Think before you order!

When the Black Friday emails start rolling in and Christmas gifts are just a click away, it’s very tempting to get everything delivered straight to halls. But during this time of year, parcel chaos is very real.

This is a little friendly PSA for all students in halls to help you get your stuff safely, keep the post rooms sane, and avoid any “where on earth is my parcel?” stress.

1. Remember: post rooms are not Amazon warehouses

In the Black Friday and Christmas rush, your halls post room or reception will be much busier than usual. Staff are juggling:

• Everyday letters and parcels
• Black Friday orders
• Christmas presents from family
• Returns and replacement deliveries

They will do their best to log items and let you know what’s arrived, but there are limits to what they can manage.

Important bit: Your halls reception is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged parcels. They are doing you a favour by receiving and storing items, but they’re not a secure storage company. If something goes missing in transit or is left outside because it wasn’t addressed properly, that’s between you and the courier or retailer.

2. Be smart with where you send things

Before you click “place order,” think about where the parcel is actually going:

Amazon Lockers and collection points

If you’re ordering from Amazon, check if you can use a nearby Amazon Locker or pick-up point instead of sending everything to halls. These can be:

• Easier to collect from at a time that suits you
• Less pressure on your halls post room
• More secure than something being left in a lobby or outside a door

Other retailers often have click and collect options too.

Send Christmas presents straight home

If you’re buying gifts for family or friends, it can be easier to:

• Send them directly to your home address
• Get them delivered to the person you are gifting

That way you’re not trying to drag half of Santa’s workshop onto a train at the end of term.

3. Check your address details in the halls guide

During Cyber Monday and beyond, a lot of people go big on electricals and expensive items like laptops, consoles, headphones or monitors. If you are getting high value items sent to halls:

• Make sure you use the exact address format in your halls guide
• Include your full name as it appears on your student record
• Add your flat or room number where requested
• Double check the postcode and any building name

If the address is wrong or incomplete, couriers may leave parcels in random places, take them back, or mark them as “delivered” when they are not actually in your hands.

Again, reception is not responsible if a parcel goes missing because it was misaddressed.

4. Think twice before sending expensive tech to halls

Cyber Monday is great for deals on tech, but it is also peak “parcel gone missing” season.

If you can, consider:

• Getting high value tech delivered to home instead of halls
• Using a retailer that offers collection from store
• Paying extra for tracked and signed-for delivery

If something does go wrong, it is much easier to sort when you have tracking and proof of delivery.

5. Pick things up quickly

Most post rooms have limited space. When they are flooded with Black Friday hauls and Christmas deliveries, it fills up fast.

Try to:

• Check your emails or parcel notifications regularly
• Collect your parcel as soon as you can after being notified
• Avoid leaving items sitting there for days

The longer a parcel sits around, the higher the chance of mix ups.

6. Keep your own record

A tiny bit of organisation goes a long way. For anything important:

• Keep order confirmation emails
• Save or screenshot tracking numbers
• Note the expected delivery date

If there is ever an issue, this is the information you’ll need when you contact the retailer or courier. Halls staff cannot chase every courier or company for you, especially in the busiest part of term.

7. What reception can and can’t do

It’s worth being really clear about this:

Reception/post room can often:

• Accept parcels on your behalf during opening hours
• Store them for a short time until you collect
• Let you know when something arrives

They cannot:

• Guarantee the safety of every parcel
• Take responsibility for missing, delayed or damaged items
• Refund or replace anything that goes wrong
• Track every single delivery or liaise with every courier

If something is missing, your first steps should be:

1. Check tracking details
2. Double check the address used
3. Speak to the courier or retailer

You can ask reception if they’ve seen it, but they will not be responsible for resolving the issue.

8. Quick checklist before you hit “order”

Before you go wild in the deals:

• ✅ Have I used the correct halls address from the guide?
• ✅ Is my full name and room/flat number included?
• ✅ Is this something that would be better sent home?
• ✅ Could I use an Amazon Locker or pick-up point instead?
• ✅ Is this item valuable and would tracked delivery be a better idea?

If you can tick most of these off, you’re giving your parcel the best chance of reaching you safely.

Look after the post room, look after your future self, and maybe don’t get all your Christmas presents and a 4K TV sent to halls in the same week.