Royal Mail compensation - proof of value

soolin

andydiysaver wrote: »

this just happened to me - sold something on the 8th, recorded 1st out the same day with minutes before the post office closed, because I really do care about my customer service, got reference- now on 15th, buyers kicking off "where is it , sort it out with royal mail" - yes because if they don't know where it is, they clearly need guidance from me on the phone as to where it is....


when can I claim compensation - well, all the way out on 27th, buyer will be posting all kinds of negative crap by then, gotta think VERY carefully. Think i'll start by scanning up the ticket posting him a link saying it wasn't me , don't blame me, blame those w***kers at royal mail and we're both in no mans land till 27th, where I refund because I can refund


the odds on steering this ship home without red feedback are next to none, I have never had royal mail lose something on me before then make me wait till the end of a month before I can refund a buyer screaming for answers, because any time sooner and he can just bank the cash get the delivery and leave me doubly out of pocket.

I don't have many things go missing but have never had a negative, or even a neutral yet for any loss from a buyer. However, I don't muck them about with blaming everyone else , using bad language or expecting them to be it interested in my proof of postage . You say you sent it recorded, so they have the tracking number I assume so why do they need any other 'proof' from you?

marking_bad wrote: »

Yes sellers are forced to refund by ebay. But if the buyer claims they can claim the full ebay sale amount? Whereas businesses can only claim the original value, so lose money through no fault of their own. They say life can be unfair sometimes but this is taking the p***. Downright fraudulent if they only give a few stamps if you can't prove the value.

Has anyone challenged the royal mail in court over these rules?

Royal Mail put business sellers back into the position they were before the sale, they will not compensate for profit.

andydiysaver

soolin wrote: »

I don't have many things go missing but have never had a negative, or even a neutral yet for any loss from a buyer. However, I don't muck them about with blaming everyone else , using bad language or expecting them to be it interested in my proof of postage . You say you sent it recorded, so they have the tracking number I assume so why do they need any other 'proof' from you?


Royal Mail put business sellers back into the position they were before the sale, they will not compensate for profit.

Um two points Soolin


- one - who else should I blame - I posted it the same day and its been lost by royal mail - should I blame myself for that? get off your high horse madam.


- two - point taken on bad language though I did blank it out - I'm understandably annoyed that royal mail have misplaced my parcel - yes- them, not me, I blame them, who would you blame in that situation?

martindow

andydiysaver wrote: »

Um two points Soolin


- one - who else should I blame - I posted it the same day and its been lost by royal mail - should I blame myself for that? get off your high horse madam.


- two - point taken on bad language though I did blank it out - I'm understandably annoyed that royal mail have misplaced my parcel - yes- them, not me, I blame them, who would you blame in that situation?

Yes, RM have lost it and you can put in a claim so you are not worse off. If I was your buyer and received your proposed message I would think I was dealing with a loony, open a claim as soon as I could and leave a neg and low stars.

The buyer is not to blame and you need to refund them. If you are abusive towards them or take a long time doing this, they will be quite rightly annoyed and are likely to give you very poor feedback.

andydiysaver

martindow wrote: »

Yes, RM have lost it and you can put in a claim so you are not worse off. If I was your buyer and received your proposed message I would think I was dealing with a loony, open a claim as soon as I could and leave a neg and low stars.

The buyer is not to blame and you need to refund them. If you are abusive towards them or take a long time doing this, they will be quite rightly annoyed and are likely to give you very poor feedback.

actually I've said i'll do a full refund at end of month if it doesn't come in and that it's not their fault. But why should I refund the buyer only for the buyer to possibly have the goods arrive, leaving me doubly out of pocket? Just because Ebay is buyers world doesn't mean honest sellers like me, victim of circumstance should panic and empty their pockets, I can't put a claim in with RM yet, too soon. To my mind, when I can put in a claim, I'll issue a full refund if it hasn't turned up. They have the tracking number and I've not been abusive - like most sellers with 100%, I fear the feedback thing - this is what makes me post same day and get things tracked. I'm getting judged a heck of a lot on this thread,, probably because I was annoyed when I made that first post - but these are the facts and perhaps more background is there, people will rush less towards pointing fingers.

techspec

martindow wrote: »

Yes, RM have lost it and you can put in a claim so you are not worse off.

You miss one glaring problem

IF Royal Mail write to the buyer and they do not respond - seller LOSES their right to claim. Is that fair??

Most scammers don't mind ripping off and lieing to sellers, or even Ebay - but they won't put their name to a Royal Mail official document. Genuine buyers can't be bothered either - they have their money back.

