Missing parcel, can I claim for loss?
Last week, I've received a message from a customer: "Where is the book I have ordered? The tracking of Royal Mail says it was delivered, but I have not received it".
So, I've checked the tracking and I have read :"Delivered in a secure place".
I've checked the relative picture: the parcel was near a rubbish bin!
I've contacted the customer, to check the address: the name, street and number were correct, but the name of the village was dropped, there was only the name of the nearby town.
I've contacted the customer, who has told me that the same street, Main Street, exists also in the nearby town. He assured me that there was no parcel near his rubbish bin and I've promised that I would refund him, if he does not receive his book in a week.
I know that I should have checked the address and add the name of the village; I usually check twice the address.
However I believe that the Royal Mail had a duty of care with a parcel worth £ 30 and insured. If the address was not correct or complete, Royal Mail should return the parcel, not dump it near a bin. By the way, the postal code was of the village, why didn't they check?
What would you do? What do you suggest?
Should I refund the customer, as planned, then open a claim with Royal Mail for loss?
Thank you for your kind opinion.
Guy
Missing parcel, can I claim for loss?
Last week, I've received a message from a customer: "Where is the book I have ordered? The tracking of Royal Mail says it was delivered, but I have not received it".
So, I've checked the tracking and I have read :"Delivered in a secure place".
I've checked the relative picture: the parcel was near a rubbish bin!
I've contacted the customer, to check the address: the name, street and number were correct, but the name of the village was dropped, there was only the name of the nearby town.
I've contacted the customer, who has told me that the same street, Main Street, exists also in the nearby town. He assured me that there was no parcel near his rubbish bin and I've promised that I would refund him, if he does not receive his book in a week.
I know that I should have checked the address and add the name of the village; I usually check twice the address.
However I believe that the Royal Mail had a duty of care with a parcel worth £ 30 and insured. If the address was not correct or complete, Royal Mail should return the parcel, not dump it near a bin. By the way, the postal code was of the village, why didn't they check?
What would you do? What do you suggest?
Should I refund the customer, as planned, then open a claim with Royal Mail for loss?
Thank you for your kind opinion.
Guy
15 replies
Seller_ZVAz3d5lZuGid
If the customer had requested delivery to a 'Safe place' then you might struggle, but yes, you can make a claim with RM, especially as you say it was insured - form is on their website, or pick one up from the PO. Depending on what RM service you used, it might only be covered up to £20.
Seller_76AUwmqvSyRIM
In my opinion, if the customer asked RM to deliver to a safe place (via the RM app for example), this has got nothing to do with you and you can claim.
If the customer asked you to leave in a safe place and then you asked RM to do so, you are potentially liable for the loss.
Seller_76AUwmqvSyRIM
No, never ask the customer if they have a safe place. That means you take responsibility for loss.
It seems to me that you have done everything right. Was there a map of the delivery location in the RM tracking page?
I recently had a parcel left in a safe place without my instruction (behind the bins) but the item was delivered in the wrong street. I claimed and got my money back (Tracked 48).
I recently had a package delivered to me. Same number, wrong street! I gave it back to the postman.
Seller_mS10UjVYuuGor
Royal mail provide delivery GPS coordinates at the bottom of the tracking page, if that isn't clear which village it is from there you can copy the coordinates and put them into google maps (take out the hyphen) so you'll know where the parcel was left. At this stage you seem to be assuming it was the wrong village but that would be unlikely for Royal Mail if the postcode was correct.
You might be able to claim from Royal Mail, the process takes weeks and they try to refund cost rather than retail, but for £30 they may just pay up.
Seller_N0kQDKMgwda6y
the other possibility is that the customer is scamming you. Thats getting more an more common. Tracking is no defence, Amazon always sides with the customer. I lost an £80 book, and the £80 to a scammer who simply wrote, in Block capitals, ''the book did not come give me my money back'' And Amazon did, even though that was nine weeks after I sent it, and that was his first message.
The only defence is to get it signed for. That works. I had someone try it on for a signed for book and Amazon refused to give them my money back.
