Royal mail standard parcel question.

tomfun

I sold a set top box on ebay and sent it by standard parcel , it was sent on 26th July , i have all the proof of postage from the post office and paypal.

As of now the parcel still hasn`t arrived to the buyer and he has opened a case with ebay, My paypal account has had the money removed until it has been sorted out.

He isn`t blaming me and understands that it is royal mails error,but what do i do now? Do i offer a refund and sort it out with royal mail myself ,the only problem i have with that is how do i know that it didn`t arrive when there is nothing to sign for ?

cyberbob

You need to refund the buyer and then start a claim from royal mail with your proof of postage.

I hope that it wasn't worth more than £41 as that is the maximum royal mail will payout using standard parcels. There is a chance that if it's worth more than that you wont get anything.

For future reference you need to try and stop cases being opened against you. Really you should have refunde3d before the buyer had to open a case. From September all cases opened will go against your seller compliance so could effect your ebay accouint

martindow

cyberbob wrote: »

You need to refund the buyer and then start a claim from royal mail with your proof of postage.

I hope that it wasn't worth more than £41 as that is the maximum royal mail will payout using standard parcels. There is a chance that if it's worth more than that you wont get anything.

You can pay extra on standard parcels to get compensation up to 500 pounds.
http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?mediaId=51000711&catId=400031

olivetree2010

without a signature on delivery-(for future i would use a courier company) how do you know that he has not actually received it, or possible royal mail have tried to deliver and not carded the buyer, have you asked the buyer to go to his local sorting office to collect any parcels which have not been delivered, if you have no joy , you will have to get or download a claim form off royal mail and submit it with your post receipt and proof of cost-which is what they pay back cost price not selling price, and they do not refund the original post costs you paid to get it there in the first place!, so then your even more out of pocket as youve also paid ebay and paypal fees-a dispute always asks for tracking--of which your at a loss...ebay no win situations paypal always agree with a buyer hence why i dont rarely use ebay now

martindow

olivetree2010 wrote: »

without a signature on delivery-(for future i would use a courier company) how do you know that he has not actually received it, or possible royal mail have tried to deliver and not carded the buyer, have you asked the buyer to go to his local sorting office to collect any parcels which have not been delivered, if you have no joy , you will have to get or download a claim form off royal mail and submit it with your post receipt and proof of cost-which is what they pay back cost price not selling price, and they do not refund the original post costs you paid to get it there in the first place!, so then your even more out of pocket as youve also paid ebay and paypal fees-a dispute always asks for tracking--of which your at a loss...ebay no win situations paypal always agree with a buyer hence why i dont rarely use ebay now

It's worth phoning the local sorting office as RM do not always leave cards when they should.

Whether it is lost or the buyer is not being honest you cannot tell but the OP should not be out of pocket as for individual Ebay sales RM normally accept the sales price as evidence of value. Business sellers will be paid at the buying in price which recompenses them as they can post another item to the buyer.

fridayschild_2

Def check with the sorting office. I suddenly had a 'reminder' card through the other day - I never had the original - and when I went to collect it the lady said it had been there 3 weeks.

macfly

I've had one claim in a year. I got the asking price and I'm a business seller. I don't know where this info comes from - i.e. you only get the item cost and no postage back. Royal Mail would have had a fight on their hands had they done otherwise.

soolin

I was in the delivery office yesterday when someone came in with a card and was handed a second, older item that they had no idea was waiting for them.

soolin

macfly wrote: »

I've had one claim in a year. I got the asking price and I'm a business seller. I don't know where this info comes from - i.e. you only get the item cost and no postage back. Royal Mail would have had a fight on their hands had they done otherwise.

They have really toughened up the rules, the Amazon sellers are particularly unhappy as it is rare to buy single books so how can a seller prove the 'cost'. Most like me buy in bulk.

I had an Amazon claim refused a few months ago due to the fact i couldn't prove cost of the item, however they sent me a book of 1st class stamps as a goodwill gesture and that virtually covered my loss anyway so I didin't persue it.

They also will no longer pay out the postage element unless it is actual postage paid, so that's another good reason for people not to get silly with their postal charges as they may well lose out if item gets lost.

macfly

They can get as tough as they like. Until Royal Mail pay my other business costs, and cover my losses when I buy in bulk and have unsaleable items, they will be in a battle to pay me just the cost of an item. Anything is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. Clumsy way to put it, but you know what I mean.

soolin

macfly wrote: »

They can get as tough as they like. Until Royal Mail pay my other business costs, and cover my losses when I buy in bulk and have unsaleable items, they will be in a battle to pay me just the cost of an item. Anything is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. Clumsy way to put it, but you know what I mean.

The problem is though that the official watchdog for them is worse than useless. When I have made legitimate complaints to them they have merely backed up the RM point of view.