Royal Mail Compensation

DJBenson

Hi

I sold something on Amazon Marketplace which arrived damaged. I had photos of the item before it was sent and photos after and there was a fair bit of damage.

The item in question was a TV card for a computer. It was wrapped in cardboard (to protect the circuit board) bubble wrap then placed in a padded envelope. I sent two identical cards, both packaged the same, from the same post office; one arrived damaged, the other was OK.

I put in a claim to the Royal Mail to say the item had been damaged in the post and I've just got their response refusing compensation on the grounds that the item was insufficiently packaged. How they've made such an assumption is beyond me because short of cladding the item in iron, it was sufficiently packaged (as proven by the other item arriving safely).

Does anybody have any advice? Surely once you hand an item over to the Royal Mail, they are responsible for it - I can understand if I'd sent a glass item wrapped in brown paper but this item had plenty of packaging but still arrived damaged.

Before and after shot:

fleshandbone

You have zero chance in getting anything back from Royal Mail, you should go back to the seller and state item arrived damaged and seek compensation that way.

DJBenson

I'm the seller - the buyer returned the item to me.

fleshandbone

DJBenson wrote: »

I'm the seller - the buyer returned the item to me.

You need to compensate the buyer.
These are the risks we take when sending goods through the postal system, You will just have to swallow it and put it down to experience, I doubt the value of the item is worth causing yourself stress and hassle over.

DJBenson

Think I'll wait for some less defeatist responses if it's all the same - this is a consumer rights board after all :beer: I'm not in the habit of writing of 50 quid just because the Royal Mail have played football with my items.

Not sure why you assumed I'd not already compensated the buyer

wealdroam

I would suggest that the item could not have been sufficiently packaged simply because the thing was able to be damaged.

fleshandbone

DJBenson wrote: »

Think I'll wait for some less defeatist responses if it's all the same - this is a consumer rights board after all :beer: I'm not in the habit of writing of 50 quid just because the Royal Mail have played football with my items.

Not sure why you assumed I'd not already compensated the buyer

Go For it.

custardy

DJBenson wrote: »

Hi

I sold something on Amazon Marketplace which arrived damaged. I had photos of the item before it was sent and photos after and there was a fair bit of damage.

The item in question was a TV card for a computer. It was wrapped in cardboard (to protect the circuit board) bubble wrap then placed in a padded envelope. I sent two identical cards, both packaged the same, from the same post office; one arrived damaged, the other was OK.

I put in a claim to the Royal Mail to say the item had been damaged in the post and I've just got their response refusing compensation on the grounds that the item was insufficiently packaged. How they've made such an assumption is beyond me because short of cladding the item in iron, it was sufficiently packaged (as proven by the other item arriving safely).

Does anybody have any advice? Surely once you hand an item over to the Royal Mail, they are responsible for it - I can understand if I'd sent a glass item wrapped in brown paper but this item had plenty of packaging but still arrived damaged.

Before and after shot:

Did you check the packing requirements?
Without checking that should have been in a box at the very least.



See those big trolleys in the back? They can carry over 100KG of packets. What do you think its like for a packet at the bottom?

DJBenson

wealdroam wrote: »

I would suggest that the item could not have been sufficiently packaged simply because the thing was able to be damaged.

I was about to say 'fair shout' until I followed the link on the Royal Mail's response on how to package stuff. I would say I went beyond what was expected (for a small electrical item) yet the item was still damaged. Also, no amount of packaging will protect a small item from abuse to 'sufficient' is subjective in this respect.

The fact that two identical items packaged in the same way arrived in different conditions surely highlights that the handling of the item is at fault and not the packaging (you cannot reasonably argue that one was 'sufficiently' packaged and the other not).

fleshandbone

I find it amazing when people send light bulbs in jiffy bags.

custardy

DJBenson wrote: »

I was about to say 'fair shout' until I followed the link on the Royal Mail's response on how to package stuff. I would say I went beyond what was expected (for a small electrical item) yet the item was still damaged. Also, no amount of packaging will protect a small item from abuse to 'sufficient' is subjective in this respect.

The fact that two identical items packaged in the same way arrived in different conditions surely highlights that the handling of the item is at fault and not the packaging (you cannot reasonably argue that one was 'sufficiently' packaged and the other not).

Do you really think that argument stands?


I would say this packaging guide is more applicable

Electronic items - Medium to Large items, e.g. iPads, portable DVD players, laptops, flat screen TV's, printers, blue ray players etc. Surround with a minimum of 5cm of cushioning e.g., bubble wrap, polystyrene chips or polyblocks to protect from knocks and vibration. Remove all additional or loose parts and wrap each item individually, including plugs. Electronic items may be sent in their original packaging providing battery is removed or not charged. Items must be securely placed in a strong, rigid outer container e.g. corrugated fibreboard box and cushioned to avoid movement. Packaging must be of adequate size and securely sealed so items can not fall out during transit.