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Original poster

To be upset with Royal Mail? I've lost £350!

233 replies

ALittleCrisp · 05/01/2019 09:21

I purchase a phone on eBay but it hasn't arrived. I know the seller is a good one because he has 1000 of positive reviews and it's PayPal so my money is secure if things go wrong.

However, Royal Mail say they've delivered my phone when they have not. They sent an email to say they'd be delivering, and then they never delivered. But, I got another email that same evening saying it had been delivered Confused

What do I do?

Royal Mail website says to contact the seller but this is obviously not the sellers fault. I don't want to cause a rift with someone on eBay for £350, it's a lot of money and I feel terrible since it wasn't there fault.

AIBU to be annoyed at Royal Mail?

OP posts:
Squidgee · 05/01/2019 21:14

you need to ask for a refund.. raise a dispute if they cause problems.

The issue is between them and RM, not you.

lms2017 · 05/01/2019 21:16

Hi I have had this happen before, the postman scanned it as delivered but then obviously realised it didnt fit in my letter box it went "missing" then I hounded RM and they then found it x

IceRebel · 05/01/2019 21:20

If your order tracking says delivered, then seller has fulfilled his/hers obligation and I don't think Ebay will side with you.

This. As far as Ebay are concerned the tracking says delivered so they will side with the seller. You might have more luck with paypal, but the tracking number will again be a sticking point.

Thewifipasswordis · 05/01/2019 21:21

Regardless, sender is still liable as didn't send signed for or insured for the correct amount.

Open a paypal dispute OP. They will side in your favour.

MadisonAvenue · 05/01/2019 21:23

I know if I'm sending a parcel I'm asked what the contents are and if it's of value - obviously PO Counters can then steer towards getting it sent with sufficient insurance ie RM Special Delivery.

Ellie56 · 05/01/2019 21:29

The seller is at fault here for not using the right service for a £350 item which should have been insured and signed for on delivery.

Your seller is a twat. Surely they know you don't send valuables in a bag of mail with a load of other stuff. Hmm

With Royal Mail Special Delivery, the item travels separately from the ordinary mail and is signed for at each stage of its journey.

Open a case with Ebay and Paypal.

TatianaLarina · 05/01/2019 21:30

As far as Ebay are concerned the tracking says delivered so they will side with the seller. You might have more luck with paypal, but the tracking number will again be a sticking point.

Not necessarily, EBay doesn’t often side with the seller.

If you point out there’s no signature (on option the seller could have chosen), there’s no way to know where the parcel ended up or to whom, and no third party confirmation it was delivered at all.

PayPal will take the line that the seller has the money and you have no goods. It’s an unreceived item.

MadisonAvenue · 05/01/2019 21:30

Pressed send too soon.

I did once have an Ebay item not turn up which the seller used Hermes for, despite the listing stating Royal Mail (I wouldn't have purchased it had they listed it as being sent via Hermes). It stated that it had been delivered but it certainly hadn't been delivered to the right address as I hadn't got it and I raised a claim. They sided with the seller though and I lost my money, thankfully I didn't lose too much but it was annoying especially as I'd have purchased it elsewhere had I known Hermes were being used.

M0reGinPlease · 05/01/2019 21:32

eBay money back guarantee. Simple.

TatianaLarina · 05/01/2019 21:32

The seller is at fault here for not using the right service for a £350 item which should have been insured and signed for on delivery.

Yep. The 24/48 Tracked service do offer signed for services and they don’t cost much more.

Ellie56 · 05/01/2019 21:33

And if an item of post doesn't arrive it is the seller's responsibility to take it up with Royal Mail, not the recipient.

The enquiry always starts at the point where the item started out, which makes sense as the sender will be able to give details of the packaging and where and when posted etc.

IceRebel · 05/01/2019 21:33

Not necessarily, EBay doesn’t often side with the seller.

I agree it's rare they side with the seller, but in an item not received case where a tracking number shows delivered they're pretty much guaranteed to. As unlike paypal they don't really take into the entire situation, they just see the tracking confirms delivery and bam case closed.

brighteyeowl17 · 05/01/2019 21:36

But who signed for it?

bonniebanks · 05/01/2019 21:37

Eh hi I'm a postie... have you contacted your local depot? Have you checked your mail/letterbox for a safe place card? Have you checked garage/shed/bins for your package?... Monday morning I would phone local depot(if you can get through) and ask them to check if it's there I would do this before you contact the seller. Very very occasionally for some reason (sickness/breakdowns) Mail is taken back to the depot undelivered and it's meant to be scanned as inaccessible and will be delivered next day but sometimes someone puts it in wrong and it says delivered when it's not been so it could very well be this. Like I said I would check all of the above first before properly worrying. Hope you get it sorted!

imaflutteringkite · 05/01/2019 21:39

That says it was delivered the 28th December. Is there a limit to the amount of time you have to chase it up?

IWentAwayIStayedAway · 05/01/2019 21:41

This happened to me before xmas. Email to say delivered but no sign of it. It appeared 3 days later!! Meanwhile amazon replaced!

SheRasBra · 05/01/2019 21:46

I had an item from Amazon just before Christmas that showed 'delivered' but had actually been taken back to the depot as we were out. We did however get the red and white card through the letterbox. Is it possible a card was posted but got swept up with other Christmas post/papers?

TatianaLarina · 05/01/2019 21:47

As unlike paypal they don't really take into the entire situation, they just see the tracking confirms delivery and bam case closed.

I agree that PayPal is more likely to come up trumps. But it’s not a given that eBay will side with the seller, and OP will have to open a case with them anyway.

It would be sensible to ring PayPal first to see how they advise dealing with eBay.

Jenny17 · 05/01/2019 21:48

You'll probably get it on Monday

Yabbers · 05/01/2019 21:54

This happened to me with a RM parcel at Christmas. Said it had been delivered but it hadn’t. Turned up the next business day.

Vicky1990 · 05/01/2019 22:02

Talk to your postman and ask him if he delivered it to your house.
Would it have fitted through your letterbox?.

DontCallMeBaby · 05/01/2019 22:05

Definitely have a poke around outside. I had a parcel delivered by RM on Thursday, I was wide awake and looking at my phone upstairs and for a text saying my parcel had been delivered - sure enough it was sitting outside the house, the doorbell having not rung ...

SpamChaudFroid · 05/01/2019 22:34

I thought the rule of thumb was Ebay usually take the side of the buyer?

YY to checking under furniture for a calling card.

Also I thought even non-signed for items it still shows on the tracking the address where the item was delivered? I.e., delivered to 22 Lost Lane. Double check you're on the Royal Mail official site, not a fake.

Puzzledandpissedoff · 05/01/2019 22:39

I agree it's rare they side with the seller, but in an item not received case where a tracking number shows delivered they're pretty much guaranteed to

I'm afraid I have to agree, after having this happen on a lower priced item; unless it's changed, ebay don't need to see a signature, just "proof of delivery" and the tracking and RM confirmation will provide that

Unless of course the RM emails turn out to be fraudulent and actually sent by the seller ... the 1000's of feedbacks mean nothing as they can be bought by scammers

Ullupullu · 05/01/2019 22:45

OP it says delivered on 28th Dec - go ahead and contact the seller but they might be a bit suspicious given the time gap!

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