Parts missing from an order, but only discovered after 32 days since delivery

JimmmJ

I bought a pretty large selection of guttering and drainage parts in advance of needing them and they were delivered on September 27th.  There was a large box with all the parts in it, some wrapped up and some loose.  I glanced inside the box, I did not unpack the contents and count each and every part out, impatient delivery driver and me perhaps being naïve in assuming they'd all be there; after all since when has anything NOT been included in a delivery...

Went to install them this weekend noticed there are 21 items missing; 16 small brackets, 4 joints and a bend, total value around £20.

Reported it to the supplier on the 29th October who have said they cannot help me as I'm outside the reporting period.  I assume this is 30 days as per various consumer rights things I've read, but it is not stated on any of their paperwork.  Their paperwork does say that all deliveries should be checked before signing the delivery note.

So, yes I was remiss in not checking on delivery but nonetheless, I have paid for items that have not been delivered and that annoys me! I am loathed to spend another £20 plus P&P for the same items again.

• Can/should I pursue this further, if yes, on what tack?

OR should I;

• Chalk this up to experience, it's only £20, and make delivery drivers wait an extra 5 minutes whilst I count individual items in future?

Aylesbury_Duck

JimmmJ said:

I bought a pretty large selection of guttering and drainage parts in advance of needing them and they were delivered on September 27th.  There was a large box with all the parts in it, some wrapped up and some loose.  I glanced inside the box, I did not unpack the contents and count each and every part out, impatient delivery driver and me perhaps being naïve in assuming they'd all be there; after all since when has anything NOT been included in a delivery...

Went to install them this weekend noticed there are 21 items missing; 16 small brackets, 4 joints and a bend, total value around £20.

Reported it to the supplier on the 29th October who have said they cannot help me as I'm outside the reporting period.  I assume this is 30 days as per various consumer rights things I've read, but it is not stated on any of their paperwork.  Their paperwork does say that all deliveries should be checked before signing the delivery note.

So, yes I was remiss in not checking on delivery but nonetheless, I have paid for items that have not been delivered and that annoys me! I am loathed to spend another £20 plus P&P for the same items again.

• Can/should I pursue this further, if yes, on what tack?

OR should I;

• Chalk this up to experience, it's only £20, and make delivery drivers wait an extra 5 minutes whilst I count individual items in future?

First question is:  Is this a B2B purchase, or a retailer-consumer one?  The answer determines what routes are available to you.

Assuming you're a regular consumer, write to them to dispute it and say that you'll pursue a chargeback (assuming you paid by card?) for the missing items if they won't help.  Signing the delivery note doesn't absolve them of any liability for mistakes in their delivery.  It's your word against theirs but the balance of probabilities is in your favour - who's going to make up a story to try and defraud a retailer of £20?

JimmmJ

It was a retailer-consumer purchase.

DullGreyGuy

Aylesbury_Duck said:
Assuming you're a regular consumer, write to them to dispute it and say that you'll pursue a chargeback (assuming you paid by card?) for the missing items if they won't help.  Signing the delivery note doesn't absolve them of any liability for mistakes in their delivery.  

Chargebacks are not exclusive to B2C transactions.

A delivery note doesnt absolve them of all liabilities however I am fairly sure a bank will side with a merchant if they can show the parcel was delivered but @born_again is better placed to confirm. Chargeback is a fairly crude process and doesnt solve the underlying legal consideration (hence we see successful chargeback posters then being sued)

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Is this a big company like Toolstation or a small business?

Exodi

Aylesbury_Duck said:

JimmmJ said:

I bought a pretty large selection of guttering and drainage parts in advance of needing them and they were delivered on September 27th.  There was a large box with all the parts in it, some wrapped up and some loose.  I glanced inside the box, I did not unpack the contents and count each and every part out, impatient delivery driver and me perhaps being naïve in assuming they'd all be there; after all since when has anything NOT been included in a delivery...

