What can be done about Sellers who use different Postage / Shipping Couriers than what they say?

[flydrive2020]

I have had a few experiences of late where Sellers in the UK have been advertising that they will send to me via Royal Mail and then without my knowledge or consent switching to using another [inferior less trustworthy] option. One case involved Royal Mail being advertised which cost £4.10 allegedly and then Hermes Tracked becoming involved somehow. Hermes took 12 days to deliver an item 45 miles away from it's origin and when it arrived it was smashed to hell ... Admittedly because the seller used a jiffy bag to poorly pack my item. I'm hard pressed to believe that this mess all cost £4.10 to unleash and so I left a negative feedback comment telling the truth.

I think this has since been removed as I cannot find reference to it or the seller anywhere.

What can be done if a seller switches on you like this and then it all goes wrong. E-Bay is 'I Pay. You Deliver' and as far as I am concerned changing shipping services is untrustworthy and must somewhere be in breach of EBay rules and regulations. If this was to be done outside of EBay it would legally be viewed as 'Breach of Contract' between Buyer and Seller as well as 'Misrepresentation' if it was proven that the sellers actions would result in them profiteering from what they chose to do: In other words being a 'Post Bandit' and the like.

Is the only possible action to leave a negative feedback ... Only to have it removed or obscured so the truth cannot be seen or told? Surely not. All help and assistance gratefully received - thank you in advance 🐵

[john1297576]

You don't say what you said in the feedback, but the best tying to do is simple feedback if you leave a negative such as "Unsatisfactory transaction"and mark down stars.

You also don't say that you reclaimed the FULL refund on the broken items. That is the best way of teaching the seller a lesson, he has to refund you in full, but as Hermes do not pay compensation for anything breakable it is an expensive experience.

Cheap Courier,  Cheap Service, and seller very much out of pocket.

[tobiasd4]

I agree with you about Hermes, I try & avoid them where possible.

At the moment ebay have a deal with Hermes where sellers pay 50% of normal posatge to use them, so I suspect sellers are doing this.

Ebay don't get involved postage disputes, so maybe why your feedback was removed.

[flydrive2020]

Tobias D4 Thank you for the information supplied. I always avoid them like the plague as they are a THIRD WORLD, THIRD RATE, TRASHY SERVICE. Question is why if EBay are aware of their godawful reputation do they support and condone / encourage using Hermes like this?! It also encourages 'Post Banditry' where people overcharge on posting so they profiteer unscrupulously on the item they are selling's Final Sale Price. I know technically EBay cannot have any say-so in postal disputes even though one of their core principles is 'I Pay. You Deliver.' Mostly because the postal and courier services are third parties. But to condone the use of a "wrong 'un" ... Do I stop all EBay activity in protest at this unacceptable way of thinking?

[1902elder]

Your opinion of Hermes is not shared by everyone, when something goes wrong buyers or sellers naturally are inclined to make their dissatisfaction public, but for the other 99% who don't have a problem there is nothing to report.
I have sent over 400 parcels by Hermes, everyone delivered, only two damaged, and maybe I could have packed better. Ebay have linked up with Packlink to provide a postage/carriage service, they have not signed up with Hermes, which is just one of a number of couriers that can be chosen through Packlink. You are entitled to your opinion, but it is not based on accurate facts.