Parcel contents stolen

[fatfingers73]

After some advice.

After 20 years selling on ebay I've had my 1st major issue today.

I sold a £300 soundbar but the parcel had been opened and resealed with a low value item.

I know it's not the buyer, as the delivery photo parcelforce took is a different shape to the item I sent.

Everything was done via ebay (postage label etc).

I've had to send a refund to the buyer.

How do I claim my money back?

Thank you.

[4_bathrooms]

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@fatfingers73 wrote:

So parcelforce finally got back to me with this message:

The delivery depot advised they did not change the label of this parcel and they delivered it as received.

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The delivery depot may not have but the receiving depot or any depot in-between could have. How was the original label attached to the package? Also, did you use a plain box to send it or did you use the box the sound bar originally came in?

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@fatfingers73 wrote:

So it looks like I've lost my sonos soundbar and £300. Never again will I send a high value item through the post. I'm absolutely gutted 😞

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Your contract was with Royal Mail Group as detailed here. In your shoes I would reply to that message asking whom you should address a letter before action to.

[fatfingers73]

Soundbar was in the original box. Then bubblewrapped and placed in black bags. Then parcel taped up with the label parcel taped to the outside.

The parcel the arrived to the seller was my label and black bags but with different contents.

[4_bathrooms]

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@fatfingers73 wrote:

Soundbar was in the original box. Then bubblewrapped and placed in black bags. Then parcel taped up with the label parcel taped to the outside.

The parcel the arrived to the seller was my label and black bags but with different contents.

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Oh, that changes things. I thought it was clear from the picture taken by the delivery driver that it was a different package. When you look at the picture taken by the delivery driver does the package look any different than when you sent it?

[fatfingers73]

Yes it's about half the length 

[4_bathrooms]

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@fatfingers73 wrote:

Yes it's about half the length 

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In that case reply to the claim response asking who a letter before action should be addressed to, something like the following:

"The package pictured by the delivery driver is not the package I originally sent. The package I sent was x.x metres long; the package pictured is clearly no longer than y.y metres. The recipient purchased a soundbar from me via eBay for £326.35 including delivery charges but received a <item> instead. I have been forced to refund the full £326.25 paid by the recipient by eBay which I am now out of pocket for. Can you therefore kindly advise where and to whom I should address a letter before action to as I intend to make a small claim for the sum I have lost plus costs using the evidence I have." 

[fatfingers73]

Thanks for your help.

That's very useful 👍🏻