Who's to blame?

[LadyJ]

I have this little business on ebay, I sell things.

Here is the story..

Obviously, when you want it you click the button and that means you agreed to pay for everything including postage and packaging.

-So buyer paid the postage £15

-I posted the parcel last wednesday through Royal Mail which was 4kg and cost £9.36.

-7.30am today, still on bed sleeping with kids, I thought there was a bomb blown up on my front door, but no it was just a postman knocking on my door, I hate them because they knock on the door like they are trying to break it.

-So the parcel was returned to me- reason 'addressee has gone away'.

-I rang the Royal Mail and made a complaint they said addressee has gone away means the person doesn;t live there anymore, I have to check the buyers address and postage cannot refund or cannot arrange redelivery.

-So I emailed my buyer. he replied he lived there for 7 years now

-He said he will give me another address and asking me to pay for another postage.

-I said to him 'its a big NO, this is a different matter now i think ROyal mail is to blame, he should contact and make a complain to his local post office.

Arrghh! I don't know what to do? who you think guys is the responsble tothis matter ? shall I pay for postage again?

THat's it im gonna have a cigi outside coz a so pissed off!

[andypaul]

no

The customer gave you the address and the royal maill couldn't deliver.

have you checked the postcode is correct? Technically all you need is the actual door number and postcode and they should be able to deliver it.

Put full postcode into say google map and street map and see if the street name matches (be careful as i know the post code for some london addresses are incorrect from personal experience when you do this)

Also the address does it have c/o or 1a, above smiths shop kind of adress which can mean nothing to the postie.

If you and the buyer are confident the address is correct, take up a complant with the postoffice (although not the best time of year to do this), you paid the post office to perform a simple task ie delvier a parcel which they didn't do, if they didn't do it they should refund you.

Many posties and delivery courier people are not going to waste time so just say unable to deliver, person not known. At this time of the year its even worse.

Had a problem with amazon recently where a courier company failed to deliver saying no one answered and then tried again the next day. got full refund and after a complaint got the parcel delivered on a saturday which they said at first they couldn't do but suddenly could when i got though to the depot and ripped into the duty manager.

Where is the customer roughly london , manchester maybe some one on here lives nearby and could verify the address for you?

Also what was the exact type of post office service you used?

[LadyJ]

Thanks andy for your advice.

I always check address through google map before sending any item to my buyers.

518 HUDDERSFIELD RD
WYKE
BRADFORD West Yorkshire BD128AD

this address seems OK that showed to the google map and this has been confirmed by the Paypal, I always send items that only shows on my buyers Paypal account.

I think I've done my part, he should now make a complaint to his local Post office, you maybe right andy because my buyer has bought quite a lot of stuff on ebay and he's got a good feedback maybe just the postman didn't bother to deliver the parcel or etc but I will still help my buyer to make a complaint to the Royal Mail..

Arrgh!

[LadyJ]

Also what was the exact type of post office service you used?

I used Standard Parcel which was no tracking number.

[andypaul]

Thanks andy for your advice.

I always check address through google map before sending any item to my buyers.



this address seems OK that showed to the google map and this has been confirmed by the Paypal, I always send items that only shows on my buyers Paypal account.

I think I've done my part, he should now make a complaint to his local Post office, you maybe right andy because my buyer has bought quite a lot of stuff on ebay and he's got a good feedback maybe just the postman didn't bother to deliver the parcel or etc but I will still help my buyer to make a complaint to the Royal Mail..

Arrgh!

Quick take the address down Lady J your highness for legal reasons

You have done your part you have send the address with the full address which without knowing the place seems clear enough.

Sounds like the postie rang the door if you were lucky and thought sod this trisha is starting soon better get on me way.

The customer should make the complant locally with your support in my view, he will have prove he lives there and has for x amount of years. He should also be worried waht else is not delivered i doubt it was the only thing the postie just couldn't be bothered to deliver or tried to deliver up the road by accident.

