Item sold, sent and not collected?

fluffy123

Hi all, I sold an item nearly two weeks ago and was paid straight away and sent the item by Royal Mail 1st Class signed for. Ebay would only let me charge a maximum of £4.50 for this and I had to pay an extra £2 to stick to this so I was already out of pocket slightly...

Now, I've been checking over the last few days with the tracking number I was given and have messaged to the buyer and it has still not been collected from the royal mail sorting office.

I'm now worried that this item will bounce back to me shortly, how do I proceed from there? I've done everything I can do....

soolin

There is nothing you can do unfortunately. 1st class signed for is not tracked, the message may well be incorrect and the parcel with your buyer- who is confused by your thinking it needs collecting.

I'd wait, see if it does come back and of not assume it was delivered.

fluffy123

Oh right...I just assumed that because I can enter the tracking number in the RM website and it states that it is there waiting to be collected as the delivery attempt was unable to be made then that is where it would be? So they might have it after all then? Interesting....

steviebabes

Try http://www.royalmail.com/trackdetails as this gives a more detailed breakdown otherwise phone RM and ask them to check.

fluffy123

Hi, already done this, it states

Status: We have your item
We have tried to deliver your item from our NORTHAMPTON Delivery Office before 13:44 on 26/09/14 and we have left a while you were out card.
There are instructions on the card on how to collect your item or arrange a Redelivery.
Last update: 26 September 2014, 13:44pm

shaun_from_Africa

As delivery was attempted on the 26th September and you haven't heard anything further from your buyer about them not receiving it, you will probably find that it has actually be delivered or collected by them.

I wouldn't contact your buyer just in case they have got the item but decide to do a non delivery claim as it's still showing as not delivered. (it's unlikely that they would do this, but why risk it. Just let them make the next move if they really haven't received it)

fluffy123

That's true but as I've paid for 1st class signed for, surely the item would be signed for if collected and I should be able to see a record of this on the RM website? Otherwise, what was the point in me paying out for it?

soolin

fluffy123 wrote: »

That's true but as I've paid for 1st class signed for, surely the item would be signed for if collected and I should be able to see a record of this on the RM website? Otherwise, what was the point in me paying out for it?

If you have a read of the sticky postage thread you will see there is very little point at all in the signed for service. The only reason to use it is to gain extra insurance against loss or damage, assuming the item is covered.

fluffy123

Thanks, makes a mockery of the 'signed for' service then if I'm still liable to someone saying an item has not been received when they've collected and there's no way of proof?

As what I sold was £22 essentially I'd have been just as well just sending 1st class post then? Wow.

So where I stand now I assume is...

a) The item is still there and will bounce back to me in the near future - what happens then? I refund the amount back to them minus the delivery cost they've paid for or offer to resend if they pay-up the delivery cost again?

b) They have the item and all is well.

c) They have the item and decide to infrom me that they haven't got it. In which case, I'd need to refund them fully and claim back £20 from RM meaning I'd be about £6/£7 out in total (taking into the P&P etc too).

Wow.

steviebabes

Try phoning the delivery office mentioned in the tracking. You can usually find the number by googleing the name. They are often helpful and may tell you if its still there.