I recently sold some items on Vinted—some children’s books, a game and some blocks. It was a fairly heavy package, approximately 3-4 kg. I packaged it well, using bubble wrap and strong masking tape. I didn’t tape the bottom because I gauged it to be strong enough to carry the weight of the items therein. My partner then dropped it off at our local, in-post drop-off point. The package was delivered to the buyer, and tracking information shows the delivered item sitting atop a row of small letterboxes; the buyer lives in a flat. The taped side is showing, and the other side is facing the wall. The buyer messaged me saying that she received an empty box, showing me the non-taped side, with open flaps. She said that because the item hadn’t been packaged well, it opened en-route, and the items were most likely stolen by a delivery person. Originally, she insinuated that I had mailed out an empty box. She’s opened a claim with Vinted.
AIBU to believe that even if the package had opened en-route, Royal Mail would have re-packaged the items in some sort of bag, and still delivered them? They must have some protocol for packages that open in transit? What is the likelihood of the delivery person, delivering an empty box with flaps open at the bottom? Moreover, why would anybody steal secondhand books and old games? It’s not like they’d fetch anything on the black market. The contents of the package sold for £10.
I checked her Vinted feedback, and she had a similar incident with another seller last week, where she claimed the item arrived damaged due to improper packaging.