Went to install them this weekend noticed there are 21 items missing; 16 small brackets, 4 joints and a bend, total value around £20.

Reported it to the supplier on the 29th October who have said they cannot help me as I'm outside the reporting period.  I assume this is 30 days as per various consumer rights things I've read, but it is not stated on any of their paperwork.  Their paperwork does say that all deliveries should be checked before signing the delivery note.

So, yes I was remiss in not checking on delivery but nonetheless, I have paid for items that have not been delivered and that annoys me! I am loathed to spend another £20 plus P&P for the same items again.

• Can/should I pursue this further, if yes, on what tack?

OR should I;

• Chalk this up to experience, it's only £20, and make delivery drivers wait an extra 5 minutes whilst I count individual items in future?

First question is:  Is this a B2B purchase, or a retailer-consumer one?  The answer determines what routes are available to you.

Assuming you're a regular consumer, write to them to dispute it and say that you'll pursue a chargeback (assuming you paid by card?) for the missing items if they won't help.  Signing the delivery note doesn't absolve them of any liability for mistakes in their delivery.  It's your word against theirs but the balance of probabilities is in your favour - who's going to make up a story to try and defraud a retailer of £20?

Is the threat of pursuing a chargeback intended to be a bluff or an actual recommendation?

I'd be suprised if they sided with the consumer on a debit dispute where it was shown that goods were delivered and signed for, but not checked until over a month after delivery. And if not for 30 days, how long?

"who's going to make up a story to try and defraud a retailer of £20?" - I'm not sure which leafy borough of London you're from, but some of the places I've lived people put chocolate bars down their trousers and walk out the shop... I don't think it's completely outside of the realms of imagination that someone would defraud a retailer of £20.

Aylesbury_Duck

Exodi said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

JimmmJ said:

I bought a pretty large selection of guttering and drainage parts in advance of needing them and they were delivered on September 27th.  There was a large box with all the parts in it, some wrapped up and some loose.  I glanced inside the box, I did not unpack the contents and count each and every part out, impatient delivery driver and me perhaps being naïve in assuming they'd all be there; after all since when has anything NOT been included in a delivery...

Went to install them this weekend noticed there are 21 items missing; 16 small brackets, 4 joints and a bend, total value around £20.

Reported it to the supplier on the 29th October who have said they cannot help me as I'm outside the reporting period.  I assume this is 30 days as per various consumer rights things I've read, but it is not stated on any of their paperwork.  Their paperwork does say that all deliveries should be checked before signing the delivery note.

So, yes I was remiss in not checking on delivery but nonetheless, I have paid for items that have not been delivered and that annoys me! I am loathed to spend another £20 plus P&P for the same items again.

• Can/should I pursue this further, if yes, on what tack?

OR should I;

• Chalk this up to experience, it's only £20, and make delivery drivers wait an extra 5 minutes whilst I count individual items in future?

First question is:  Is this a B2B purchase, or a retailer-consumer one?  The answer determines what routes are available to you.

Assuming you're a regular consumer, write to them to dispute it and say that you'll pursue a chargeback (assuming you paid by card?) for the missing items if they won't help.  Signing the delivery note doesn't absolve them of any liability for mistakes in their delivery.  It's your word against theirs but the balance of probabilities is in your favour - who's going to make up a story to try and defraud a retailer of £20?

Is the threat of pursuing a chargeback intended to be a bluff or an actual recommendation?

I'd be suprised if they sided with the consumer on a debit dispute where it was shown that goods were delivered and signed for, but not checked until over a month after delivery. And if not for 30 days, how long?

"who's going to make up a story to try and defraud a retailer of £20?" - I'm not sure which leafy borough of London you're from, but some of the places I've lived people put chocolate bars down their trousers and walk out the shop... I don't think it's completely outside of the realms of imagination that someone would defraud a retailer of £20.

It could be either.  What's OP got to lose by trying?  As things stand they're down £20+ and doing nothing makes that permanent.

