stranded in an airport or train station unable to spend this special time of year with the people you love?

Airlines top the pile when it comes to the most complained about companies over Christmas and New Year. Whether it’s pilot strikes or technical faults causing delays and cancellations, customers are left furious when they can’t make it to their final destination in time for Christmas or New Year.

Trains are also subject to the same scrutiny at this time of year. Unannounced timetable changes, late running services, and overcrowded trains can leave domestic commuters spending what is supposed to be a special time of year battling train companies for compensation.

Credit Card Companies

Christmas and New Year are usually an expensive time of year for consumers, and therefore good times for Payment Providers. Many take the option to spread those costs over the following months to ease the burden on their bank account. However, unclear interest rates, uncommunicated late payment fees and missing repayments all give consumers cause to complain.

These complaints don’t limit themselves to traditional credit card companies either. Store cards provided by retailers are often heavily promoted during this time of year to encourage customers to spend more in the run up to Christmas and New Year. However, their fees structures are even more vague and severe, causing many complaints.

Retail Companies

Of course Christmas shopping can’t take place without the retailers to buy the presents from. Whether you buy gifts online or in store, almost everything we buy our loved ones is sold by retailers.

However, things don’t always go to plan. Problems such as inaccurate sizing information, lack of available stock, delivering the wrong items, and poor customer service can leave consumers rightly furious during this high-pressure time of year. There’s nothing worse than not being able to give a Christmas present to someone because a shop or online store let you down.

Couriers/Delivery Companies

Closely tied in to the retailers mentioned above are couriers and delivery companies.

If you buy your presents online, then you as the consumer are depending on the delivery company to get it to your door in time. But so often couriers can let people down despite it being the most crucial time of the year.

Ghost deliveries, goods damaged in transit, and items left outside in poor weather conditions can all cause undue stress for consumers. Worse, for those who left their shopping late there’s not enough time to put it right.

Have You Been Let Down in Christmas Time?🎅

When companies let you down, it can hurt no matter what time of year it is. However, Christmas and New Year bring added significance to these failings given what is at stake. Whether you have received poor quality items, you’ve been left stranded, or you’ve never received your gifts at all, a complaint is the best way to see your situation resolved in a satisfactory manner.

So don’t wait. Complain. Get in touch with the company and maybe with others in our community who have had a similar experience.