Have you checked the address on all paperwork and labels just to make sure its not been misprinted anywhere just in case still there fault but worth doing before given the post office a broadside. If they have made a mistake simply point it out and demand they resend it asap (remeber at this time of year your running out of time with chrimbo on its way)

[andypaul]

Just looked up the address and its next door to a chemist and it looks like a big road with plenty of businesses on it in fact the address is a shop i notice so seems strange why they couldn't deliver.

I think we need Nigel and Philip to assit you.

[LadyJ]

Just looked up the address and its next door to a chemist and it looks like a big road with plenty of businesses on it in fact the address is a shop i notice so seems strange why they couldn't deliver.

How do you know this?

I think my buyer is a repair man, he repair broken stuff..like this one I sold to him, broken Dell flat screen monitor!

think we need Nigel and Philip to assit you.

Hahaha! that's good you made me laugh Andy! and sorry but why we need Nigel and Philip? are they postman?

[KeithD]

Here's what I'd do it in my company.

It is not the customers fault, so they should in no way be held responsible for anything, and not be made to pay anymore charges. "The customer is always right" is correct for good customer service even if they are wrong. In this case they are not.

You are responsible for the package to get to the customers door, no one else. It is you who selected the delivery company, no one else.

Learn from it, use another distributor, apologise to the customer, and inform them you are sending it again.

Always ensure you use a service with adequate insurance cover, and a tracking code. If you send packages a week, open an account with DHL or something. Also looks professional on Ebay, putting in bright letters "All deliveries via DHL"

[andypaul]

Some of the courier companies are worse than the post office as most are paid by the parcel from what i gather. So if to much hassle they will simply say no one in or unable to deliver as well. May cost them more in waiting time, most don't even bother with the sorry we missed you card as it wastes to much time.

DHL are pretty good but expensive (you get what you pay for) others i can mention but won't on a public forum are not very good at all i know from our own company expereince and this is from data from a pan european delivery area over many years.

Only problem i noticed with DHL when we used them is because they have such big contracts smaller sites we had them pick up/deliver from sometimes had to wait in busy areas if they had staff shortages/there planes from abroad were delayed/ or bad weather, as they had so many major accounts if you didn't jump up and down quick enough they already had the drivers rerouted.

[andypaul]

Here's what I'd do it in my company.

It is not the customers fault, so they should in no way be held responsible for anything, and not be made to pay anymore charges. "The customer is always right" is correct for good customer service even if they are wrong. In this case they are not.

You are responsible for the package to get to the customers door, no one else. It is you who selected the delivery company, no one else.

Learn from it, use another distributor, apologise to the customer, and inform them you are sending it again.

Always ensure you use a service with adequate insurance cover, and a tracking code. If you send packages a week, open an account with DHL or something. Also looks professional on Ebay, putting in bright letters "All deliveries via DHL"

"The customer always right belief" is dangrous terroity with some customers otherwise you will find some will simply take the pee, treat them well but always check what actually happened otherwise before you know it some accounts cost you more than they will ever be worth to you either in turnover or in word of mouth.

Our company if the address is correct will if the courier says its delivered and has prove ie signature make it the customers responsbilty. If the parcel not delivered its the parcel company's problem. Thats a corparation with about 20 billion dollars a year turnover so they must be doing something right.

Mr admin in this case i think is right make it a complaint/mistake is a gift and use it to improve your logistics company and system.

[LadyJ]

Hey andy can you please check this out

there are two similar address


Valley
518 Huddersfield Road
Bradford, West Yorkshire
BD12 8AD, United Kingdom
- which is my buyer address

and

Saddique & Sons
518 Huddersfield Road
Dewsbury West Yorkshire WF13 3ET

they are both in the website directory. If you look on the google map they are not far away from each other.

[KeithD]

If you sent it to the first one first, it probably failed as they're maybe a number of businesses at the premises.

DHL are cheaper than Royal Mail by some way.

Andy, some customers will take the pee, but I prefer to get it right with the majority, and not worry about the small minority, as I will make more from the majority to cover any small losses by the idiots.

