Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to not pay for this?

28 replies

Magstermay · 07/07/2016 16:11

Perfectly prepared to be told I ABU but I'm interested to see what people think.

A few weeks ago I ordered something online, delivery was 3-5d and it was posted Monday morning, the day after the order, so reasonable to assume it would arrive in a couple of days. It hadn't arrived by the Friday so I emailed asking about it and they asked me to give it a few days which I did. It didn't arrive by the Tuesday so they agreed to send a replacement. Both items arrived a couple of days later.

They were only worth about £20 each, not massive, and I kind of assumed that the company would write off the first item or claim back from Royal Mail. A few weeks later I received an email saying Royal Mail had informed them of problems with a batch of mail that had since been delivered and would I please return the first item.

I completely forgot to reply (baby brain) and have just received a letter with return envelope to return item or send them payment. I appreciate that technically I have an item I haven't paid for, but that was only sent out because they didn't fulfil their own advertised delivery which left me in limbo waiting for it. I think it would be good customer service to have just said to keep it. WWYD?

OP posts:
WhooooAmI24601 · 07/07/2016 16:12

I'd send it back. Keeping something I'd not paid for wouldn't feel right regardless of delivery times (which they weren't responsible for, since RM acknowledged their error).

Buscake · 07/07/2016 16:13

Just send them back Confused

Camembertie · 07/07/2016 16:13

Can't believe you're even asking, send it back

They have already sent you a second without waiting for Royal Mail to investigate first, and have made your life much easier by sending you a return envelope

eosmum · 07/07/2016 16:13

Send it back of course.

MorticiaLiverish · 07/07/2016 16:14

What would I do? Send it back, It isn't their fault that RM had problems with the mail.

Sirzy · 07/07/2016 16:14

Send it back. You haven't paid for it, they contacted you to explain that Royal Mail had made them aware of the problem and when you didn't get it they helped.

ThatsMyStapler · 07/07/2016 16:14

Send it back if course

WorraLiberty · 07/07/2016 16:14

You don't 'technically' have an item you haven't paid for, you definitely have an item you haven't paid for.

They've given you and envelope so return it.

500internalerror · 07/07/2016 16:15

Well it's not yours, so you can't complain really.
It wasn't the company that failed the delivery time, it was Royal Mail.
If it's a huge company, they'd be more likely to write off the first one. But £20 is a lot of money, so for a smaller business I can see them
Needing it back.

StickTheDMWhereTheSunDontShine · 07/07/2016 16:16

If they've asked for it back, you need to send it back.

It's hardly their fault that Royal Mail fucked up.

Original poster
Magstermay · 07/07/2016 16:20

Fair enough, unanimous opinions, posting back as we speak Smile

OP posts:
Toxicity · 07/07/2016 16:21

You are doing the right thing sending it back, as a PP said it wasn't their fault that their was a problem with Royal Mail.

londonrach · 07/07/2016 16:26

Same happened to me. Item never turned up after said been delivered. Contacted company to say as such. New one posted and arrived. Two weeks later found item in hallway in open box (block of flats). Contacted company. They said keep it! Gave it to sister.

EverythingWillBeFine · 07/07/2016 16:43

I have to say most companies would have said to keep it! Esp for an item of that amount (I suspect if this had been an item of £100 that would have been different)

But as they did ask for it, then yes you can not not send it back.

margewiththebluehair · 07/07/2016 16:45

There is a little thing called LAW. For you to knowingly keep something that doesn't belong to you (even if posted in error) is called THEFT. To do it by deception (i.e., not to declare it arrived) is FRAUD.

Hope you stay on the right side of the law.

ChazsBrilliantAttitude · 07/07/2016 16:48

Magster

You know you are going to get 12 pages of posts saying
YABVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVU
as people won't RTFT and see you've posted it back.

pasturesgreen · 07/07/2016 16:48

Yes, probably not stellar customer service, but I'd send it back promptly.

Even if you can't be persuaded with the moral/legal argument, surely you have no use for two identical items anyway?

diddl · 07/07/2016 16:48

Some companies would write it off, but goodness, they've even sent you an envelope!

Is it hellishly difficult to get to the Post Office?

KissMyArse · 07/07/2016 16:49

Send it back FFS. Surprised you even needed to ask Hmm

pasturesgreen · 07/07/2016 16:49

Apologies for the cross post!

sleeponeday · 07/07/2016 16:50

This is going to be another cancel the cheque. Grin

KissMyArse · 07/07/2016 16:52

as people won't RTFT and see you've posted it back.

The question was - "WWYD?"

People will answer that they would send it back.

diddl · 07/07/2016 16:53

Oh heavens, missed your post at 16.20.30Blush

I'm not sure that what they have done is bad customer relations though, is it?

Since Royal Mail have confirmed that both have been delivered, why not ask for one back?

Discount on the first due to it taking so long might have been the way to go.

sleeponeday · 07/07/2016 16:53

To do it by deception (i.e., not to declare it arrived) is FRAUD.

No, it isn't. Fraud requires action. Inaction is insufficient.

And if we're such a fan of capital letters, SHE HAS SENT IT BACK.

ParadiseCity · 07/07/2016 16:57

CANCEL THE CHEQUE.

Swipe left for the next trending thread