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Original poster

Returned shoes stuck in Netherlands!

61 replies

Netherlandspost · 14/09/2021 16:51

I bought some shoes from Steve Madden, from the UK online shop.
Wanted to return them, was told I had to return them to THE NETHERLANDS and pay for the privilege - £14.10!!!

I did what I was told, sent them via the post office, but they have been in the Netherlands since the 9th AUGUST and haven't reached the company's warehouse.
The tracking says 'due for delivery today' but the date is the 17th August..... No updates since then.

I have had several emailed back and forth from the company I bought the shoes from, and they've just said there's nothing they can do, and as I sent it it's up to me to CALL the Netherlands postal service and find out what the delay is?!

They have also now changed things so any UK returns go back to the UK warehouse.....funny that....but it doesn't help me.

I have so far spent £85 on shoes, £14.10 on sending them back, and have nothing to show for it.

The last email from them said the shoes will be returned to me as they weren't collected, but will they, and am I then going to incur more charges to get them back (customs etc)?

Can anyone help?

Surely it's not unreasonable to expect Steve Madden to refund me??

I have tried the post office but can only get £50 back as a 'undelivered parcel', and that is still ongoing so I don't even know if I will get that.
Paypal said I don't have a case.
I have asked my bank to look into it.

OP posts:

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Original poster

Netherlandspost · 16/09/2021 11:59

botemp - this is what I have got back from Steve Madden.....

'Thank you for your messages
Again as stated in my previous email, our warehouse does not collect packages from a collection point
So this means even if it has been delivered there our warehouse is unable to collect your package from there. Also we are unaware of any import fees as this package hasn't been sent by us,
We aren't responsible for any extra fees. If the person you know is able to contact PostNL about your package they can request your package to be sent back to you.
We can then offer you a free return shipment to our warehouse that recently opened in the UK.
Please let us know once you recieve your package in return'

I said I had a 'friend' over there, which is how I had the update on the parcel, and obvs don't expect you to go anywhere!

This is getting ridiculous now, my hands are literally tied and I have no idea what to do next....

OP posts:

Original poster

Netherlandspost · 16/09/2021 12:02

Is it worth me calling PostNL on the number you gave me, or will they then expect me to pay what is owed? :(

OP posts:

botemp · 17/09/2021 06:55

Hi @Netherlandspost, sorry, only just saw your update. As far as I'm aware only the addressed person can refuse the package. It's certainly worth trying calling PostNL and explaing the situation and maybe they can help. The general rule her is that if fees aren't paid the package gets returned so they won't insist on you paying it.

Steve Madden are really being unhelpful in all this, it was sent to their address and they didn't pay the import fees so it was sent to a collection point due to their inaction and failure to respond, you never sent it there. They're really being frugal with the truth. If you're having issues communicating with PostNL I can call them on your behalf, but there's usually at least one person who speaks English well but just PM me if that isn't the case.

discombobulatedonion · 17/09/2021 07:08

@botemp

Hi *@Netherlandspost*, sorry, only just saw your update. As far as I'm aware only the addressed person can refuse the package. It's certainly worth trying calling PostNL and explaing the situation and maybe they can help. The general rule her is that if fees aren't paid the package gets returned so they won't insist on you paying it.

@botemp

I have no idea about any of this sort of stuff but can I just say that I love how helpful you are being to OP. Genuinely restored my faith in humanity a bit.

Original poster

Netherlandspost · 20/09/2021 16:20

Hi botemp, sorry for the delay in responding, I had a wedding in Leicester at the weekend which took my mind of it for a couple of days!

I have just received another email from them, and I am literally pulling my hair out at their incompetence -

'On the PostNL website you can speak to someone via chat.
You can then instruct them to return the package to you or you could pay the import fees and the shoes should then be released.
Your complaint has been lodged.
If you have any further questions please don't hesitate to contact us.
Have a great day!'

So they now want me to pay the import fee.......or have them returned to me, which means I am still £85 out of pocket.

Do you know if I do speak to them and get it returned if I will have to pay any fees to get it back through customs? I don't recall putting a return address on there so I don't even know if this can happen?!

OP posts:

botemp · 20/09/2021 18:44

Sorry, they sound like a nightmare. They seem really unprofessional, previously they have said they won't pick up the package from the package point so if you were to pay the import fees (which is a ridiculous ask IMO, they provided you with that address with no further instructions, they're responsible for the import fees) it would just sit at the pick up point sitting idly as they refuse to pick it up. Also, at this point you can only pay the import fees at the pick up point as the window for online payment has closed, are they expecting you to fly over there and pay for it?

Thing is, if you had filled in the custom declaration form you'd have marked it as returned goods and import fees wouldn't have be levied. So technically if you were to pay the taxes you can reclaim them with the Dutch tax authority but it's a tedious and slow process and probably not that easy to figure out as a non Dutch speaker.

I don't think you're liable paying any import fees if it's returned to you as it's not entering the country and returning to origin. There might be a return address attached to your tracking code if you paid for it online? PostNL does have a chat function hidden somewhere on their site (not easy to find, especially in the English version) but I think calling will probably resolve the issue quicker.

