The Customer Service run around (and dishonest DHNL courier)

SO I've been told there's no BBB (Better Business Bureau) equivalent in the UK (sigh), but seriously how do you get anything resolved when companies give you the run around? 

I recently purchased some items for an online store (cdiscount) and although they were coming in multiple parcels they shipped them via DHNL all under one tracking #.  Delivery date comes and the delivery man gives us one of the 2 parcels and tells us that the other one is broken.  He asks us to just sign for the 1st one (and makes a note that he delivered just 1 on his delivery sheet) and then he will bring the broken back to his hq to be processed, returned to cdiscount to issue me new merchandise, etc etc... Okay I think, I guess that's how they do things here but also immediately email cdiscount to tell them the situation and what the courier told me (they won't let you email from your email account rather from their page and don't give you the option to receive a copy of it) to hopefully cover my bases.  Received generic response "looking into it"... finally called them today and they say that DHNL/the courier told them that he delivered all the items to us during that original delivery date!!!! So now I'm contacting both cdiscount and DHNL cause I'm really not willing to lose my money because someone in one of their employ decided to swipe my merchandise but all I'm getting is the run-around or the "we're investigating and will call you back today" which of course never happens, they won't contact you again if you don't keep bothering them!! 

So... basically, since there's no BBB to file a formal complaint, is there anything?  IT seems here like you literally have to harass these companies to get them to do anything and for sure it seems to me that right from the get go they think I'm lying! So frustrating.  Bottom line I haven't received everything that I purchased (contracted) them to supply me... but I don't know what my best course of action is here in the UK to see this is resolved promptly and to MY satisfaction.

Any tips?

Some businesses fall under watchdog groups, http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ is the result of a merger that used to be PostWatch. You may be able to find some info through them. 

SO I've been told there's no BBB (Better Business Bureau) equivalent in the UK (sigh), but seriously how do you get anything resolved when companies give you the run around?  

So... basically, since there's no BBB to file a formal complaint, is there anything?

You were told wrong. Of course there is no "Better Business Bureau". That is an American thing. However there are equivalents. Every local council has a Trading Standards Department whose role includes investigating complaints and the enforcement of consumer law.

Find your local office by entering your postcode on this website:

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/

Also see this government web site for details of your rights (includes the 0845 number of an advice line)

http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/

Anyway, if you bought with a credit card, why don't you just tell your card company to do a charge back? Or else the Citizens Advice Bureau could advise you on starting a small claims court case. But that would be a last resort.

If you contact Trading Standards, they tell you to go through Consumer Direct. CD will refer the matter on to Trading Standards if necessary.