Empty Package Delivered by Royal Mail48

[ThisCoolGreenTiger]

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.

All I know is that with Royal Mail 48 the item is insured (loss or damage) up to £150, so could you take this up with them?

Masking tape? You have to secure packages with enough tape to withstand sorting machines, rain, and being thrown into cages in the mail centre. Masking tape isn't going to do it. You have learned a lesson. There is no way Royal Mail will pay up.

Vinted will side with her and say it wasn’t properly packed.

Also don’t use Royal Mail on Vinted. They’re shit. Most sellers turn them off.

Sorry, not masking tape—but the strong tape that you use to package items: packaging tape.

I ordered some books. They (partly) arrived in 2 packages, in that 2 plastic bags were delivered. One contained books, one was empty and split. This one was delivered in another bag from Royal Mail apologising for the damage to my parcel and giving contact details. Strangely I wasn't able to contact Royal Mail myself because I didn't have the sending details. I contacted the company selling the books and got them re-sent. I assume the company was able to claim from Royal Mail.

My point is, if the parcel was delivered by Royal Mail the same should have happened to your vinted buyer. You could ask them for a photograph of the Royal Mail bag so that you can contact them to arrange compensation.

I’m going to write it off—can’t be bothered to be faffing around with compensation over a low value item. It’s just I think that she’s a scammer, and have no way to prove it.

Then leave feedback saying that to warn other people.

I had an Amazon delivery earlier, with an empty box. I wasn't bothered - I knew I had ordered citrus compost, as my local garden centre seems to have stopped doing it, and if the bags inside had been damaged, it would have been obvious, because of the trail of compost. But I opened it then and there to reassure the delivery man.

I do have a friend who received an empty package from me last year. It wasn't hugely valuable, fortunately, but annoying.

I am usually over-generous with packaging tape, but hadn't been in this case.

I’ve had stuff turn up like a Pp everything in a bag with an apology. The number included was wrong so no one ever answered it. The actual depot number was the same but with last two numbers reversed.

Unfortunately Vinted are likely to side with the buyer and say it wasn’t packaged properly. They are ruthless about that for some reason and rarely side with the sellers

In future it may be worth doing what I do, which is wrapping tape all the way round the box on all sides. It secures it and also makes it easy to see if any tape has been cut or tampered with

Leave a review of the seller pointing out how peculiar it is that she keeps getting empty parcels from Vinted sellers.

Sounds like a regular scammer if same complaint a week earlier. I'd report this to Vinted.

I accept that I perhaps ought to have packaged it better. I taped the top with a tape gun with strong packaging tape, and it would literally have taken me seconds to have done the same to the bottom, at a cost of a few pence. (I’ll take the advice of the poster above who said to tape it all around for next time!). Because I thought the bottom was already strong enough to contain the contents, I didn’t. Although, I’ve probably sent hundreds of packages over the last 20 years or so (via eBay, etc) and this is the first time a package has arrived empty.

I’m more curious to know, what happens if a package opens en route? I’m assuming it happens often enough that Royal Mail must have some protocol in place for when it happens? What if the contents can’t be matched to a package, is there some sort of depot, where the contents go—like if you lose an item on the tube or bus, you can pick it up from lost and found. Also, does Royal Mail weigh packages at regular intervals? Anybody who works for Royal Mail, who can answer these questions: I’d love to know.

I’m far too invested in this, I really need to let it go and get on with my life 😁.

Not exactly the same complaint. This time it was “item damaged” due to poor packaging. The buyer said that it ought to have been bubble wrapped and better packaged. The seller did (she says). It seems like the buyer was hoping that the seller would offer her her money back out of good will. I contacted the seller to find out what had happened.

I reckon so too @ThisCoolGreenTiger as RM would have put a sticker on it etc. Can you ask Royal Mail what their process is and ask if they photographed it delivered?

Yes, there it sits photographed. The taped side is facing outward; the side she claims opened in-transit is facing the wall. The person who delivered it most definitely would have exerted some effort in placing it atop those mailboxes since it was a heavy box. Similarly, whoever picked it up would have most likely have had to pick it up with two hands, once again proving that it was not an empty box. I’d love to see some CCTV footage if I could.

I received a parcel from Boots recently, that was very badly taped shut, with a bit of a gap between the top flaps. There were several items missing and I’ve asked for them to be replaced, but I suspect they don’t believe me. Really annoying.

I received a totally empty large jiffy bag via Royal Mail the other month. I didn't notice at first because it had been attached to two other parcels with a large elastic band. I didn't open them straight away because I was ill with COVID and just wanted to sleep.

By process of elimination I realised that it should have contained an IKEA Lego box that I had bought on eBay.
I didn't put in a claim as I was too ill and couldn't face getting nowhere with Royal Mail.

I did try questioning the postman about why he didn't notice he was delivering a visibly empty package that looked as if it had been cut open and didn't match the weight stated on the envelope. I didn't get anywhere as his English isn't great and he was in such a hurry he wouldn't stop to listen to me.

I didn't pursue it with eBay as it wasn't the seller's fault.

l received an empty large letter box once, just left on the doorstep by postman although it was obviously empty with one side open, it had not been put inside a plastic bag.

They don't have time to faff about with picking up things that fall out of boxes.

Your mistake not taping round entirely.

I think it is most likely that someone else in the flats has opened it and taken the things if it has happened twice.

I sent a small package to a friend, it was split open and repackaged by Royal Mail. Everything was in it including the £10 note.

Wait! Is that a lobby to a block of flats? The mailboxes suggest it.
Maybe some other resident stole her books? It's a possibility.
One other damaged parcel doesnt necessarily make her a scammer either. Although it does look a bit sus.

Sorry you do say she's in flats. I missed it.
I think that's probably your answer though. Maybe someone there has it in for her or is just a thieving git.

I’ve had damaged packages come from Royal Mail. They arrive in an outer bag with instructions on how to claim for any damage to contents if you find any and then the original goods and packaging in whatever state it ended up in are inside the bag. There is no way that it got damaged in transit. If it was opened in any way they would have done this.

That’s what I don’t understand. There were about 16 individual items in that box — about 9 books, 1 small Orchard Toys game, 4-5 individually bubble wrapped 3D shapes and the small wooden container that houses the shapes. If the package opened en route, how did every single item become lost? And no employee noticed? You’d think that at least one or two items would have been in the Royal Mail damaged in transit package bag.