[joebloggs]

nevermind that ladyj, what's your little ebay business

[KeithD]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Super-Satisfaction-Vibrator-Brand-new-in-box_W0QQitemZ250196718847QQihZ015QQcategoryZ64810QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[andypaul]

They are near but a fair old distance away i would have thought for a postie to make a mistake, also the postcode is totally different and thats why the postcode should always be on its own at the bottom of the address as thats what they use if possible to sort the post asap. For many large companies they will have a postcode just for their address. Technically thats all you need to write on the letter or parcel.

If a postie or courier firm used that as an excuse i would say well redeliver free of charge i gave you all the details that or get a refund and like mr admin po says use someone else.

[LadyJ]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Super-Satisfaction-Vibrator-Brand-new-in-box_W0QQitemZ250196718847QQihZ015QQcategoryZ64810QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[KeithD]

You claiming off the RM has nothing to do with your customer who you must keep happy.

[andypaul]

Hey andy can you please check this out

there are two similar address


Valley
518 Huddersfield Road
Bradford, West Yorkshire
BD12 8AD, United Kingdom
- which is my buyer address

and

Saddique & Sons
518 Huddersfield Road
Dewsbury West Yorkshire WF13 3ET

they are both in the website directory. If you look on the google map they are not far away from each other.

the orignal address seems like mr admin to have various company names and knowing little about bradford let alone that road its difficult to say which one is correct and actually used as a sign on the shop etc so that may be where the confusion comes from.

[LadyJ]

Guys thanks for the swift advice/reply.

Hope this will solve soon

[bornatbirth]

surely the queen can get anythink delivered!

send them to the tower of london and OFF WITH THERE HEADS lol

[andypaul]

surely the queen can get anythink delivered!

send them to the tower of london and OFF WITH THERE HEADS lol

Exactly it is her ROYAL Mail after all

[LadyJ]

Hey Andy I managed to get a refund from the Royal Mail.

After me and my buyer exchanged mails he then opened a dispute through Paypal against me.. The b@st@rd didn't want to call his local post office to make a complaint he said he is too busy to do it.

Anyway, I made a complaint again to the Royal Mail today, I said to them that my buyer lives there for many years and so on, in the end she will send me a form today to claim a refund to the post office, yehey! And I will re-post the parcel again to the b@st@rd! hehehe!


I'm really sure this was all the postman's fault! I hope he will get suck from not doing his job properly.

[KeithD]

I'd open a dispute as well, as it is nothing to do with the buyer, and not his fault, he's done nothing wrong.

[LadyJ]

I'd open a dispute as well, as it is nothing to do with the buyer, and not his fault, he's done nothing wrong.

SO neither am I? I've done nothing wrong too..and ain't blaming the buyer. The postman should get suck

[andypaul]

Dont know much about ebay and its processes but send ebay all the details and how the royal mail mucked up keep a copy of the completed form and any refrence numbers etc from the form or quoted to you.

Ensure Ebay have all the details sent to them bombard them with details on how its not your fault the royal mail mucked up.

Never let anyone disrespect you and if they do make sur eyou set the record straight asap.


This complaint form can you download it off the web? You may wait a while for the post to get though at this time of year.

[LadyJ]

I don't know if I can download that, the royal mail agent didnt said anything about dowloading form but i will have a look at their website.

Cheers Andy for all your advice!

I tried to give you some rep points but it says I must give rep points first to Mr.Admin before giving it to you again.

[KeithD]

No need to teel Ebay, they are not interested. It is upto LadyJ to stay in contact with the nuyer, apologise, and tell them it has been resent, and the RM has admitted the mistake. Simple.

As I said earlier Miss J , you picked the RM to use, so it is your responsibility whether they cocked up or not.

[andypaul]

You should always rep Mr Admin hes the guy that provides you this fine forum.

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/j...mediaId=400144

half way down the page looks like the link for the pdf, you need but its for lost or delayed parcels so maybe not. A p58 form which you can get in English or Welsh for Mr Admin to read.

So maybe this one?

http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/c...ediaId=3100011

has info you can use?


PS I'm not to fussed about rep i've managed to live life with out a rep score printed on me forehead. Just keep helping others as you have been and rep Mr Admin he enjoys it