MovingtoEssex · 20/09/2021 18:51

I've had similar with Merrell.
After 3 weeks the parcel ended up back here with the customs declaration paperwork removed.
I've now been given a uk address to send it to.
Luckily for me the returns were free - I was annoyed enough at having to sort the job out twice.
Hopefully they'll return yours to sender.

purplesequins · 20/09/2021 19:08

I have similar (but the other way round) with a school uniform item from a uk shop.
it's stuck at customs and the company has wiped their hands off any issues...
twitter?

purplesequins · 20/09/2021 19:09

ime stuff stuck at customs get held there and destroyed after a while - not sent back.

Original poster

Netherlandspost · 22/09/2021 12:26

Hi botemp

I tried to call PostNL several times yesterday and today and it's always engaged. I'll keep trying, along with harassing Steve Madden to try and get some sort of sane person!

I'll try and find the chat function too, although couldn't see one yesterday - the options were call or post a letter!

OP posts:

botemp · 22/09/2021 12:50

You can find the chat bot on the Dutch, site, here's a link, it's halfway down the page and looks like the attached picture, just click on it and it will open and ask for the track and trace. I don't think it's available on the English site but hopefully you can navigate it. Let me know if you need help.

purplesequins · 22/09/2021 13:01

good luck @Netherlandspost
most people in nl speak good english, but don't use vague language (could should would) as that gets lost in translation.

Original poster

Netherlandspost · 22/09/2021 13:11

Found it! The prompts aren't in English so I may have to get a Google Translate open alongside! ☺

OP posts:

Original poster

Netherlandspost · 22/09/2021 13:22

I've found the dots at the top of chat to change it to English! Just waiting on a person now!

OP posts:

Original poster

Netherlandspost · 22/09/2021 13:51

Managed to speak to someone on chat (thank you again, botemp!) and they have said I can pay the fee (which I don't want to do as then I would have paid £38 in total to get £85 back!) or it will be returned to me 'at some point'. They said if I didn't put my address on the paperwork Royal Mail should get in touch to tell me. So I guess all I can do now is wait....again.....

OP posts:

botemp · 22/09/2021 14:39

Well at least that's something, sorry to hear you're left in limbo again, it's been a long time now so hopefully it won't be as long a wait. Is there some sort of consumer arbitration body you can complain to about Steve Madden's CS as they seem more intent on frustrating than resolving the issue?

Original poster

Netherlandspost · 22/09/2021 15:11

I've asked the woman in the Netherlands 'Caprice' (if that's even her name!) to escalate it and put in a formal complaint, but I doubt anything will happen.
I will have a look into the UK base and see if I can do anything there, but their website is really bad and the email - [email protected] - bounces back...... I'll try it again though. That's ironically the email to complain to!

OP posts:

botemp · 22/09/2021 15:21

I can confirm people are called Caprice here although it's a bit of a rare one. I was thinking more of a consumer rights organisation, I think avoiding receiving your return package probably isn't legal (but I'm no lawyer) and hiding behind import fees isn't a defence, even if they were wrongly administered they could have made an appeal and gotten them back. But an actual legal person would know better who is and isn't responsible. I think the Guardian also has/had a column for consumer rights? Called Consumer Champions maybe?

botemp · 22/09/2021 15:25

As in, that's a column where readers can send in their issues and they escalate it with a company's PR and usually the fright of ending up with bad publicity suddenly resolves it.

HambletonSquare · 22/09/2021 22:00

Here. My favourite page. 😂

I'm sure they would love your story. www.theguardian.com/money/series/bachelor-and-brignall-consumer-champions

Original poster

Netherlandspost · 27/09/2021 13:51

Thank you for the link, I will have a look now! ☺

OP posts:

DogInATeaCup · 06/10/2021 13:43

Hi OP, did you make any progress on getting your package back? I'm in a similar situation with the Netherlands post office and getting nowhere!

Original poster

Netherlandspost · 06/10/2021 14:26

Afraid not......I keep getting the same message...

'Unfortunately we can not contact PostNL about a package that hasn't been sent by us.
We would therefore once again like to ask you to contact them and request them to return the package back to you.
You can then return it to our warehouse in the UK on our costs. Unfortunately as stated in my previous emails we are unable to do so as we aren't the sender of this package.
Also if you wish to make a complaint. Please send your full complaint to us at [email protected]'

I told them the complaint email is the exact same email I was emailing them on! It's ridiculous!

OP posts:

botemp · 06/10/2021 17:19

Sorry to hear you're still waiting on the package to be returned to you OP. Might be worth chasing up with PostNL again?

If you need help navigating the Dutch post system @DogInATeaCup just let me know and I'll help where I can.

Original poster

Netherlandspost · 07/10/2021 10:43

I've just received this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

'Thank you for your message!
I have decided to go ahead and process your refund manually.
You will receive it within three business days. Please inform us when you receive your package in return'

Soooooo, we shall see!!!!

Hoping that emailing them every other day has now made them think it's not worth the hassle for £85!

Fingers crossed!

OP posts:

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