Postage issue - the seller is using an alternative courier to the one specified

Emily_Joy

I recently bought a relatively expensive item on ebay (cost more than £200). The listing said it will be posted by Royal Mail Next Day Guaranteed. A couple of days later I got a message from the seller saying that eBay suggested to post it via packlink and it ended up with Hermes/Evry. The problem is that Hermes courier comes around at about 2pm and there is nobody in the house during the day. I was planning to collect the item from the local Royal Mail sorting office....

Any thoughts?

pinkshoes

Ask to cancel the sale if they cannot use their stated postage method?

Or just go ahead and see what happens? Make sure you do NOT specify a safe place so they can't just leave it.

If they give a specific day could you be in or have someone else be in for you?

olgadapolga

If it's already been sent then there's not much you can do. I think that Evri allow you to give an "alternative" address (a neighbour usually) if you have the tracking number. Evri will try to deliver three times before RTS.

Last time I had a delivery via Evri, I left a note on the door stating that if there was no reply then they were NOT to leave it and giving a date when I knew I'd be in to take delivery.

I would probably moan at the seller as well, stating that you'd purchased from them purely because they were going to send it via Royal Mail and why. It's not on really, changing the postal method to save a few pence. Did you pay a separate amount for SD? 

soolin

This annoys me as many people actively choose to use a seller due to their postage methods.

If no one is going to be in I would firstly make sure the parcel isn’t just left, add a note to your door being very clear that parcel must not be left if there is no one in to take it.

Then contact seller and explain that you are disappointed he went for a cheaper option as you bought this as can collect from a mail centre. I would be blunt, seller is being deceptive suggesting eBay told him to use Evri, yes it is an option via packlink but he had to go through the RM site to get to packlink and probably just saw the cost of special delivery and decided to save money. Tell seller that you are unlikely to be in for a courier and have no safe place stated and if he can recall it he needs to do so (he can’t recall it but it might make him think twice about it in future).

You need to ensure that the item isn’t just left while you are out as if it shows as delivered then you can’t win an INR case. 

Emily_Joy

pinkshoes said:

Ask to cancel the sale if they cannot use their stated postage method? Or just go ahead and see what happens? Make sure you do NOT specify a safe place so they can't just leave it. If they give a specific day could you be in or have someone else be in for you?

It is already with the courier. They give a specific day, the courier left a note "I will come around at 1pm tomorrow", but they don't give you an option to choose. I left a note on the door saying that there will be someone in on Saturday, but not during the week.

Emily_Joy

olgadapolga said:

If it's already been sent then there's not much you can do. I think that Evri allow you to give an "alternative" address (a neighbour usually) if you have the tracking number. Evri will try to deliver three times before RTS.

Last time I had a delivery via Evri, I left a note on the door stating that if there was no reply then they were NOT to leave it and giving a date when I knew I'd be in to take delivery.

I would probably moan at the seller as well, stating that you'd purchased from them purely because they were going to send it via Royal Mail and why. It's not on really, changing the postal method to save a few pence. Did you pay a separate amount for SD? 

Nope, the listing stated free postage. I made "a best offer" and it was accepted...

olgadapolga

Emily_Joy said:

olgadapolga said:

If it's already been sent then there's not much you can do. I think that Evri allow you to give an "alternative" address (a neighbour usually) if you have the tracking number. Evri will try to deliver three times before RTS.

Last time I had a delivery via Evri, I left a note on the door stating that if there was no reply then they were NOT to leave it and giving a date when I knew I'd be in to take delivery.

I would probably moan at the seller as well, stating that you'd purchased from them purely because they were going to send it via Royal Mail and why. It's not on really, changing the postal method to save a few pence. Did you pay a separate amount for SD? 

Nope, the listing stated free postage. I made "a best offer" and it was accepted...

The only reason I asked was that it would have given you a bit more ammunition to throw at the seller. Not great behaviour on the part of the seller, IMO.

Emily_Joy

soolin said:

This annoys me as many people actively choose to use a seller due to their postage methods.

Then contact seller and explain that you are disappointed he went for a cheaper option as you bought this as can collect from a mail centre. I would be blunt, seller is being deceptive suggesting eBay told him to use Evri, yes it is an option via packlink but he had to go through the RM site to get to packlink and probably just saw the cost of special delivery and decided to save money. Tell seller that you are unlikely to be in for a courier and have no safe place stated and if he can recall it he needs to do so (he can’t recall it but it might make him think twice about it in future).

My main question is the following. If the parcel is eventually returned to the sender will I be able to recover the payment in full? Can the seller make a case saying that this is my problem that I was away during the day etc and refuse to refund the postage for instance? (or refuse a refund at all claiming that there is nothing wrong with the item)...

olgadapolga

Emily_Joy said:

soolin said:

This annoys me as many people actively choose to use a seller due to their postage methods.

Then contact seller and explain that you are disappointed he went for a cheaper option as you bought this as can collect from a mail centre. I would be blunt, seller is being deceptive suggesting eBay told him to use Evri, yes it is an option via packlink but he had to go through the RM site to get to packlink and probably just saw the cost of special delivery and decided to save money. Tell seller that you are unlikely to be in for a courier and have no safe place stated and if he can recall it he needs to do so (he can’t recall it but it might make him think twice about it in future).

My main question is the following. If the parcel is eventually returned to the sender will I be able to recover the payment in full? Can the seller make a case saying that this is my problem that I was away during the day etc and refuse to refund the postage for instance? (or refuse a refund at all claiming that there is nothing wrong with the item)...

You'll get a full refund.

Rantband

You need to take note of what soolin said
You need to ensure that the item isn’t just left while you are out as if it shows as delivered then you can’t win an INR case. 

Norman_Castle

Can it be arranged for you to collect from a local parcel shop? Remember to give detailed feedback.