Royal Mail claim delivered item yet wasn't. Their explanation doesn't tally.

JustAnotherSaver

One for myself this time. I bought an item on eBay, it was sent via tracked means and was marked as delivered - yet it wasn't.

I contacted the seller who basically said tracker says delivered, goodbye. I'd previously bought from the seller only a week before with same item but different measurements and left positive feedback so it's not like i'm a bogus buyer.

I contact Royal Fail who take forever and a day to investigate to then get back to me saying my enquiry has been completed and i should take it up with the sender as the item was left by my back door.

This proves to me that it has been delivered to the wrong address as there is no back door. I specifically asked for a description of where it was left, a detailed description. Colour of door, under a plant pot, in a shed, actual specifics so that i knew they had at least been to the address. Back door tells me they haven't as there is only 1 door to the house and that's obviously the front door.

Is there any way to take this further since their explanation isn't good enough?

Spoonie_Turtle

Can you ask for the GPS info from the postie's device (can't remember what they're called) when it was apparently delivered?

theonlywayisup

Not for you to dispute with carrier, go back to the seller and explain, asking them to dispute (which I don't see you have asked?)

EffieTrinketsWig

I had a similar experience as a seller, I discovered that the issue was caused because the impatient clerk at my Post Office did not want to process the dozen identical items one at a time, he insisted that as they were all the same item and weight I should hand them over all at once, the outcome was that they mixed up the signed for labels on the items.  It only came to light when some buyers contacted me about where their items where and I told them their items had been signed for, although they hadn't received them.   They contacted me in the following days to tell me they had now received their items, when I looked at the tracking numbers assigned to each address on the receipts had the signatures of other buyers at different addresses.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

JustAnotherSaver said:

I contact Royal Fail who take forever and a day to investigate to then get back to me saying my enquiry has been completed and i should take it up with the sender as the item was left by my back door.

Royal Mail's CS is terrible, in these situations you only have 7 days before the GPS data is no longer stored, a phone call or visit to your local delivery depot is the best way to get a decent response as to where a parcel was left. 

If you have something from Royal Mail that shows it wasn't your address you can go back to eBay to appeal the decision.

JustAnotherSaver

I don't actually have anything from RM saying it wasn't at my address. They claim that it was. It's my word against theirs. Google Maps will show no door on the house from what it shows of the house as the door is on the other side. There's actually zero road side, no door, no windows. The house drops down below road level which is where the 1 and only door is but this isn't shown on Google Maps.

I could photo the door but then what's to say that there isn't 100 doors just around the corner out of view i guess. Unless i video a tour of the house then there's no evidence.

I will try the seller again but i think they are of the - i've got my money so i don't care about anything else way of thinking.

I was in a similar position within the past couple of years i think it was, but back then the tracker described my front door so at least i knew that they had at the very least been at the correct address.

JustAnotherSaver

Have contacted the seller again and asked for their help with this. I don't hold out much hope. Have had a look how they respond to negatives:

"And this is our fault ??? I only Apply the stamp "

"THIS IS WHY WE LOVE EBAY,EDUCATED CON ARTISTS,EBAY COMEON SORT OUT"

"DEMANDED A REFUND FOR BEING INCAPABLE OF FITTING PRODUCT RUDE AROGANT"

"THEFT OR THEIF CLAIMED Charge back after receiving goods as did not authorise"

This one I wasn't sure of. The buyer said "found the seller to be burnt when asking a question". I think they meant to say blunt maybe. The sellers response was:

"EXPECTED A PREMIUM POSTAGE AFTER PAYING FOR FREE POST NOT HAPPENING"

All that translates to me as a poor attitude from the seller.

in_the_Cotswolds

Go to your local DO and complain.  We are tracked via our PDA's so they should be able to confirm where the parcel was delivered to.  Do you have the tracking number?

epm-84

theonlywayisup said:

Not for you to dispute with carrier, go back to the seller and explain, asking them to dispute (which I don't see you have asked?)

Indeed.  The buyer doesn't have a contract with Royal Mail, they have a contract with the seller.

JustAnotherSaver

in_the_Cotswolds said:

Go to your local DO and complain.  We are tracked via our PDA's so they should be able to confirm where the parcel was delivered to.  Do you have the tracking number?

Yes I have the tracking number.

It's 15 numbers, 1 letter, 2 numbers, 1 letter, 2 numbers.

Not sure if that indicates what method was used.

How precise is the tracking? As in could the 'dot' indicate 1 of a few houses? Our house is detached but there's other houses in the area.

epm-84 said:

theonlywayisup said:

Not for you to dispute with carrier, go back to the seller and explain, asking them to dispute (which I don't see you have asked?)

Indeed.  The buyer doesn't have a contract with Royal Mail, they have a contract with the seller.

Then what would you do if the seller suddenly went very quiet?

Clearly they're playing the - i've got my money now do one card. They're not interested in the slightest in helping, i can tell that from their responses to others and their earlier response to me.

I have in the past claimed for INR when the tracker said delivered. eBay ruled in the sellers favour and I was out of pocket.

Difference being - back then the GPS indicated my house. This time they're talking about doors I don't even have.

pbartlett

The rule on eBay is simple. If you buy something and you don't receive it (or you did receive it but want to pretend that you didn't) then you raise an INR.

If the seller doesn't have a tracking number, the buyer wins and gets their money back

if the seller does have a tracking number and that shows as 'delivered' then the seller wins.

Discussions about back doors and GPS will not, unfortunately, change this process