EBAY order, Myhermes & A Zero Feedback Buyer

Hi there,

This is a little complicated, I shall not go into too much detail but here is what has happened:-

A buyer on Ebay (ZERO Feedback) purchases £500.00 worth of item (glasses in this instance).

I use MYHERMES - -PAY for SIGNATURE and INSURANCE to the value of £500.00.

I drop the parcel to the drop shop.

THREE days later the parcel tracking reads 'DELIVERED TO PORCH'.

I awake to a case on EBAY - Item not received - PLUS Negative feedback stating 'nobody can tell me where the item is'.

The buyer never contacted me directly - the open case and the negative were the first I knew of this problem. There was a note from the buyer within the CASE notes to say that she did not have a porch.

I contacted Ebay a few days later after some back and fore between myself and MYHermes - who said that the courier had delivered the parcel (even though it said 'in the porch').

EBAY immediately removed the negative feedback (remember, zero f/b new buyer) AND refunded me the £500.00.

The SAME day the £500.00 had gone from my account and a note in Payal said that Ebay had refunded the buyer.

I DID NOT NOTICE THIS for a couple of weeks, as I thought all had been resolved and was busy dealing with some larger orders - UNTIL I realised that actually my PAYPAL account was a bit light and looked further to see 'Ebay refunded buyer' against the order - after the "Ebay refunded seller"

I received no contact to the effect that EBAY had reneged and refunded the buyer.

I write to MYHermes again, re-opening the resolved (unresolved) issue regarding the parcel.

It turns out, the insurance I paid is completely useless - read and weep:-
Full list of excluded items

Excluded Items are goods which Hermes will carry but, are sent at your own risk. Hermes will not compensate you for loss, damage or late delivery of Excluded Items.

• All tickets including travel and events
• Antiques (objects over 100 years old)
• Any dangerous, hazardous or prohibited goods (as detailed in our Prohibited Goods section)
• Any foods solid or liquid contained in glass or ceramics - (all liquids are prohibited)
• Articles made largely or wholly of gold, silver or other precious metals
• Bankers' drafts
• Bearer securities including share warrants
• Bonds or relative coupons un-franked postage or revenue stamps (except a revenue stamp embossed or impressed on an instrument which has been executed)
• Cameras
• Ceramic or composite items of any description including without limitation glass, mirrored items, crystal, ceramics, porcelain, plaster, marble, china, stone, slate, resin, granite, concrete (or any item containing these materials)
• Cheques or dividend warrants which are uncrossed and made payable to the bearer
• Chilled food
• Coupons, Vouchers, Tokens, Stamps
• Credit cards / debit cards
• Currency notes or coins
• Current bank notes
• Diamonds and other precious stones with a value in excess of £250
• Eggs
• Flat packed furniture with sharp metal edges
• Fossils, Stones, Stoneware
• Frozen food
• Furniture (Unless flat packed)
• Human and animal remains including, without limitation, ashes
• Items made of or containing glass
• Items which can be exchanged by themselves or with any other item for money or goods or services
• Items which have been strapped together
• Jewellery with a value over £250 or antique items
• Kitchen Appliances - White goods/coffee machines/microwaves
• Lighting
• Liquid food items or items contained in glass or ceramics - (all liquids are prohibited)
• Lottery tickets, scratch cards or similar
• Marble or any stone derivative
• Musical instrument hard cases and suitcases when used as external packaging
• Musical instruments
• National insurance stamps
• Negotiable documents i.e. Passport
• Paintings/Canvas Prints
• Perishable food
• Perishable goods
• Plants, seeds, flowers, and plant derivatives
• Real fur
• Resin items, amber and composites
• Scripts or subscription certificates
• SIM cards
• Spectacles
• Telescope
• Tobacco and Tobacco products
• TV's & Monitors
• Uncrossed postal orders which do not state to whom they are to be paid
• Watches over £250 or antique items

I wonder what the point is of the insurance in the first place, and surely there MUST be something illegal in the statment "Hermes will not compensate you for loss, damage or late delivery of Excluded Items."

I am also considering the dubious 'zero feeback buyer'. They are are quite clearly documented as a successful interior designer (sian parry jones) who is a woman of a certain age and I believe must have many ebay accounts - perhaps having 'claimed' the same issue again and again - who knows?.

So, THE POLICE - Small Claims court, I am at a slight loss as to what to do and who to blame (other than myself and having not hand delivered the goods).

Any positive advice, constructive and useful would most sincerely be welcome.