to think that Royal Mail should do what they are paid to do...

[GettinganIcyGrip]

...that is...deliver things.

I am posting here in trepidation really, but am so upset about this....am hoping that whoever it is that is responsible for Royal Mail will see this. Not that it will make any difference I don't suppose.

I have a very small on-line shop. I have worked so hard the past few years to get it going. I am a single parent with a very aggressive exH, and only recently got any money from him after a very long marriage, and four years separation. So I had to earn some money to keep us, and as I am ancient, I had to go self-employed.

Anyway, this Christmas I was over the moon as I did better than I could have hoped, with many sales going overseas. I have done nothing but work, round the clock, for years, so was thinking I was finally getting some reward.

Now I get two messages from European countries telling me that two of my parcels have not arrived. Posted early and middle December. This is a loss to me of the items, worth around £200 each, and the takings as I will have to refund of course. Plus it makes me look useless. And I will only get compensation of around £30 each parcel if I am lucky.

On top of that, I am trying to start a new business, and have been waiting to hear about Merchant Services from the bank before launching . I ring the bank this morning to ask what is happening as it has been weeks and nothing from them,, they say they have sent a letter on the 6 Jan with forms to sign...of course I have not received it, over a week later.

I just feel so depressed and like giving the whole thing up.

I have sent parcels to Europe since Xmas and they have arrived, so is there a huge warehouse somewhere just full of stuff that will never get delivered and is being ignored?

Thanks for listening.

[FabbyChic]

Tbf if you do not send them adequately insured then you cannot expect to be compensated for them.

Factor in your losses when working out how much you sell things for. You should always be making a profit irrespective, alternatively if your losses for overseas purchases are excessive only ship to the UK, or the country that you are in.

[GettinganIcyGrip]

Thanks for that. The costs of sending 'adequately insured' are terrible.

[LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake]

I'm really sorry they are lost but for the future you need to factor in this cost and send them by courier and/or insured.

[FabbyChic]

It might cost a lot to send insured but when you send something worth £200 by normal post you negate any insurance anyways, Royal Mail won't pay out £41 for something that cost £200 because you did not use insurance, besides surely the buyer pays the postage.

[GettinganIcyGrip]

Thanks. I feel much better now. I paid plenty for them to be delivered.

[GettinganIcyGrip]

I knew I shouldn't have posted. I just think that Royal Mail should do what they are paid to do.

[LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake]

Right at the moment you don't know they didn't - if they are abroad they might still be found in the European delivery office

[GettinganIcyGrip]

Do you think so Laurie? I read a thing yesterday that said that RM just auction off mail that is not delivered. That was what had really depressed me. As if they made no effort to deliver it.

I have been sending abroad for years now and his is the first time this has happened to me.

I label and pack really well so no excuse really.

I was hoping that someone who knows about RM would perhaps see this and explain what is going on. I know it was chaos in the snow, and I did not receive things I had bought.

And there is no excuse for this letter from the bank.