Ebay sale - Royal Mail Special delivery, damage compensation
Options
johna7770
Posts: 6 Forumite
Hi,
I run a small business selling antiques and collectables on Ebay. For the majority of sales over the last 16 years I have used Royal Mail Special delivery. When I have taken the items to the Post Office for despatch, I have always been honest and accurate with my description and valuation of the item - making it clear that the value given was the Ebay sale price - and I paid the corresponding amount to ensure insurance coverage at the right level to cover the sale price of the item
I posted an item recently using Royal Mail Special Delivery (a teapot which sold for £210). It was well-packed, but was damaged in transit. When I tried to make a claim, I was told by Royal Mail that I could only claim the amount that the item cost and that I would need to provide proof of this. (which I could not do as it was bought some time ago as part of an job-lot and I have no paperwork to confirm this).
I am annoyed by this because:-
a. I have never been asked by Post Office staff if I was sending as a business or a private individual.
b. I have never been asked by Post Office staff if I wanted to insure the 'cost' or 'sale' price.
c. For 16 years it seems I have been oversold insurance - blissfully unaware that I was overpaying for cover that I apparently did not have
d. Even when I queried at my local Post Office this week, they themselves were unaware of these rules or restrictions.
e. Royal Mail have acknowledged that the item was well packed - so this is not in dispute.
f. Because of the nature of my business, I cannot just go out and buy another identical item in the same excellent condition.
Ironically, if the buyer had submitted the compensation claim form, it seems they would have been covered for the full sale price. (it is too late to go down this route as I have already given the buyer a full refund).
I'm told that the next step is to appeal to the Postal Review Panel.
Can anyone advise please?
Thanks
I run a small business selling antiques and collectables on Ebay. For the majority of sales over the last 16 years I have used Royal Mail Special delivery. When I have taken the items to the Post Office for despatch, I have always been honest and accurate with my description and valuation of the item - making it clear that the value given was the Ebay sale price - and I paid the corresponding amount to ensure insurance coverage at the right level to cover the sale price of the item
I posted an item recently using Royal Mail Special Delivery (a teapot which sold for £210). It was well-packed, but was damaged in transit. When I tried to make a claim, I was told by Royal Mail that I could only claim the amount that the item cost and that I would need to provide proof of this. (which I could not do as it was bought some time ago as part of an job-lot and I have no paperwork to confirm this).
I am annoyed by this because:-
a. I have never been asked by Post Office staff if I was sending as a business or a private individual.
b. I have never been asked by Post Office staff if I wanted to insure the 'cost' or 'sale' price.
c. For 16 years it seems I have been oversold insurance - blissfully unaware that I was overpaying for cover that I apparently did not have
d. Even when I queried at my local Post Office this week, they themselves were unaware of these rules or restrictions.
e. Royal Mail have acknowledged that the item was well packed - so this is not in dispute.
f. Because of the nature of my business, I cannot just go out and buy another identical item in the same excellent condition.
Ironically, if the buyer had submitted the compensation claim form, it seems they would have been covered for the full sale price. (it is too late to go down this route as I have already given the buyer a full refund).
I'm told that the next step is to appeal to the Postal Review Panel.
Can anyone advise please?
Thanks
0
Comments
-
Insurance is there to cover your losses not your gains.
As such it rarely gives you above cost.
If you had a 20 year old POLO would your car insurance provide a new one?0 -
Insurance is there to cover your losses not your gains.
As such it rarely gives you above cost.
If you had a 20 year old POLO would your car insurance provide a new one?
It would seem that way although cars generally depreciate in value whereas antiques and collectables don't - so maybe not the best analogy. However, my main complaint I guess is the poor advice given (and, in fact, still being given) by the Post Office . They don't seem to understand the rules and restrictions around Royal Mail services.0 -
That's not really the case. Insurance covers a 'replacement value' not a cost price.Insurance is there to cover your losses not your gains.
As such it rarely gives you above cost.
If you had a 20 year old POLO would your car insurance provide a new one?
Someone else will know more than me as regards the insurance but I thought that in some cases RM can pay on a sold price..0 -
That's not really the case. Insurance covers a 'replacement value' not a cost price.
Someone else will know more than me as regards the insurance but I thought that in some cases RM can pay on a sold price.
Yes I agree with that, maybe they should provide a substansiated replacement price. Which may not be the selling price. Though with antiques I guess this is a specialist area, so would require specialist insureance if you expect more than cost.0 -
We found this out the hard way too a couple of years ago.
We make historical replica items and when trying to claim found out that Royal Mail would only refund the cost price of the materials. Given that some items sell in excess of £400 but may only have a material cost under £50, we were also really annoyed that we had been paying for useless insurance for years.
It's also the same with Parcelforce.0 -
I can't see any difference legally.The damaged item in question on this occasion was a 'collectable' rather than an antique.
Searching on Google it looks as though RM have been sued successfully a few times on similar cases. One I saw was on coins and banknotes, obviously a rare coin that sells for a few hundred pounds would want to be insured for more than face value.
The biggest problem I can see in the OP's case is proving that the teapot was adequately packed.
If it were me I'd attempt to exhaust the regular complaint channels and follow up with RM customer service on Twitter and then a signed for letter to the CEO..0 -
Slightly different to the OP but in your case I'd have attempted to at least get compensation for the time they take to make.We found this out the hard way too a couple of years ago.
We make historical replica items and when trying to claim found out that Royal Mail would only refund the cost price of the materials. Given that some items sell in excess of £400 but may only have a material cost under £50, we were also really annoyed that we had been paying for useless insurance for years.
It's also the same with Parcelforce..0 -
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.7K Spending & Discounts
- 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
- 608.1K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173.1K Life & Family
- 247.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards