UPS delivery issues? (UK)

Your experience is unfortunately not that unusual for “bungled deliveries.”

Unfortunately, the common carrier (UPS) works for the “shipper” (Apple) vice the “recipient” (You).

We simply have to let one huge, layered bureaucracy (Apple) work it out with another huge, layered bureaucracy (UPS).

The fact that this usually involves small, high-value items — making it “ripe” for fraud — no doubt slows the investigative process.

Not our experience at all and over the last several years we've had easily half dozen UPS deliveries per week. We do our share of online shopping. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't be dissatisfied.

All I can really offer is once Apple hands the package over to the shipper, it's the shipper's responsibility from that point forward.

The best you can do is get your feedback to Apple: Product Feedback - Apple

And UPS: https://www.ups.com/us/en/support/contact-us.page

Apple is the biggest company in the world and should have the purchasing power with UPS to obtain quick responses regarding a problem...

Unfortunately, Apple will not see your concern here. We are your fellow end users and cannot act on nor forward complaints.

There is a Apple corporate presence just a short hop over a stretch of ocean you might wish to contact:

Should-of, would-of, could-of is always available to justify any action anybody disagrees With.