Curious you think that I must live in a leafy London borough.  I live in Kent, actually.  Have you got a lazy generalisation about this part of the world, too?

born_again

DullGreyGuy said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:
Assuming you're a regular consumer, write to them to dispute it and say that you'll pursue a chargeback (assuming you paid by card?) for the missing items if they won't help.  Signing the delivery note doesn't absolve them of any liability for mistakes in their delivery.  

Chargebacks are not exclusive to B2C transactions.

A delivery note doesnt absolve them of all liabilities however I am fairly sure a bank will side with a merchant if they can show the parcel was delivered but @born_again is better placed to confirm. Chargeback is a fairly crude process and doesnt solve the underlying legal consideration (hence we see successful chargeback posters then being sued)

I would guess that it would be contested by retailer that goods were delivered, it is as simple as that. Which they will have proof of. Chargeback would only be for partial amount of the goods missing, so you would need a breakdown of item costs to proceed with a chargeback. (usually ask for invoice as proof)
As @DullGreyGuy Chargebacks are over & above your consumer rights. Crude process is a interesting way of describing them. But would not disagree at times.
They have been set up by card providers & give both sides a chance. 

JimmmJ

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head said:

Is this a big company like Toolstation or a small business?

It's a fairly big online supplier to the building trade that have specialist divisions for each aspect of a building (eg plumbing, electrical etc) each one using a variant of the same basic logo style.

Money_Grabber13579

Exodi said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

JimmmJ said:

I bought a pretty large selection of guttering and drainage parts in advance of needing them and they were delivered on September 27th.  There was a large box with all the parts in it, some wrapped up and some loose.  I glanced inside the box, I did not unpack the contents and count each and every part out, impatient delivery driver and me perhaps being naïve in assuming they'd all be there; after all since when has anything NOT been included in a delivery...

Went to install them this weekend noticed there are 21 items missing; 16 small brackets, 4 joints and a bend, total value around £20.

Reported it to the supplier on the 29th October who have said they cannot help me as I'm outside the reporting period.  I assume this is 30 days as per various consumer rights things I've read, but it is not stated on any of their paperwork.  Their paperwork does say that all deliveries should be checked before signing the delivery note.

So, yes I was remiss in not checking on delivery but nonetheless, I have paid for items that have not been delivered and that annoys me! I am loathed to spend another £20 plus P&P for the same items again.

• Can/should I pursue this further, if yes, on what tack?

OR should I;

• Chalk this up to experience, it's only £20, and make delivery drivers wait an extra 5 minutes whilst I count individual items in future?

First question is:  Is this a B2B purchase, or a retailer-consumer one?  The answer determines what routes are available to you.

Assuming you're a regular consumer, write to them to dispute it and say that you'll pursue a chargeback (assuming you paid by card?) for the missing items if they won't help.  Signing the delivery note doesn't absolve them of any liability for mistakes in their delivery.  It's your word against theirs but the balance of probabilities is in your favour - who's going to make up a story to try and defraud a retailer of £20?

Is the threat of pursuing a chargeback intended to be a bluff or an actual recommendation?

I'd be suprised if they sided with the consumer on a debit dispute where it was shown that goods were delivered and signed for, but not checked until over a month after delivery. And if not for 30 days, how long?

"who's going to make up a story to try and defraud a retailer of £20?" - I'm not sure which leafy borough of London you're from, but some of the places I've lived people put chocolate bars down their trousers and walk out the shop... I don't think it's completely outside of the realms of imagination that someone would defraud a retailer of £20.

I think you’ve missed the point. When you’ve ordered, say, £1,000 worth of guttering, what would be the benefit in saying that £20 worth hadn’t turned up? There would be people who would try and say that the delivery didn’t turn up at all or that most of it was missing, but only £20 missing? Wouldn’t be worth the effort to do that in the context of what they have actually paid.

