Item damaged in transit - Co just offers to 'leave feedback for DPD"

[ARoomSomewhere]

Dd is 18 & Autistic & asked for a particular book & a jigsaw for Xmas ('steampunk' style & she is obsessed with them). My budget is £150 & these two items alone take up £130. Extremely expensive for what they are, but she doesn't ask for much, so I ordered them.

I'm disabled. Front door is easy access. Unmarked 'Back door' in lane leads down steps to unheated (often damp) basement . Deluvery didn’t arrive 1st day (I heard van at back but it drove off so I left a note to say: ' please deliver to front door. If not possible please knock or text (number) & wait as I am disabled'. Delivery didn’t arrive next day (left note). 3rd day a neighbour called to say my basement door was opened. The DPD guy had somehow opened it, come into the house (wet footprints) & left yhe parcel at the bottom of a flight of steps in basement. Unfortunately we had a storm & the outer box was soaked, inner presentation boxes all dented & dirty, & smell damp.

I took pics & sent to selling Co. They've replied to say: 'sorry your courier didn't go the extra mile, we've left feedback on DPD site. Our boxes are just for transit so just dispose of them. Open up the inside gift. If damaged you will need to send proof'.

I think this is poor. Their courier not mine. Lots of inconvenience. Not much time to replace / refund. How do I take pics of damp? If I open the shrinkwrspped items (which may have protected inners ftom damp but beautiful branded boxes are ruined I can't then return or give as a gift ?

Sorry for long post but what can I do if anything? (I paid via credit card)

As far as I'm aware you're entitled to return anything for a refund if it's within 14 days. I had an issue with a company not giving me a refund for lost items, they were dragging their feet so I went through my credit card, gave them the info and what do you know after 10 minutes of making my claim, the company got in contact and told me I'd be receiving my refund. Definitely call your credit card company, they'll chase it on your behalf if anything. I also find putting negative reviews tagging them on social media helpful too.

They're very unlikely to refund or send a replacement without receiving the original item back which will still take a while to all be processed, I think even credit card charge backs can take 30/90 days.

It's rubbish but given you have such limited time to get a replacement, I'd just wrap the items without the fancy box, make a complaint and leave them negative feedback on Trustpilot. They may come back and offer to send you a replacement empty box or a partial refund but at least your DD will still have something on Christmas day.

Send them an email attaching pictures of the damaged packaging formally rejecting them as not fit for purpose ( as gifts). I think you are entitled to reject them outright within the first 31 days.

When and if they reject again, forward the payment email including pictures and response to the credit card company.

OP see here: https://www.which.co.uk/tool/delivery-complaint

Also Business Companion which says

Loss or damage in transit
When you agree to deliver goods to a consumer, the risk of loss or damage in transit lies with you. You must not offer consumers protection against loss or damage (such as 'insured delivery') at an extra cost. However, you are free to protect your business against these risks at your own cost - for example, by using a tracked and/or insured delivery service as standard.
The law is less clear about the risk of loss or damage when goods are being returned to you. In some cases, the consumer may be responsible, but in other cases the risk may lie with you. If you take responsibility for arranging the return process, you are likely to be better able to manage these risks than if you simply require the consumer to make their own arrangements.

So, in a last attempt, I sent this to them:

If the monogrammed box (pictured as part of the product in your promotional video, with it being stroked as part of the product) was a 'shipping box' it would have had the address label on. It did not. It was placed for protection in an overlarge cardboard box with no packing (also damaged)

I have now opened the items as you suggested and to me they smell damp.

I paid for these items on 5th December. I've now sent 3 emails with evidence..

This was the reply:

A quick clarification on the packaging: the larger, over-sized outer cardboard box was not one of our product/retail boxes. When two items are shipped together, DPD sometimes consolidates them into a single outer carton at their depot. That’s why you saw an additional box that doesn’t match our usual packaging. When we dispatch a single item, it typically goes out as one parcel with the shipping label applied to the outer mailing box.

On the products themselves: I understand your concern about the damp smell. However, because smell is subjective, we can’t authorise a refund or replacement based on odour alone without inspecting the items here. What we can do is this:

1. Return the puzzle and book to us for inspection (please include both items and all packaging you received).
2. Once received, we will inspect and assess whether there is any transit-related damage or dampness to the products themselves.
3. Following inspection, we will then confirm the appropriate outcome (replacement/refund, where applicable).

Please send the parcel to:

XYZ

Please note that the package must have your full name and "XYZ" as Receiver. Please email me the tracking number once sent.

Now the oversized box is the shipping box, not their usual ('disposable') inner monogrammed one? They sent two monogrammed boxes, without my name and address on to DPD & DPD consolidated them in the outer box?
This guy is making it up as he goes along surely?

They want me to obtain a large new cardboard box, put in it the soaked and collapsed DPD box (that I am supposed to have stored for a week), plus the two fancy branded inner product boxes containing opened product, travel 8miles to my nearest post office, pay for a return & wait. I will now go via my credit card.

