HELP! Calling all E-Bay experts/Post Office lost my parcels!!!

[Demented]

I wonder if any of you e-Bay experts can help me. I sold about a dozen items last week and am having mega problems (will post about some of the other problems later if they don't resolve themselves) but the most immediate of my problems seems to be potentially two lost parcels. I sent them on Tuesday second class and have had feedback left by others who have received their parcels that were posted at the same time (even two heavy items that were sent Parcel Post have been received). I have asked the buyers to wait until Monday before we put the wheels in motion, but the big problem is I'm not very sure what I'm supposed to do. Thankfully I have Certificates of Postage but can anyone tell me where to start, do I automatically refund the buyers? Do I just go to the Post Office I sent the items from and ask them to set some sort of claim in motion? Any help from anyone who has had to do this before would be greatly appreciated.

Funny thing is I was saying to the lady at the Post Office counter as she was processing my parcels that I haven't lost a parcel yet and she said "that only really happens down south".

You can go to the posty and get a lost mail claim form and you have to fill it in and attach your certificate of posting and the...wait for it...post it...risking it being lost! I would wait though for another few days, and ask your buyers to ring thier local posty pick up place just in case their parcels are sitting there waiting for them. Dont refund just yet, and its up to you if you refund before or after rm has refunded you. HTH

demented
i don't think Royal Mail will look into it until they ahve been in the system for 15 days. if your buyers are happy to wait this long then fine if not then offer them a refund.
i've always found that if you communicate regularly i.e. daily buyers are very understanding. it's a lack of communication that piss people off.
i think thatthere's still a good chance of them turning up. 5/6days is no time inthe life of a parcel!!
it's a real pain tho', isn't it.
hope they turn up tomorrow.

From odd anecdotes I've heard posties can sometimes be a lot more casual than they used to be about leaving parcels in the shed/next door/ under the mat (kidding) etc so it could be that that's what happened and they just haven't turned up yet. You can also get odd local problems of things/notices being left at a similar-but-wrong address (we get that here whenever there's a new postie - our address is P-- Rd but a mile away at the top of the road is a row of houses just called P--, different postcode etc but always being confused).

Hope these are quite cheap items though, Cert of Posting has quite a small limit doesn't it? £25 or something?

(£28 - just googled -

No kidding about the 'under the mat' Janh. Our postie left an ebay parcel under our doormat and I went in and out a couple of times before I noticed it (the kids are very distracting and it was a PC game - very thin). Luckily the sender had wrapped it really well, and it was fine.

Demented - hope you get your parcels sorted!

Hi, if you put return addresses on then they may suddenly appear back on your doorstep. That has happened to me several times now. If you have proof of posting there is no need to refund anyone as it isn't your fault the PO have cocked up. Give them a while, they'll probably show up.

Thanks, I feel a bit happier now at least I know something can be done about it. Unfortunately DH has disappeared with the laptop (how dare he have to work ) so I can't retrieve my e-mails to see whether the parcels have arrived today so hope my buyers aren't going mad.

JanH, I think I posted your cheque at the same time as the parcels, have you received it or has it gone missing too?

homebird - what do you mean about paying VAT? Do mean declaring it on your income?

Hi, Demented, yes I did receive it thanks, didn't email straight away for some reason and then forgot, but Hoxtonchick reminded me last night (eeek!) so have emailed you now!

(I'm very relieved that all my parcels did arrive safely having read about yours )

they ask you to wait bloody ages to compensate for second class too...
I am down south I have had tons of missing post to and from me, since Easter...

VAt is applicable if you are exceeding your personal allowance or you are taxable... also if you buy to resell then you can be liable
Me I sell on family stuff that I buy for us to use for a while then flog it on... So with the new stuff that gets sold at a loss it balances out..
Technically it pays for the kids clothes...

Phew Janh!

Piffleoffagus, just while you are around, did you receive the bouncer? It was posted at the same time as these parcels.

VAT is applicable if your exceed the turnover limit for VAT registraton (approx 58k atm) in all your taxable supplies. ie if you are self-employed with an income of 40k and you sell 20k's worth of stuff on Ebay VAT will then be due on all your outputs.

homebird - I take it you're not VAT registered atm? You or your husband don't run your own business either as SP's or partners? If you're both employed and just sell odds and ends on Ebay you do not have to charge VAT. If you sell so much that you turnover (ie income not profit) 58k (I think - not got the rules to hand) then you will need to consider registering for VAT.

Income tax is different however. Guess it all needs to be declared to the Revenue. I'd contact them and have a chat.

Quick update, one of the parcels has turned up at the buyer's house, the other one is still a no show though. Will start getting the forms together etc today, thanks for all your help. Still hope the parcel turns up.