Package "delivered" but not received (Royal Mail)

[cashmere-favourites]

Hi, I recently sent an item to a buyer by Royal Mail tracked 48. It was recorded as delivered on 30th June with a photo provided by RM. However the buyer has opened a case for "item not received". She said her postman has admitted that he made a mistake and didn't deliver the package to her house. The door in the delivery photo isn't her door. I've asked her for further information but at the moment this is all I know.

I phoned RM this morning. They said their information shows that the package was handed to a person (the photo was taken outside the door before being handed over). In the delivery photo there are two packages held together by an elastic band. Mine is the one underneath and can hardly be seen in the photo. The top one is an international package (unfortunately the photo isn't clear enough to see who it's addressed to). I'm wondering if her package was accidentally delivered to someone else.

I was wondering what happens in this situation? RM has said I can make a claim online but there's a backlog so it will take up to 30 days to get an outcome. If I refund the buyer and lose the claim then I'll lose £44. But the buyer needs a refund because she doesn't have her item.

Would be very grateful for any advice. Thank you 🙂

[tressygirl]

What does the actual tracking say on Royal Mail's  online Track & Trace ?  Photographs bear no proof to eBay but if racking has been entered there as delivered,  that's all you need to enter into the case details,  to close it in your favour.

If the online T & T doesn't show delivery was this a Simple Delivery transaction?  Then, eBay should refund the buyer and you keep the payment.

@cashmere-favourites 

[moldosgifts]

As you are a business you handle it in the normal way by adding the tracking details to the order , as it was recorded as delivered you should win the case.

However if you want to do a bit of detective work you could check google maps to see if any details of the door match, often little details can give it way that the customer is telling a little fib.

[cashmere-favourites]

The tracking shows as delivered on Ebay and I've already received automated positive feedback for "tracked and on time". I'm a business seller, so it wasn't Simple Delivery. If I enter the tracking details and the case closes in my favour, will Ebay refund the buyer?

[cashmere-favourites]

The tracking shows as delivered on RM's track and trace.

[moldosgifts]

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@cashmere-favourites wrote:

The tracking shows as delivered on Ebay and I've already received automated positive feedback for "tracked and on time". I'm a business seller, so it wasn't Simple Delivery. If I enter the tracking details and the case closes in my favour, will Ebay refund the buyer?

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No ebay will not refund buyer if case found in your favour, but expect a charge back that is not handled by ebay, ( but you get notified through ebay and respond via ebay) you defend them in same way you defended the ebay case.

You have evidence it was delivered.

[moldosgifts]

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@cashmere-favourites wrote:

The tracking shows as delivered on RM's track and trace.

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Give ebay a call (call back) get them to update the tracking on ebays side. ring now you will get NI.

eBay Customer Service 

click link above

[therenewalworkshopltd]

Seems to me that you are worrying a little too much about this one.

Whether the customer is being truthful or not is honestly, immaterial.

You handle it as if they are claiming not received.

Tracking shows as received = Case closed!

I would be sympathetic to them, but firm, in that the tracking shows delivered.

If they raise a not received case, then as long as the tracking is there, you have nothing to worry about.

Though do be aware, that on occasion, these will be refunded to the customer as a default action.

If this happens, all you need to do is appeal it and you will be refunded.

If they lose this (which they will), then it is possible that they will raise a chargeback via their bank.

Again, you have nothing to worry about over this.  Just provide the tracking and let Ebay sort it.

Case closed.

And I would suggest, that you also block the customer.

[motoringmagpie]

We had a customer claim an item whose tracking showed as delivered had not been received.   We  spoke to Royal Mail business help line  and they were able to check  the physical drop off point which showed the package had been dropped of  nearby at an incorrect address. Unfortunately RM are not allowed to reveal incorrect address to buyer to retrieve.  RM have to contact the wrong delivery address and see if they respond.....which they did not.  Its a while back but  I think ebay seller protection  protected us.

[artdesignz1958]

We had an issue in November 2024 where the customer contacted us and said that the delivery photo was not their house.  I called Royal Mail and they opened a case for the item being mis-delivered and they retrieved the order and re-delivered it to the correct address. 

[cashmere-favourites]

Thank you to everyone who has replied. I've been unwell so haven't logged in here since last Saturday.

Just to update you. I've spoken to both Royal Mail and Ebay. RM said I can put a claim in. Ebay said that in order to refund the buyer they need proof from RM that the package was misdelivered. I've exchanged a few messages with the buyer who is a genuine, kind person and definitely hasn't received her item. Ebay says I'll be protected because the tracking shows as delivered. But I obviously want to help the buyer get her money back so I'm going to put in a claim with RM. The buyer is also going to try and get a written statement from her postman who has admitted to her that he didn't deliver the package to her address. I'll update this post with the outcome in case that is helpful for anyone looking through this.