How long before something is officially lost in the post?

[ummadam]

I bought an item on ebay on the 2nd September and it has not yet arrived. Now I'm at home every morning and know the postman well and I've had loads of parcels delivered fine since then that I have bought more recently (birthdays coming up so expensive month!).

I'm not sure what to do as usually I would leave it a few weeks in the hope it would turn up but this item is a hip carrier and I really need it (or to buy one elsewhere) - DS weighs a ton now and I can hardly get to the car and back with any amount of shopping.

I contacted the seller who seems nice and genuine but am no further forward really. (it was not sent tracked)

What would you do?

[missjennipenni]

Start a paypal dispute, to get your money back

[ummadam]

really? does that not seem like overkill? I would ask for a refund from the seller first but I'm not sure how long I should reasonably leave it.

[Marne]

The seller cant put in a claim to royal until 21 days after it was sent, if she's nice, she will refund you and then put in a claim or she may send you the recipt so you can put in a claim.

Realy she should refund you.

[ummadam]

I thought Royal mail will only deal with the seller not the buyer? (I'm an occasional seller too).

Hmm, maybe I'll give it till monday and contact her again if it is still not here. Silly I guess but I'm worried she will think I am making it up I know some people would - but I really need this hip carrier

[wotulookinat]

I would have put in a Paypal claim and logged the item as not received long before now, tbh.

[wotulookinat]

(well, maybe not long before, but a couple of days ago!)

[missjennipenni]

me too

[tiggerlovestobounce]

She needs to claim from Royal Mail, not you.

When does she say she sent it?

[wotulookinat]

Yes, the sender needs to claim from RM, but the buyer needs to claim through Paypal and log item not received with Ebay.

[squilly]

If the seller hasn't given a really clear idea of what's happening from her end, I'd be tempted to contact Paypal.

I have, as a seller, had parcels go missing and I always stipulate how the Royal Mail missing parcel claims work, how long it will be before I can put through a claim and what will happen next.

Perhaps let the seller know that you're getting a little anxious about this and will be contacting Paypal to lodge a dispute if you don't hear by Monday or Tuesday. That gives the seller a last chance to sort things and means that you've been incredibly reasonable about things.

I feel for you and hope you manage to sort this amicably. As much as I don't like the new feedback system with Ebay, it does give people like yourself the confidence to deal with non-receipt as you need to without fear or bad feedback.

I'll keep em crossed your carrier comes through!

[nikkid21]

Royal Mail don't let you claim for a lost item until 15 working days after sending. If she posted it on the second it's only been 8 working days so far.

Additionally Royal Mail are rolling out a new delivery system called Pegasus. This means that some packages (rather than straightforward letters) are taking longer to arrive at the moment.

You might want to ring your local delivery office to see if they are holding anything for you as well. Around our way the parcels are delievred in a separate van and the guy doesn't always bother to knock or leave a card if it's raining

I would give it until next Wednesday at least to arrive and then request a refund. It greases the wheels if you say that you will let them know straight away if it does arrive. If you get no joy then you open a paypal dispute. It's not worth jumping straight in with one as you will put the sellers back up.

This may sound slightly biased to the seller but that's because I have a shop on ebay with over 7000 feedback. When RM lose something it's a huge pain in the ass for us too - plus we often lose the item and the money as RM wriggle out of lost item claims.

[squilly]

And, Nikkid21, you don't get your postage refunded if something goes astray with Royal Mail. So you end up paying for a service that didn't happen and that could, potentially, ruin your reputation on Ebay! I have to say, my sympathy lies with the seller, if they're even vaguely reasonable!

[ummadam]

Thanks everyone - It arrived this morning so I'm very relieved and have let the seller know aswell.

As a seller aswell as a buyer I know how frustrating it is when RM messes things up but I hate the idea of leaving bad feedback when it might not be their fault.

I've had quite a few recorded delivery bits just put through my door with the normal mail recently (although our parcel postie is great)so I'm not sure there is much of an option for tracking unless you pay for special delivery and that is extortionate!