Item missing in the post

Hintza

frivolous_fay wrote: »

If it's a signed for item, they know very well who hasn't bothered to come pick it up.

That's a very good point and I would recharge postage to repost the item if buyer hadn't bothered to pick the item up!

forumfan_2

chompie wrote: »

well all i know is i have never heard of that happening.

where i live the postie either gives it to a neighbour, leaves it somewhere safe or sometimes just on the door step, the only occasion he leaves a card without leaving the parcel, is if there is customs to be paid.

I have had three parcels in the past 6 months where the post man didn't leave a card and on one occasion the parcel was returned to the seller before I realised. When I phoned customer care they accepted my version of events without question and sent me a cheque to cover the costs of redelivery so I can't believe that it is an uncommon experience.

When I am the seller, I always send an email to the buyer to let them know when I have posted their item just so that they have a rough idea when it will arrive.

soolin

chompie wrote: »

so proof of going to the sorting office is available then :rotfl:

Special delivery does show whether parcel is merely awaiting collection and the 'buyer' has been carded. Recorded/standard mail does not.

Soo

jockettuk

Nikki wrote: »

Just refund or replace, things do go missing in the post every now and then.[/quote]

trouble is its not every now and again according to watchdog its millions a year, and if im not getting my parcel then were is it??

soolin

jockettuk wrote: »

Nikki wrote: »

Just refund or replace, things do go missing in the post every now and then.[/quote]

trouble is its now every now and again according to watchdog its millions a year, and if im not getting my parcel then were is it??

Well I'd probably get banned if I say what I was told by the complaints manager at RM (somewhere in Glasgow). Although when I had a bad run of losses just before Christmas a few years back he did suggest that I actually used a different return address and radically changed my packaging so my parcels couldn't be spotted on their way through..

I actually lost one particular item, very hard to get and quite expensive and due to the size and unique shape it was obvious what it was. It made no difference either whether it was sent recorded or standard mail, virtually the whole shipment disappeared over the course of a week or so.

I did get additional compensation that time and was told that it had highlighted an 'incident' within a sorting office and that staff would be dealt with appropriately.

Sybarite

London is a nightmare for successful deliveries and it seems to be related to RM using agency staff at peak periods. I and my neighbours regularly lose 10-20% of mail, birthday cards and CD shaped packets seem to be specially targeted (unsurprisingly).

I've (touch wood) been relatively lucky when sending items it that they seem to get there, but sometimes can be phenomenally slow - my record is 23 days for standard parcel service - my Amazon buyer was understanding, although I was not impressed with RM compensation of a book of stamps for an item costing £8 to send. This makes me look very bad as a seller. If delay/non-delivery does occur I always advise to check the sorting office as sometimes cards aren't left. My view is that it's in the buyers' interest to do so as most people are honest and don't want the delay of waiting for another item to be dispatched. I also scan the relevant postal receipt and email a copy to them as a pdf, this does seem to dissuade those who casually try it on. My dispatch emails also state that proof of dispatch is always obtained. I never mention anything about non-receipt as I think this might put ideas in peoples' heads, but that all questions/problems should be submitted within 28 days of the purchase date, which seems reasonable to me.

I've had far more problems with airmail. Anything over £30 now gets sent Airsure, the difficulty is with the customs declaration sticker or the 'why not steal me now you know what I am label' as I like to think of it.

Incidentally I go to the sorting office/re-arrange delivery if my Amazon/other retailer package hasn't been delivered, after all this isn't the company in question's fault, just one of life's little chores.