Prizes lost in the post? Where do we stand?

BlueBella

Hi, Sorry to bother you all but I was wondering if anyone could offer any advice? I won an Advent prize and was informed of my win at the beginning of the year. It wasn't expensive (worth £10) but would be lovely for my daughter. The thing is - the prize hasn't arrived and the company claim to have posted it out 2nd class 2 weeks ago (not recorded though). I have emailed them this week to say it has not yet arrived and all they said was 'be patient, be patient it will turn up!' Well after being posted 2 weeks ago, I would have thought it should have arrived by now?

Anyway, what I would like to know is - if a prize does get lost through the post, are we entitled to ask for the company to send another? After all, it isn't our fault the prize has gone astray (and we cannot prove they even posted it out in the first place?) Whenever I send anything via post these days, I always send it recorded as I don't trust the Royal Mail. Has anyone experienced a lost prize, and what did you do?

hamsterfan1

you can notify the royal mail of lost post after 30 days

BlueBella

Thank you - but what are they to do and what if they don't find it? Am I entitled to ask the company to send another recorded?

blackmidnight

I know that some companies put it in their terms and conditions that they won't be held responsible for items lost in the post in which case I don't think there would be much you could do about it.

If it didn't say anything, and the prize wasn't something rare or irreplaceable I would ask them to claim for the cost of the prize from Royal Mail and send you another prize. Not sure they would actually have to do this but I think it would be worth asking.

angiesandhu

I have had this happen twice before and the company agreed to send it "again". I am not sure if they ever did send out the first one! But I don't don't know what the official rules are.

Good luck

lilias

Because so many promoters seem to disclaim responsibility for prizes reaching winners - saying it's the fault of the post office or the PR department or whoever - I dug up a quote by Edwin Mutton that I've used myself when prizes haven't arrived.

He said
"Given the variety and scope of promotional activity there will always be potential for error. Yet, as companies outsource execution and fulfilment, they are failing to take responsibility when things go wrong.
"That is a mistake," says the ISP's Mutton. "The promoter is always responsible for giving the customer what they were promised.""

The ISP has now changed its name and Mr Mutton's role is

• Manage Institute of Promotional Marketing awards
• Complaints Co-ordinator
• Compliance Co-ordinator

BlueBella

Thanks for you advice. It is annoying - yes, but how can we prove they sent the prize out in the first place? - it is an easy way out to say 'Royal Mail lost it!' I bet there are lots of 'crafty' companies out there who run giveaways to promote themselves, then choose a winner and then they do not bother to post out the prize! We are hearing about them more and more.

I know you can only claim for a lost post item if you sent it recorded. Even having a proof of postage receipt does not entitle you to your lost money!

I will try to check out their terms and cons - thanks for your replies anyway - I appreciate them all x

sophie27x

Hi,

I've had countless things lost in the post (mostly down to RM I think but probably a couple of things were never sent out)

In fact, most of my wins seem to never turn up these days.

I tend to contact the promoters and nine times out of ten they offer to send me another.

Normally if they tell me to be patient I wait 28 days after they said it had been posted and then contact them again.

Hope you get it sorted x

Purple_Skull

I contacted a company that I won a prize from through Competwition as it didn't tun up. I expected them not to do anything but they put another one in the post and I got it a couple of days later.

It is difficult to know what to expect or do in that situation though x

BlueBella

Thanks - doesn't mention anything about lost prizes in the T&C I will wait another week then ask if they could send out another - I'll keep you posted! Thanks again for the replies

Princess_x

Hope the prize eventually does turn up. I've always had promoters send out a replacement when things haven't turned up.

Also just to say that a proof of postage for things under the value of £49 is enough to claim from Royal Mail in the case of lost post. It doesn't have to be sent recorded in order to claim.