Exodi

Money_Grabber13579 said:

Exodi said:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

JimmmJ said:

I bought a pretty large selection of guttering and drainage parts in advance of needing them and they were delivered on September 27th.  There was a large box with all the parts in it, some wrapped up and some loose.  I glanced inside the box, I did not unpack the contents and count each and every part out, impatient delivery driver and me perhaps being naïve in assuming they'd all be there; after all since when has anything NOT been included in a delivery...

Went to install them this weekend noticed there are 21 items missing; 16 small brackets, 4 joints and a bend, total value around £20.

Reported it to the supplier on the 29th October who have said they cannot help me as I'm outside the reporting period.  I assume this is 30 days as per various consumer rights things I've read, but it is not stated on any of their paperwork.  Their paperwork does say that all deliveries should be checked before signing the delivery note.

So, yes I was remiss in not checking on delivery but nonetheless, I have paid for items that have not been delivered and that annoys me! I am loathed to spend another £20 plus P&P for the same items again.

• Can/should I pursue this further, if yes, on what tack?

OR should I;

• Chalk this up to experience, it's only £20, and make delivery drivers wait an extra 5 minutes whilst I count individual items in future?

First question is:  Is this a B2B purchase, or a retailer-consumer one?  The answer determines what routes are available to you.

Assuming you're a regular consumer, write to them to dispute it and say that you'll pursue a chargeback (assuming you paid by card?) for the missing items if they won't help.  Signing the delivery note doesn't absolve them of any liability for mistakes in their delivery.  It's your word against theirs but the balance of probabilities is in your favour - who's going to make up a story to try and defraud a retailer of £20?

Is the threat of pursuing a chargeback intended to be a bluff or an actual recommendation?

I'd be suprised if they sided with the consumer on a debit dispute where it was shown that goods were delivered and signed for, but not checked until over a month after delivery. And if not for 30 days, how long?

"who's going to make up a story to try and defraud a retailer of £20?" - I'm not sure which leafy borough of London you're from, but some of the places I've lived people put chocolate bars down their trousers and walk out the shop... I don't think it's completely outside of the realms of imagination that someone would defraud a retailer of £20.

I think you’ve missed the point. When you’ve ordered, say, £1,000 worth of guttering, what would be the benefit in saying that £20 worth hadn’t turned up? There would be people who would try and say that the delivery didn’t turn up at all or that most of it was missing, but only £20 missing? Wouldn’t be worth the effort to do that in the context of what they have actually paid.

As no numbers were quoted, it's easy to whip numbers up out of thin air to support your point. Yes in an example of £1,000 of guttering (which would probably need to be delivered in an articulated lorry as guttering is very cheap), £20 looks silly, obviously. And in that case, I would probably agree with you.

In an order of £50, or £100, of guttering, not so much. But there's little point dwelling on this point and it isn't my intention to suggest the OP is lying (I wholeheartedly believe he's not). My comment was solely in response to Aylesbury_Duck's suggestion that someone trying to defraud a retailer of £20 is unfathomable.

And on that point:

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Exodi said:
...<snip>...
"who's going to make up a story to try and defraud a retailer of £20?" - I'm not sure which leafy borough of London you're from, but some of the places I've lived people put chocolate bars down their trousers and walk out the shop... I don't think it's completely outside of the realms of imagination that someone would defraud a retailer of £20.

...<snip>...
Curious you think that I must live in a leafy London borough.  I live in Kent, actually.  Have you got a lazy generalisation about this part of the world, too?

I was quite blindsided by this to be honest. What do you mean exactly? It reads as if you're suggesting I often make generalisations about different parts of the world?

Very odd and I'm quite confused as to why you've said that.

Sorry if my reply caused any offence - for the record I also live in Kent. It was a tongue-in-cheek comment to suggest you're in an area sheltered from crime. I don't think it's a 'lazy generalisation' to state that crime happens - you're welcome to pick any item worth £20 or less in my example if you find a chocolate bar particularly stereotypical of something?

I certainly haven't made comments about other parts of the world.