My Hermes and a broken item

JHoney

I've used MyHermes without problem for a year or so, but last month I used them to deliver a breadmaker, which although packaged up to within an inch of its life arrived trashed. I had to refund the customer in full via ebay and then started processing a refund through hermes insurance, which I'd made sure covered the value of the item.

I went through the whole form, giving them all the information they needed and waited for the required 14 working days - after which nothing happened. So I contacted them again and they said there'd been a 'technical problem' and I had to start all over again, except they've been asking for different information, which I'm finding rather intrusive. They've asked for screenshots of the Paypal invoice showing the name and address of the customer. Now this is a problem because originally the customer chose a click and collect option via Arogs and Sainsburys which I didn't realise ebay had added to everyone's account and hadn't thought to mention it. I hadn't the faintest idea how to accomplish this and did some research on the ebay forums, basically everyone says don't touch it with a barge pole. So I agreed with my customer that we'd send it via Hermes to her home address as it was fully tracked. However, she had paid straight away before all this was agreed and it shows the click and collect option on the paypal invoice.

I can't see what business it is of theirs anyway, I paid for the correct postage and insurance, they know full well which address they sent it to, so what are they playing at? I've told them I feel that they're requesting information that is impinging on both mine and the customer's data privacy and have asked why they want it, but they don't answer my questions.

Anyone come across this before? I can feel a refusal of my claim coming on, which I can't afford because I had to refund the customer weeks ago. Do they have any reasonable grounds to refuse my claim?

theonlywayisup

Have you read the T&C to see what you need to supply in the event of a claim? I would imagine they want a copy of the payment transaction to prove the item was what you say it was and was going where they delivered it to.

Paragraph 2 makes no sense. Did you post the item to a different address than on the payment transaction?

soolin

I am also confused as to which address you Used? Click and collect is not an issue , what exactly are you worried about as as long as you sent it to the PayPal registered address i.e. Click and drop you are covered.

If you did opt to send it to a different address then you can't fulfil the requirements for a MyHermes claim if they specifically ask for sight of the PayPal invoice. you would also have lost any INR claim via eBay or PayPal. There is a sticky thread on the eBay board (see my sig) about postage and seller protection that is worth a read.

JHoney

Sorry for confusion, to clarify, the customer originally used the Argos/Sainsbury's option for delivery and paid immediately after the auction ended, which is why that's showing on the Paypal invoice. But we subsequently agreed to send it to her home address, and I then bought the postage from Hermes to that end, so I can't understand why an address change before I bought postage from them would be a deal breaker in getting insurance compensation from them. I've provided the ebay item number, they can see what it sold for, they can see on the paypal invoice that she paid me in full, so I've been able to prove the value of the item with no problem.

soolin

JHoney wrote: »

Sorry for confusion, to clarify, the customer originally used the Argos/Sainsbury's option for delivery and paid immediately after the auction ended, which is why that's showing on the Paypal invoice. But we subsequently agreed to send it to her home address, and I then bought the postage from Hermes to that end, so I can't understand why an address change before I bought postage from them would be a deal breaker in getting insurance compensation from them. I've provided the ebay item number, they can see what it sold for, they can see on the paypal invoice that she paid me in full, so I've been able to prove the value of the item with no problem.

In that case you have a problem. Not only can you not comply with the MyHermes requirement but you also gave up all eBay and PayPal seller protection. Even if item had arrived tracked and delivered you could not have won an INR against them. It is not uncommon for couriers to require sight of the original payment invoice or other proof that you actually were paid and that you posted it to the address you are claiming in your loss do damage claim form.

Also, for future reference and for any other newbies to PayPal reading this - always send to the address given by PayPal, never allow or request a different address from a buyer. Have a read of the email from PayPal and also the transaction details in your PayPal account, it could not be clearer that you need to only send to the address given. There is a sticky thread on the eBay board here in MSE that explains about seller protection.

theonlywayisup

JHoney wrote: »

Sorry for confusion, to clarify, the customer originally used the Argos/Sainsbury's option for delivery and paid immediately after the auction ended, which is why that's showing on the Paypal invoice. But we subsequently agreed to send it to her home address, and I then bought the postage from Hermes to that end, so I can't understand why an address change before I bought postage from them would be a deal breaker in getting insurance compensation from them. I've provided the ebay item number, they can see what it sold for, they can see on the paypal invoice that she paid me in full, so I've been able to prove the value of the item with no problem.

It isn't about the value as has been explained.

I think the best you can do is give them the PayPal invoice details along with your email/message confirming the change of address for the delivery. Then keep your fingers crossed.