Lost cause? Help with Vinted/InPost

Kitty_HB

Hi all

I wondered if someone could help or offer any advice at all about a recent problem with both Vinted and InPost. I don't know if I should just give up, but it seems so wrong!

I posted an item out to a Vinted buyer via an InPost locker, however, the item wasn't registered correctly by the locker and I didn't receive the usual confirmation.  I raised a query with Vinted as it was quite an expensive item and after about 2 weeks they got back to me to advise they had suspended the item whilst an investigation was carried out.  After another couple of weeks they then cancelled the item advising InPost had confirmed the item was never dropped off.

Obviously I know that I did drop the item off, so queried this with InPost who advised they couldn't look into it without Vinted opening an investigation.

So back I go to Vinted to request they re-open an investigation, only to be told their decision was final and there was nothing else they would do to help.

At this point i'm thinking between Vinted and InPost, this is some of the worst customer service i've encountered in a long time so decided to request the CCTV from InPost which clearly shows me dropping the parcel off on the date and time advised. I've since sent this onto Vinted but have hit the same brick wall, with the same robotic automatically generated answers. InPost have pretty much provided a similar response.  Ultimately, they both now have clear evidence but still refuse to help me.

I just wondered if anyone else had encountered the same sort of issue and if they were able to sort it out?  It just seems so wrong to me that InPost know they have my item but won't help me.

Thanks for any advice!

Aylesbury_Duck

Who is your actual contract with?  Vinted, or InPost?  Whichever it is, I think the only course of action open to you is now small claims court action.   You have evidence it was dropped off, their position seems to be that you didn't complete the drop-off process correctly.  A court will decide if whichever party you serve notice upon doesn't just pay out first.

Kitty_HB

It's through Vinted so I guess it's technically with them. I just can't understand why InPost can't help at all though, given it's clearly some sort of fault with locker itself.  At this stage I don't even care about a refund, it just seems totally unacceptable for both companies to refuse any help at all.

Aylesbury_Duck

If you've paid for the postal service through Vinted then InPost have no contract with you so they don't need to deal with you at all.  They've gone beyond what they needed to do by providing you with the CCTV footage. It's Vinted you need to be pursuing.

soolin

Aylesbury_Duck said:

If you've paid for the postal service through Vinted then InPost have no contract with you so they don't need to deal with you at all.  They've gone beyond what they needed to do by providing you with the CCTV footage. It's Vinted you need to be pursuing.

I agree, Vinted is unusual in that buyer pays for a label and Vinted then send it to the seller, so the seller has no connection at all with the courier. 

Alderbank

Aylesbury_Duck said:

If you've paid for the postal service through Vinted then InPost have no contract with you so they don't need to deal with you at all.  They've gone beyond what they needed to do by providing you with the CCTV footage. It's Vinted you need to be pursuing.

I agree that they have no contract with you but contract law is not the only law relevant here. 

If you are identifiable in their recording (and not much point in having a recording otherwise) then under GDPR they do need to deal with you if you request it.

Kitty_HB

Thanks for your advice.  I think unfortunately I'm just going to have to accept that that neither Vinted or InPost are going to provide any further help and my item is gone.  Seems baffling to me to me that this is the standard of service given the various consumer laws around these days.

funkyjams

Hey Kitty, did you get anywhere with this? I'm having the same issue, I dropped a parcel at an InPost locker which didn't register correctly & I've got nowhere with Vinted/InPost customer service. Their last message basically says it's lost, buyer refunded, case closed. That leaves me £50 out of pocket.

Unfortunately, the carrier has confirmed that the parcel is not with them and was not sent. Therefore, we'll need to cancel the order and refund the buyer. This could have happened due to one of the following reasons: The parcel might have been left incorrectly, e.g. next to a locker, or the locker doors weren't closed properly. An expired shipping label might have been used. A different shipping method was used with indirect shipping instructions, e.g. leaving the parcel at a parcel shop instead of a locker. The parcel may not have been sent from the intended location. The parcel was either too light or too heavy. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

None of those are the case, I scanned at the InPost locker, put it in the locker, closed the door. Their system failed. I've requested the CCTV footage.

Legaleagle1234

I have a slightly different issue. I am a Vinted buyer. The item is still in transit according to Inpost tracking, but delivered according to Vinted. I raised an issue before Christmas and was told to wait until after the 2 jan date when I would need to say I wanted a refund. So I waited. I have now gone back to request a refund to be told I'm out of time. So I followed their directions and am penalised for it. Inpost confirm that Vinted have not been in touch with them, despite my contacting Inpost directly and raising an issue on the same date before Christmas. Can MONEYSAVINGEXPERT help us here because they are clearly not delivering items, keeping the delivery fee and buyer protection. The seller loses item and buyer loses money. Inpost have no direct contract and Vinted and being utterly rubbish. 

gingerbird44

I’ve had the exact identical issue to this, this week. Faulty locker not registered the parcel but closed and I couldn’t open it again. Inpost refer me to Vinted. Vinted say it was lost and refund the buyer, my £120 item is “lost” despite it being in a locker waiting to be collected with a label. I’ve lost my item and my money. Has anyone had any further contact or resolution to this. It’s truly terrible customer service