Posting a Mobile Phone with Royal Mail

PollyOnAMission

Hopefully this thread is in the right place.

A month or so ago I sent a couple of old mobile phones to CEX to sell them. At the post office I requested First Class Recorded Delivery and the woman behind the counter asked what was in the package and what the total value was, as compensation is only available up to £46. I told her it was two old mobile phones and the value was roughly £40. She said, "ooh, you've told me they're mobile phones now so you wouldn't be eligible for any compensation. If you're sending mobile phones, cash or jewellery you have to send via Special Delivery to be eligible for any compensation at all".

Is this true? I've scoured the Royal Mail website and can find such info about cash and jewellery but nothing about mobile phones.

I have just sold another old mobile phone on Ebay for £41. When I listed it I set the postage to be around £8 for Special Delivery, based on what I'd been told last time.

During the listing an interested bidder contacted me to say it was ridiculous to have such high postage on a low value (slightly damaged) mobile phone and asked if I would consider adding First Class Recorded as a postage option. I explained why I had done it, but added First Class Recorded for £4 saying if the buyer would be happy to take that risk it was OK with me.

The winning bidder (not the guy who contacted me) paid via Paypal and selected the First Class Recorded option rather than Special Delivery.

When I go to the Post Office I can envisage the same conversation as last time. I can see I might get flustered again and feel pressured into taking the more expensive option, when actually First Class Recorded might be fine.

Does anyone have a link to any concrete information regarding sending mobile phones via anything other than Special Delivery? If I send it via First Class Recorded, as requested by the buyer, and it goes missing will I be eligible for a claim?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

StaffsSW

Post Office may be confusing the International Signed for rules for mobile phones which limits claims to £50 - http://www.royalmail.com/delivery/delivery-options-international/international-signed/faqs

Special delivery is recommended for domestic destinations for money, jewellry etc - http://www.royalmail.com/customer-service/personal-customers/sending-mail/sending-valuables-and-cash

PollyOnAMission

The woman in the shop was so adamant (bordering on aggressive!) that I took her word for it without fully understanding what she was trying to tell me.

I did see that info about International Signed for; perhaps that was it. Although she was fully aware that the package wasn't going abroad. She was a scary lady!

Do you think I will be covered if I send the phone (worth £41) via First Class Recorded then?

soolin

PollyOnAMission wrote: »

The woman in the shop was so adamant (bordering on aggressive!) that I took her word for it without fully understanding what she was trying to tell me.

I did see that info about International Signed for; perhaps that was it. Although she was fully aware that the package wasn't going abroad. She was a scary lady!

Do you think I will be covered if I send the phone (worth £41) via First Class Recorded then?

The postage sticky thread on this forum explains it better than I can. It all depends what you are looking for protection against- so have a read through the first post in said thread.

PollyOnAMission

Thank you very much, I will have a look for that now.