Ebay are claiming to be be behind Royal Mails back track on Medium Parcels. If they are that close - can they not come to an agreement on claims timescales. Maybe if a buyer refuses to co-operate - seller gets their money back?

bxboards

andydiysaver wrote: »

actually I've said i'll do a full refund at end of month if it doesn't come in and that it's not their fault. But why should I refund the buyer only for the buyer to possibly have the goods arrive, leaving me doubly out of pocket? Just because Ebay is buyers world doesn't mean honest sellers like me, victim of circumstance should panic and empty their pockets, I can't put a claim in with RM yet, too soon. To my mind, when I can put in a claim, I'll issue a full refund if it hasn't turned up. They have the tracking number and I've not been abusive - like most sellers with 100%, I fear the feedback thing - this is what makes me post same day and get things tracked. I'm getting judged a heck of a lot on this thread,, probably because I was annoyed when I made that first post - but these are the facts and perhaps more background is there, people will rush less towards pointing fingers.

I've also had a Registered Delivery seemingly vanish this month (still showing as 'is being progressed through our network for delivery.').

I've asked the buyer to hold on for a bit, and then to raise an 'Item Not Received' case in Ebay which at that point I will refund if the tracking still isn't changing.

You do need to be aware that items can stay at a sorting office for 18 days (or a bit longer) and buyers can and do obtain refunds and then go and pick up the items.

Unfortunately a lot of Registered items never update and I suspect that many 'losses' just got shoved through the letterbox, but as you can't prove delivery you will need to refund. Do ask the buyer to open a Case, as if they are chancing their arm and they do have the item (which I'd say was 50% possible if it was small enough to fit through a letterbox) it may make make them re-think if they are trying it on...

andydiysaver

cattie wrote: »

The buyer should not have to wait until you have put your claim in to Royal Mail for a refund. A refund should be given once a reasonable time has elapsed without delivery. It might not be your fault the item has gone astray, but it certainly isn't the buyers either.

Ebay will expect you to offer a refund without a buyer having to wait 15 working days or whatever the waiting period for Royal Mail claims is.

everyone is afraid of buyers and it is distorting their idea of fair


clear thinking and please feel free to pick apart the following :


1.it isn't my buyers fault RM lost the package - it isn't mine either, it's RM's fault


2. Both buyer and seller are put out by this


3. if I refund too soon the parcel could turn up and I could lose double


4. Refund is appropriate if it does not show up, I was thinking along the lines of adding 25% to the refund after I am covered myself - via means of compensating buyer for inconvenience. This way I'm not running a 100% loss.


Reading between the lines, a lot of you are terrified of customers because ebay is so weighted to the buyer and you must protect your ratings at all costs, whereas I don't do it for a living, just a hobby , so I'd say I'm a little less blinkered than those for whom a negative feedback is a possible threat on mortgage obligation. I do not appreciate people just wading in and being judgemental when really nothing qualifies them to do it - i.e. because I'm clearly trying to be fair in a situation which was not my fault or the buyers fault and I have never once imagined a situation where the customer is not compensated. There are no winners in the situation I have described, so I'm endeavouring to be fair as opposed to kissing up for the sake of a checkbox form on a website.


Or am I missing something ? I'd refund this second if I was incorrect in thinking the buyer might receive the package and walk off into the sunset with both refund and goods. That is a possibility isn't it?

andydiysaver

bxboards wrote: »

I've also had a Registered Delivery seemingly vanish this month (still showing as 'is being progressed through our network for delivery.').

I've asked the buyer to hold on for a bit, and then to raise an 'Item Not Received' case in Ebay which at that point I will refund if the tracking still isn't changing.

You do need to be aware that items can stay at a sorting office for 18 days (or a bit longer) and buyers can and do obtain refunds and then go and pick up the items.

Unfortunately a lot of Registered items never update and I suspect that many 'losses' just got shoved through the letterbox, but as you can't prove delivery you will need to refund. Do ask the buyer to open a Case, as if they are chancing their arm and they do have the item (which I'd say was 50% possible if it was small enough to fit through a letterbox) it may make make them re-think if they are trying it on...

thanks, yes, I've kept all communication ebay and I've already supplied the image of the receipt (with ref) via Ebay - I'll most likely do this as the wait on RM compensation is 27.2

soolin

andydiysaver wrote: »

Um two points Soolin


- one - who else should I blame - I posted it the same day and its been lost by royal mail - should I blame myself for that? get off your high horse madam.


- two - point taken on bad language though I did blank it out - I'm understandably annoyed that royal mail have misplaced my parcel - yes- them, not me, I blame them, who would you blame in that situation?

You possibly need to work on your customer relations 'get off your high horse madam. '? I do hope you treat your buyers, even those claiming a loss with more respect.

None of the blame game matters at all, your buyer won't care as all they want is their goods. The last thing you want is to come across as a bit flakey as you will tee them off and they will open a case. Ideally keeping a buyer on your side with reassurances and a definite and reasonable time frame for refund will work much better.

making your buyer nervous will just push them into opening a claim, and whilst that is not a danger in itself, it does start to limit the time frame you have to deal with things.

soolin

andydiysaver wrote: »

thanks, yes, I've kept all communication ebay and I've already supplied the image of the receipt (with ref) via Ebay - I'll most likely do this as the wait on RM compensation is 27.2

Does this mean buyer has already opened a case?