item delivered and signed for but not from buyer

challengedavid

just had an email form a buyer
"Hi I just wanted to let you know the item was delivered but not to me unfortunately. I will have to open up a case so it can be investigated but you have a valid tracking number so you'll not lose anything. Just to give you a heads up when you see the case opening up"

have asked them to check neighbours,  how should i proceed?

soolin

challengedavid said:

just had an email form a buyer
"Hi I just wanted to let you know the item was delivered but not to me unfortunately. I will have to open up a case so it can be investigated but you have a valid tracking number so you'll not lose anything. Just to give you a heads up when you see the case opening up"

have asked them to check neighbours,  how should i proceed?

I’m not sure what buyer hopes to achieve by opening a case, if you added tracking when you sent it then both eBay and PayPal will close it in your favour, they won’t be investigating anything.

its always worth suggesting buyer checks with neighbours, perhaps describe the size, packaging etc. You can also get in touch with your courier and ask if they have any additional information that they can supply, and explain that recipient does not have the package.

unless item was over £750 then the signature is a red herring, there is nothing to suggest that only the named person can sign for things, unless you or buyer supplied ID that can be checked on delivery, and made it part of the contract. 

challengedavid

thanks for the reply
was sent royal mail 2nd class recorded and purchased via ebay so tracking was automatically uploaded to the sale

asked buyer to ask neighbours, no reply as of yet
message from buyer was just very strange
not sure how to proceed if they come back and say its not at any neighbours (they might be telling the truth)
and i am sure royal mail wont really be interested unless i put a claim in 

will have to see how it progresses 

challengedavid

buyer replied saying that she has checked with neighbours and local post office with no luck
shes trying royal mail to today,
my questions are,  will royal mail be interested on the phone?
i am sure they will just say its been delivered
and if its has been delivered to the wrong address what do i do?  there will be no proof just the buyers word
confused!

soolin

challengedavid said:

buyer replied saying that she has checked with neighbours and local post office with no luck
shes trying royal mail to today,
my questions are,  will royal mail be interested on the phone?
i am sure they will just say its been delivered
and if its has been delivered to the wrong address what do i do?  there will be no proof just the buyers word
confused!

You don't need to do anything, your delivery conformation is sufficient to protect you- that sounds harsh, but it is the way ebay have forced us sellers to behave - protect ourselves first and then help the buyer.

I would normally try and help, email RM to see if there is any additional information that can be added to the tracking (I don't think I've had any success with this though) and then tell buyer that you are happy to supply them with details of posting, description of packaging etc.

However, as it stands you are safe from any claim, RM is unlikely to pay out for loss unless they find something anomalous in their tracking. So be careful about giving the buyer any hope that you will refund regardless - just try and help them as best you can. Don't get bogged down by any mention of who signed for what- it is immaterial.

challengedavid

another message this morning

"Hi Royal Mail are contacting our local PO who have 72 hours to do their own investigation into who posted the item. Then I should get an email from Royal Mall within 5 working days to say they've either tracked down the parcel or they admit complete liability and I can claim the money back. Thanks"

i get what you are saying with not refunding but seems harsh if she does not have the item she paid for
not said anything about refunding as if that happened i would need some indication from royal mail that they will payout

will update if anything else happens

soolin

challengedavid said:

another message this morning

"Hi Royal Mail are contacting our local PO who have 72 hours to do their own investigation into who posted the item. Then I should get an email from Royal Mall within 5 working days to say they've either tracked down the parcel or they admit complete liability and I can claim the money back. Thanks"

i get what you are saying with not refunding but seems harsh if she does not have the item she paid for
not said anything about refunding as if that happened i would need some indication from royal mail that they will payout

will update if anything else happens

That seems rather strange from RM, I have never managed to get their interest like that when I try- I have always been told that delivery is delivery and that's it. Buyer also knows who posted it unless they told them they don't believe you did?

Maybe custardy will log in and see this thread- as he is the expert on RM policy

challengedavid

gets a bit stranger

i replied not had anything like this before and to keep me posted and i got this reply

" Its strange because Royal mail say it's only showing as signed for at the door but our local PO has got the red missed delivery card which seems very dodgy. They have outsourced postman these last 2 weeks as there's a shortage so looks like one might have signed for it themselves and then pocketed the parcel...hopefully the investigation will shed some light. Will keep you posted thanks"

got to admit i am a bit confused??

so the local PO has the missed delivery card, but shes not had the parcel and the PO's not got it

strange?

soolin

challengedavid said:

gets a bit stranger

i replied not had anything like this before and to keep me posted and i got this reply

" Its strange because Royal mail say it's only showing as signed for at the door but our local PO has got the red missed delivery card which seems very dodgy. They have outsourced postman these last 2 weeks as there's a shortage so looks like one might have signed for it themselves and then pocketed the parcel...hopefully the investigation will shed some light. Will keep you posted thanks"

got to admit i am a bit confused??

so the local PO has the missed delivery card, but shes not had the parcel and the PO's not got it

strange?

I think I might be inclined to stop responding in any timely manner- this is all sounding a bit odd and your buyer is getting some fast and strange messages from RM- which seem unlikely. If the local delivery office believe something untoward is going on then your buyer is in the best place to assist- and I think I would stop back a little from this now as it seems to be a local issue. If RM are actually dealing with this then it will be up to them to sort out a refund, I can't see how you getting involved can help here at all. 

I do have a niggling thought though that buyer is perhaps 'enhancing' the situation in order to guilt you into a refund, which they know they cannot force from you as your tracking protects you.

challengedavid

Thanks soolin I think I will just do that

They are very quick for messages from royal mail  and they are usually quite slow with anything 

Looking at her feedback left for others it looks overall ok but she did have a spate of non delivery a year ago 

Time to back away and see what happens.  Blocked her too


edit, the more i think about it the more it seems really fishy,  its like she was going to open a case and she was prevented from that by eBay then came up with a some strange story
i personally think shes got the item and cannot open a case, but i cannot prove it

if and when she does come back to me i will be asking for any correspondence  shes had with royal mail as if what she says is genuine she should have some!

kangoora

It seems very strange the buyer is getting any response at all from RM. The buyer doesn't have a contract with RM, you do, as the purchaser of the service so it's very weird that RM are actually communicating with her.