Royal Mail.......lost items!!!!!

[dancestationdirect]

Hi, has anyone noticed an increase in UK Royal Mail packages going "missing" recently. In the last 2 days I have had 3 different buyers claiming item has not arrived. One looks genuine as it is Recorded Delivery which has not arrived. The other 2 are fairly low value First Class items and of course I have no way of knowing if  this is genuine or not.

Prior to this (I have "lost" a few international parcels) but only 1 UK parcel last year went astray and never turned up.

Anyone else having problems with this?

[towelposter]

---

@a.watts-uk wrote:
What they meant was that they complained cause they couldn't Rip you off and say they never received the item! Typical scammer

---

Rubbish.  Many buyers don't like using recorded delivery because it delays them getting their item, especially if it is something that will fit through the letter box.  It may also involve them in wasting time and/or money going to the DO to collect it.

If I am buying something that will need signing for I get it sent to work as nobody is at home during the day. If a seller then 'upgrades' to a signed for service then I will ding their comms star at least, because they haven't communicated the postal service correctly.  If it is my regular postie it isn't a problem as he has my permission to sign on my behalf but if it is a relief person then it may be a problem.

If the postie has a parcel that is too large for the letterbox then they 'can' leave it in a safe place, if there is no need for a signature.

[a.watts-uk]

So you're telling me that if a buyer as **bleep** feedback and more than one INR on their feedback I have no right to send it signed for to cover myself? I think not

[towelposter]

---

@a.watts-uk wrote:
So you're telling me that if a buyer as **bleep** feedback and more than one INR on their feedback I have no right to send it signed for to cover myself? I think not

---

You have every right, as long as you are prepared to suffer the consequences.

[summit-to-sea-anglesey]

---

@towelposter wrote:

If the postie has a parcel that is too large for the letterbox then they 'can' leave it in a safe place, if there is no need for a signature.

---

We've all seen examples of this, left in bin, yadda, yadda, yadda.

It's OK if you have a great postie, but how does the seller know how good your postie is??

[towelposter]

---

@summit-to-sea-anglesey wrote:

---

@towelposter wrote:

If the postie has a parcel that is too large for the letterbox then they 'can' leave it in a safe place, if there is no need for a signature.

---

We've all seen examples of this, left in bin, yadda, yadda, yadda.

It's OK if you have a great postie, but how does the seller know how good your postie is??

---

They don't know but they should trust that their buyer does.  If they don't trust their buyer then they can breach the contract as long as, as already said, they are prepared to suffer the consequences.

[0165pickwick]

Yes posted on the 14th December low value item but rare in jiffy bag  item was weighed and  paid first class . very annoying for both seller and buyer . I had one earlier in the year same circumstances refunded buyer but never contacted Royal Mail  this time enough is enough RM was the most secure and trusted way of sending mail

[supersalesuk]

Royal Mail loose about 5% of my packages, I avoid them like the plague, I only use them for the smallest items.

It may be that we are getting more thieve customers, but I doubtt it is tha mahor factor as I send many items out by Hermes with a non signed for delivery service and they  very rarely go missing, if they do it's flagged up as lost or damaged in their system.

So, the customer has the option of lyting and saying it was not delivered as they have not signed for it...but they virtually never do....so

I think it is just Royal mail...they are just rubish...they constantly increase their prices and reduce the service\!

I am sure that since they employ cheap low quality labour that these people are stealing items all the time.

[samslocker]

Royal Mail don't exactly employ cheap labour, my friend is a postman in Aberdeen and is on £12 per hour, and he will have his round done by 11 in the low season. 

The main problem with RMG I think is in the back office, plus there total lack of ability to deal with issues (business wise they are shocking).

They are not reacting quick enough to the change in times and the demands in e commerce. They do need to invest in technology I think , the tech is out there to make sure every bit of mail is delivered and when it is claimed not to be evidence of delivery can be obtained. Price I cant argue with for standard mail who else is going to deliver one of my games to little Johnnie for under a £1 in less than 24 hours from one end of the UK to the other. I do not think we will see much of a rise come March. they need eBay trade now more than ever.

Tracked services are just not viable for vast majority of small ecommerce traders however and when somthing goes wrong they are just not good enough.

Everything is there with RMG and in place it is just  the way it is getting run I think is what hold it down. I also think 2 heads are stronger than 1. eBay UK need to be working closer with RMG. eBay NEED a COST effective distribution network and RMG need the trade.

[a.watts-uk]

How does the buyer know if it'll fit through the letterbox? They don't. So they have to be in for it anyway. I don't put on my listings that it will fit through the letterbox and not many buyers are up on postage rates to know it's a letter size and even some things that go out as letters turn into parcels midway thru their journey after being scrunched up and taking in air if they're not airtight. You can't say that people will be miffed if I add a signature out of my own pocket because they don't know if it's a letter or not.

[kris5161]

this is not the start of an argument but i would like to know how or where the figure of 5% lost parcels comes from they move millions upon millions 5% would be an awfull lot.

[bigredsetter]

Royal Mail are leaving cards here,I am going to the post office and there lost.Sellers are sending items an Royal Mail are losing them.

Having repeated Paypal claims because of this company I will look elsewhere for items.

[vblstitchcrafts]

Except that Royal Mail only pays the cost of raw item. I manufacture so I have to supply invoices of components used. They may refund but only the cost of the raw items. No account of my time making them and that when I purchase the raw items I expect a profit on that as well as my labour. Royal Mail are useless, 21 working days even before they consider lost  GRRRRRRR

[andy_jack]

I've said this before - and I'll say it again.

To resolve ANY issue with Royal Mail simply e-mail the chief exec.  I do it regularly and always get resolution within a couple of days.  The chief exec is extremely interested in the failings of her orginisation.  She hears her manages and Customer Service telling her how good everything is - and what she really needs to know is what's the true picture.

The more people that write to her the more action she will take.

So as well as making the boards aware of the issues it would also make sense to send Moya an e-mail.  You might be surprised at how easy it is to get problems sorted when you go to the top.

[vblstitchcrafts]

Love to, and her direct email is.....

[patriciabclothes]

In nine years of selling I have 'lost' plenty of parcels - I would hate to count up how many. I am stuck with Royal Mail as it is still cheapest type of parcel. I have seen a slight decrease since I started using a Piney Bowes meter. Perhaps they take metered post more seriously? Who Knows? The process for claiming back costs from Royal Mail is a joke for business sellers. Loads of paperwork and you'll only get your cost price back, no recompense for all the work. The only thing I can suggest is that you add a little more to the price of your listings to cover the lost ones, as a type of insurance. This of course can make your listings less competitive, but if price is not your main concern its doable. You don't have to be the cheapest on eBay to be sucessful. Other elements like great customer service and good listing practices will often be important to buyers.

[patriciabclothes]

I have never heard of this great auction in Belfast and I live here!
Please give me more details and maybe I can go up the road and bid on all my lost parcels.

[andy_jack]

Her direct e-mail will get removed from these boards - but google will find it no problem.

[vblstitchcrafts]

email now written to     moya.green   royal mail and sent to their com  email address. Lets wait and see what sort of concern she has.....

[andy_jack]

I think you'll be surprised at how effective they are.

One of her team will probably get back to you on Monday/Tuesday, asking for further details.  And whereas Customer Service just "do nothing" the Chief Execs team follow everything through to a conclusion.

[thematthew]

I am a buyer and in the last week i have had 2 items go missing all from the Royal mail.

Just feel extreamly fraustrated.

By the looks of things it appers only 2nd class mail is going missing.