Hermes and the Stolen Trainers

Janemart

On 20th February I bought some Asics Netball trainers from Sports Innovation Ltd via Amazon, in size 6. They arrived promptly but were too small so I called the retailer and paid them £4.99 for return shipping after explaining what I needed. I then repackaged and resealed up the trainers in the original packaging - with a note inside, stating the new size I wanted. I then dropped it off at the nearest Hermes collection point on 24 February.

Sports Innovation contacted me a few days later, to say that although the package arrived, with my note inside, there were no trainers, just a pair of Zara Jeans. When I expressed shock and said I definitely returned the trainers, they said they couldn’t do anything about it and suggested I take this up with Hermes. I asked Sports Innovation to send me photos of the package with the jeans and my note. I called Amazon to see if they could help, but the answer was also "no, nothing to do with us."

Then followed a Live Chat with Hermes Parcels, where I attached all the information requested such as the photographs and original invoice, tracking number etc. I heard nothing further. After many, many emails chasing over the last month and constantly receiving a generic email asking again for the same information I had already given (which I eventually did give again), I even emailed their CEO to explain the problem on 1 April. I have heard nothing back from him either.

I now understand Hermes has changed its name to Evri and I have tried, fruitlessly to contact them too. There’s no option on their live chat or telephone for “complaints” or anything remotely resembling my situation. So I just go round and round with their automated services until I give up. 

Today I contacted the Citizens Advice Bureau, but unfortunately they gave me the wrong information, and sent me a template to send to Sports Innovation saying my contract was with them and their contract was with Hermes, so it was up to them to sort this out and refund me or send me new trainers. They immediately replied denying this, saying that they had sent the original trainers but had not received them back, so they had fulfilled their side of the bargain. When I rang Citizens Advice back and got a different person, she said the advice had been wrong and I would have to prove that I sent back the trainers. I asked how I could do this and she asked if I had taken photographs when I put them into the packaging and when I dropped them at the Hermes collection point, which of course I hadn’t!

American Express, whom I also contacted, told me this was a criminal offence, as the trainers had obviously been stolen and I could call the police. I doubt the police would be interested, or do anything.

I would appreciate any advice as I am now both trainer-less and out of pocket to the tune of  £87.98. Obviously this isn’t a huge amount, but I feel aggrieved someone has benefitted from pilfering my goods and there is seemingly absolutely nothing I can do about it!

Manxman_in_exile

Can I just suggest that when dealing with Hermes/Evri about this matter, it might be more productive to talk about the trainers as "having gone missing" rather than as "having been stolen" (as you suggest in the thread title)?

Hermes/Evri are at least 900% useless at the best of times without putting their backs up by suggesting they employ people of questionable honesty.  (No matter how much you feel they do).

Grumpy_chap

This seems to make zero sense. 

It would be understandable if someone took the trainers and the empty box arrived at Aasics.   If someone took the trainers, how likely is it they have a pair of Zara jeans at half the price to exchange?

It would be like someone breaking into the house, taking the TV, but leaving a radio.

Janemart

Manxman_in_exile said:

Can I just suggest that when dealing with Hermes/Evri about this matter, it might be more productive to talk about the trainers as "having gone missing" rather than as "having been stolen" (as you suggest in the thread title)?

Hermes/Evri are at least 900% useless at the best of times without putting their backs up by suggesting they employ people of questionable honesty.  (No matter how much you feel they do).

I take your point about using the word "stolen" but I haven't accused Hermes directly of stealing them, however, they have been taken, they haven't gone missing.  The trainers have been deliberately taken out of the package and replaced with a less re-saleable item. 

Janemart

Grumpy_chap said:

This seems to make zero sense. 

It would be understandable if someone took the trainers and the empty box arrived at Aasics.   If someone took the trainers, how likely is it they have a pair of Zara jeans at half the price to exchange?

It would be like someone breaking into the house, taking the TV, but leaving a radio.

The package had to be filled with something otherwise it would have been obvious to the retailer when they took delivery that it was an empty parcel. 

cx6

"Then followed a Live Chat with Hermes Parcels, where I attached all the information requested such as the photographs and original invoice, tracking number etc."

A meaningful live chat with Hermes? How on earth did you manage to do that! I have never managed to get past their bot.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Janemart said:

so I called the retailer and paid them £4.99 for return shipping after explaining what I needed. 

Today I contacted the Citizens Advice Bureau, but unfortunately they gave me the wrong information, and sent me a template to send to Sports Innovation saying my contract was with them and their contract was with Hermes, so it was up to them to sort this out and refund me or send me new trainers. They immediately replied denying this, saying that they had sent the original trainers but had not received them back, so they had fulfilled their side of the bargain. 

OP can you clarify, you appear to be suggesting that the return label was supplied by the seller as you paid the seller £4.99 rather than Hermes/Evri?

Ath_Wat

Grumpy_chap said:

This seems to make zero sense. 

It would be understandable if someone took the trainers and the empty box arrived at Aasics.   If someone took the trainers, how likely is it they have a pair of Zara jeans at half the price to exchange?

It would be like someone breaking into the house, taking the TV, but leaving a radio.

It depends really whether it was a new par of Zara jeans.  An old pair of Zara jeans has minimal value to anyone.

born_again

Or could be a couple of packages split open & the items were just shoved back in any of them.
Did retailer say package was open or had been resealed?

jon81uk

Who paid Hermes?

if you paid them, its up to you to get Hermes to refund.

If the seller paid Hermes it is up to them to pay you back and then resolve the issues.

Manxman_in_exile

born_again said:

Or could be a couple of packages split open & the items were just shoved back in any of them.
Did retailer say package was open or had been resealed?

Yeah.  It did cross my mind that an "accident" during transit could just possibly end up the contents of damaged parcels being inadvertantly switched.  Unlikely but possible...