Beware hermes overcharging!!weight correct

brenda10

I use Hermes to send items to my daughter, I always weigh myself in kgs, weigh myself with box of items, several times and then my husband does the same, then subtract, I also weigh the box several times for the weight. Weight of items =14.8kg.
I keep within the correct dimensions for box size. I have sent exact same items weighing the same in same sized box.
So this time collection is made for 15kg parcel £10.13 paid as price increased recently.
I get an e-mail from Hermes with a paypal charge for £10.80 extra to pay.
The e-mail doesn't give a specific reason, ie box size or weight the problem.
I call the collector courier, he is not responsible but calls his local manager and she cannot help nor give me information.
I use web chat, they are of no help, can barely spell properly.
No helpline numbers on google, then local courier rings me with
a phone number Hermes Leeds depot. I knew my package was under 15kg so I rang and told them I was going to e-mail the CEO, write a negative review, she rang local hermes collection centre and told me weight was 15.1kg, I would not accept this, told her I had no problem last time, she said you were lucky it slipped through. I asked her to apologise for making such a suggestion which was untrue, she apologised, I said I was unhappy and would take this as far as I could, within 30 seconds I see an e-mail arrive in my box telling me extra charge now cancelled.
Seems like Hermes think they can screw me over and charge me a fee plus vat, I complained.
Ps here is the number I called(its not on google. my local courier gave it to me :local rate 03303336556.
Freephone number 08001749040.(never tried it though)
Website gives no help, no phone number just webchat or e-mail, never got an e-mail reply after 2 days, won in the end.
Hermes did tell me they would deliver the item anyway but if a charge on the account it would be deducted next time, I said there never would be a next time if they were dishonest. They also frightened me in the e-mail by informing me they would destroy my package within 7 days if fee not paid. Happy ending for me......Do not let them bully you.
I was told next time take a photo of box on scales as evidence, shouldn't have to do this.
Good Luck all.
Martin Lewis is my HERO

deanos

Are your scales calibrated ?

4.8kg and 5.1kg isnt very far apart for error

philatio

^ possibly true.

I tried the Hermes help live chat last week. If you want to lose the will to live it's great. I understand its cheaper to run these things from Asia, but at least get some people who have a vague understanding of basic English.

bod1467

deanos wrote: »

Are your scales calibrated ?

4.8kg and 5.1kg isnt very far apart for error

14.8 and 15.1 even less so (proportionately).

0.3 Kg is 0.661387 lb - I doubt you'd even see that on domestic scales designed for weighing people, especially if you're weighing it together with yourself.

Get some scales suited to lower weights.

Sheldor

I've just had something similar happen with MyHermes.

I posted a package that I weighed as 4kg. They then sent me an email late at night saying my package was 7.5kg and that they wouldn't deliver it unless I paid the excess plus an admin fee. So I did.

Next day I had a much heavier parcel that weighed in at home as 6.5kg. The post office confirmed this on their scale so I know my scales are correct.

So then I looked at an online shop and found the item I had posted with Hermes, complete with dimensions and weight. It was 3.3kg. So even allowing for a heavier cardboard box, there is no way it would have weighed 7.5kg

I sent a link with the weight proof of my item but Hermes customer service haven't responded to my complaint.

Needless to say I won't be using them again.

Kim_13

Presumably if Hermes ever reply, they will reply that there is no proof that your parcel contained the item the link relates to.

Scales can be out but Hermes are really taking the mick/making errors themselves if they are saying it's almost double your weight.

It seems that in this day and age, consumers can't get their money's worth and go right up to the weight. It feels like there has to be at least a 1kg margin so that they don't try it on. The one good thing about the PO is that you can see the weight on the scale for yourself so that you know they aren't plucking a figure out of thin air (even if they occasionally try it on size wise.)

takman

OP - I definetly wouldn't be relying on uncalibrated scales to argue that it is 0.3kg less than they say it is!. But I suppose as long as your not moreven than 0.5kg over the weight they will probably always cancel the extra charge.

Sheldor

Kim13 - it would be fairly easy to prove as it was an eBay item and I added the tracking number to the item so all the details are there.

It was only a few quid extra that they charged me but the fact that they've done this really pees me off. I'm sure it's fraud or something similar to make up these claims of items being overweight when they're not and I'd be really interested to know how many people they have done this to.

Turn_to_Grey

The one good thing about the PO is that you can see the weight on the scale for yourself so that you know they aren't plucking a figure out of thin air (even if they occasionally try it on size wise.)

Not strictly true. We regularly send a slightly less than 2kg parcel to our daughter and family in Canada via Royal Mail. The scales in our local Post Office always show several tens of grams over the weight we have obtained from our scales at home. And yes, our home scales are calibrated, I work as a QA in a food factory, our factory scales are calibrated twice a day with calibrated test weights, which, coincidentally, calibrated our home scales.
I often feel I should ask to see the calibration certificate for the PO scales !

Sheldor

Still no reply from Hermes customer service dept. They're obviously happy that their staff are incorrectly invoicing people.