Items keep going missing?

VanyaHargreeves

Hi,
So I've occasionally had items going missing in the post, which is understandable, but recently it's getting worse and worse. I don't buy much online, just items that are difficult or extremely expensive to get at my local town centre.

Roughly out of the last 20 items I bought, 5 of them have gone missing. I don't know if that's a particularly high figure but i'm starting to get worried. Most of these items are on ebay and I'm worried they might assume I'm scamming people if I keep having paypal disputes etc if this carries on.

Am I being over cautious? How should I deal with this?
please help, any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

chja

25% of parcels posted sounds pretty high - I've had about 1 in 1000 sales / purchases.

Are you selling something that is likely to attract dodgy buyers (e.g. mobile phones), in which case you might consider useing tracked mail to that there is at least proof of delivery.

Do you pack well and make sure the address is clear ?

cyberbob

chja wrote: »

25% of parcels posted sounds pretty high - I've had about 1 in 1000 sales / purchases.

Are you selling something that is likely to attract dodgy buyers (e.g. mobile phones), in which case you might consider useing tracked mail to that there is at least proof of delivery.

Do you pack well and make sure the address is clear ?

Shes talking about buying. It may be worth talking to your local sorting office. I think theres ways they can monitor your mail incase something dodgy happening

frivolous_fay

Are there any cheap tracking devices on the market yet? :whistle:

VanyaHargreeves

Funnily enough none of the items I sell have gone missing [to my knowledge]...

chja

cyberbob wrote: »

Shes talking about buying. It may be worth talking to your local sorting office. I think theres ways they can monitor your mail incase something dodgy happening

Apologies - my bad.

Deffo speak to the Post Office in that case - could be a dodgy delivery person.

poet123

I had a couple of missing items, turned out that my postman was leaving parcels on the front step and I suspect that they were removed by a dodgy cold caller. Worth asking neighbours if they have had the same happen to them.

kevinyork

I would log a complaint with Royal Mail. If all those sellers put in claims with RM for lost items sent to you RM may start to suspect you of telling porkies so get in there first. They can apparently issue sanctions which could include (rarely) refusing to deliver mail to you.

I believe they have an investigation section and if others in your area have reported similar issues it may identify a light fingered postie somewhere in the postal network.

custardy

kevinyork wrote: »

I would log a complaint with Royal Mail. If all those sellers put in claims with RM for lost items sent to you RM may start to suspect you of telling porkies so get in there first. They can apparently issue sanctions which could include (rarely) refusing to deliver mail to you.

I believe they have an investigation section and if others in your area have reported similar issues it may identify a light fingered postie somewhere in the postal network.

IB in royal mail speak

Security Help Desk: 0207 239 6655

or

securityhelpdesk@royalmail.com

as for stopping peoples mail.its very rare
put it this way i was attacked with a baseball bat and stabbed(minor wound)
yet managers thought i should still be delivering mail to this person!!!

VanyaHargreeves

Thank you so much, kevinyork and custardy! I'd spent about an hour going through the Royal Mail site trying to find a way of contacting them but I just kept being re-linked to the Q&A.

custardy

they dont really publish the ib contact details
you didnt get it from me