Delivery/return gone wrong: who is responsible?

Beenie

I bought something from a national retailer and they used a national carrier to deliver my goods. Goods arrived but not as expected, so I returned within 24 hours, using the same national carrier. The problem is that the retailer says goods not received back (which is probably true) and carrier says returns address is not accessible (which is also true as its a PO box).

I checked the returns address both on the retailer company website and with their Customer Services, and both confirm it's a PO box retailer returns address. Only the Royal Mail can return to a PO box address, no other carrier has this information. So my question is this: I used the address provided both on the website and the returns label supplied by national retailer. Carrier says it's not possible to drop at a PO box. Who is responsible if my parcel goes astray? I have a collection receipt and emails from carrier confirming that I have posted via their company.

davidmcn

Beenie said:

Who is responsible if my parcel goes astray?

Has your parcel gone astray?

sheramber

 Has the courier told you what they have done with the parcel if they cannot deliver it?

Beenie

carrier still working on it according to latest email. You can't get through to a human being to discuss what's happening.

Diamandis

Did you arrange the return to be picked up by the courier or did the retailer? 

Beenie

 I arranged the collection. It was with Hermes, and they are the company which the retailer themselves use for delivery of their goods. The problem seems to be that the returns address is a POBox number and only Royal Mail has the national list of PO box addresses. I hadn't realised that, and the Pure Cashmere website doesn't make it clear that using Royal Mail is mandatory. I can't get to a post office in any case, and have to use courier companies to collect things for me.

davidmcn

Presumably the package has your return address? So it ought to (eventually) bounce back to you, if they can't figure out for themselves how to redirect it to the retailer. But I wouldn't expect that to be swift, even at the best of times.

Beenie

Hermes has said, via email, that as a last resort and at extra cost they will return the package to me. However, I rang Pure Cashmere and got their admin office address. The lady I spoke to said their warehouse (with the PO number) is next door so someone should walk it round there for me. This new info has been given to Hermes so I should have success within days.

Diamandis

If it's this website then it does say to take it to the post office and request the standard parcel service so if it was to get lost now I wouldn't see how the retailer has any responsibility. 

https://www.purecollection.com/delivery-returns

[Deleted User]

In all fairness the website states that you should be returning via Royal Mail and therefore you choosing to ignore this and use a courier is an assumption you shouldn’t of made. Just because one courier does their deliveries doesn’t mean they do the returns. 

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

MarkN88 said:

In all fairness the website states that you should be returning via Royal Mail and therefore you choosing to ignore this and use a courier is an assumption you shouldn’t of made. Just because one courier does their deliveries doesn’t mean they do the returns. 

The retailer is obligated to provide a geographical address at which the trader is established , it was my understanding that a PO box doesn't qualify to meet this requirement.

OP

www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/3134/regulation/34/made

(5) If the contract is a sales contract and the trader has not offered to collect the goods, the time is the end of 14 days after—

(a)the day on which the trader receives the goods back, or

(b)if earlier, the day on which the consumer supplies evidence of having sent the goods back.

Send them the above with proof of return and request a refund within 14 days. The delivery issue is the retailer's problem.