I suggest no one buys from them - their 'customer service' is awful.

@ARoomSomewhere which company is it? This does all sound pretty standard to be honest as frustrating as it is. Most companies don't refund until they receive the items back, although it's rubbish that they're not providing you with a shipping label. Can you not arrange for Royal mail to collect the item from you? That's what I usually do.

@SpiceGhoul I can understand that too. But its now taken 14 days of discussion about which box is part of the product (they keep changing this).
No apology. No shipping label. I cant arrange to be home for Royal Mail collection at this point (away from tomorrow am until Tues then too late to organise) Plus now too late to arrange a replacement for Dd (so I will probably just have to try to use some febreze on it & hope for best). Not great for £130!
They are expensive products imo. The Co is called: 'Hungry Minds'.

If it's the timeless set that you've purchased and the gift box is damaged and you've sent them evidence of that then they absolutely should be sending you a replacement box at the very least. It's strange that they have 2 versions at the same price, one with the box and one without. Was it definitely the one with the gift box you purchased and not the Curiosity version? Their Trustpilot score is pretty low too so definitely leave them a review on there. I wouldn't use Febreeze on the book as it may damage the pages, maybe try baking soda? I hope you manage to get it resolved and your daughter loves her gifts. It's really is rubbish that this has happened, especially given how expensive the items are!

@SpiceGhoul Yes, it's the Timeless set. A lot of money so I expected it to be perfect.

I've replied & said I've read their returns policy (in the event of 'changed your mind') but it would be difficult to obtain new packaging (DPD box fell apart as sopping wet) and post everything (inc DPD box) now (busy today, away for Christmas from tomorrow). I've suggested a modest discount. We'll see.

Would you be better off asking for a replacement presentation box, since that seems to be what's damaged?

@dontmalbeconmei could, but they don't agree its a presentation box. Also the contents s smell a bit damp now. I might be able to air out enough to make use able so I was trying to find a quick & practical compromise.

But it literally says it's a gift box on their own website? Can't you screenshot it and send that screenshot to them?

@Ineffable23 I agree, and I have. They've been discussing which box is 'gift' (part of the product imo), which is their own monogrammed 'posting box to be disposed of' (no posting labels on it mind) and which is DPD box (plain one with rhe address labels & nowt to do with them) for 4 emails now.

@ARoomSomewhere I've just watched some unboxing videos and is it this box that you mean is damaged and not the actual gift box?
If so it does appear to be a mailing box as several of the boxes I've seen do have labels on so I think you're very unlikely to get any compensation for the packaging so I would focus on the damp smell when contacting them OP.

OP, the box this poster shows is just packaging, so if the items inside it are undamaged I don't think you have any grounds for a refund or replacement. I had assumed you'd meant the presentation box for The Book was damaged.

I'd be exceptionally surprised if the dry items will smell of damp once removed from the damp box. Just move them well away from the wet box and smell them in a few hours, I'm sure they'll be fine.

I'm sure your son will be over the moon with his gifts.

It's the box you show plus the special presentation box that are torn and dirty.
Not the ideal thing for an expensive gift.
It does still smell (of course, I removed ftom each damp box as advised). I'd have been happy with an apology & an offer of £20 off but they have been totally casual about the delivery (late, came into my house, left in a wet area) & the fact the items are not perfect.

Wasn't the book and gift box shrink wrapped together? It should have been from the videos I've seen. It's also quite unusual for a shrink wrapped item to pick up a damp smell in such a short amount of time. Things are shrink wrapped to protect them from things like this.

Is it possible you're picking up the damp smell because you're expecting it? I know myself I've been adamant things smelt off etc because of packaging when they were actually fine.

I'm not disputing the shoddy experience you've received, especially given the price premium you've paid! Have you got anyone else you can have smell it to see if they can smell damp?

Whilst I understand that it's really disappointing as the mailing packaging is very nice, from looking at the listings the mailing packaging isn't pictured at all so was an added bonus so I wouldn't expect any compensation for it being damaged. The gift box itself, if it wasn't shrink wrapped is another matter entirely.

@SpiceGhoulBook is shrink wrapped inside presentation box inside monogrammed box (which would be the lovely box you'd keep it in if you didn't pay extra for the presentation box which I did) inside cardboard outer.
It shouldn't smell damp but I did get a friend to sniff, and she agreed with me that it did.

I've run a small business in the past myself & if my courier had behaved the way DPD did I would certainly have knocked off a token amount/ sent a small 'extra' just for that yet alone any damage to items. Hey ho.

Finally resolved (with a 20% discount)

@ARoomSomewhere glad they took some accountability, hope your DD loved her gift regardless of the issues ❤️. Merry Christmas 🎄

@SpiceGhoul Thank you. Dd hasn't opened it yet, so I don't yet know if it's a success or not: (fingers crossed!) Happy Christmas to you too! 🎄