Royal Mail Tracking

[CharlieP]

Hi

We bought something off Amazon UK and delivery was from the UK. Item not suitable so we requested to send it back. Turns out the seller is in China and we have to send it there for refund.
Sent item back using Royal Mail International signed for/tracked with insurance and it goes missing somewhere in China. Phone call to RM and they say it's not their problem as once it leaves the UK it's out of their hands.

Surely by selling a service they've entered into a contract and failed? They've charged for a service and not supplied said service. Can they do that legally? What's the purpose of having insurance? It's like a PPI.

Interested in your thoughts.
Thanks,
Charlie

[des8]

Re: Royal Mail Tracking

You used International track and signed plus additional insurance. (by insurance do you mean you paid for enhanced compensation?)

You say you phoned them, whereas you should use their online claim form: https://personal.help.royalmail.com/...JyNWpZbQ%3D%3D

I suspect you spoke to the tea lady!

[CharlieP]

Re: Royal Mail Tracking

[MENTION=39710]des8[/MENTION]

It appears you are correct. I phoned them to try and find out where the parcel was which was when they told me it has gone missing and that once it leaves the UK it's out of their hands - I should have read the small print apparently.

However, a quick moan on social media and they have confirmed that I do indeed have a basis to make a claim.
Thanks for your input.

[Snoopy1948]

Re: Royal Mail Tracking

According to Royal Mails website on international 'signed for' packages, it states that for the Republic of China, there is no 'Tracked and Signed' service nor 'Tracked' service but they do state there is a 'Signed' service only.

http://www.royalmail.com/sites/defau...-April2016.pdf

That suggests to me, by Royal Mail's own admission, that unless it is signed for, there is no other feedback available. So I am assuming that the insured value part of the contract can be invoked if, given sufficient time, the parcel is deemed undelivered when no signature is obtained. I believe Royal Mail allow 8-11 working days. I am assuming that this was made clear to you when you stated the destination as China as there would have been limited liability on the tracking?

Out of interest, was the return postage at your cost? Did the retailer agree to pay that? Can I ask the value of the item? I have bought two things from China this year although like you not aware that was there it was coming from China. One was a cable and the other a pair of Ugg Boots. The cable was wrong ( poor advert definition ) and the Chinese retailer refunded my money immediately with no request to return the cable, though admittedly this was of low value. The Ugg boots were counterfeit and after a credit card chargeback refund, the Chinese retailer doesn't appear to want them back. The reason behind that, I suspect, is that the item value ( wholesale ) is probably less than the international postage.

[des8]

Re: Royal Mail Tracking

Royal Mail IMO are masters of confusion
No warnings of country restrictions on this page: https://personal.help.royalmail.com/...s-posted-using

[Snoopy1948]

Re: Royal Mail Tracking

Royal Mail IMO are masters of confusion
No warnings of country restrictions on this page: https://personal.help.royalmail.com/...s-posted-using

Agreed, spot on ..... I am also seeing that Ebay vendors ( and probably others ) are showing a lot of caution by not agreeing to ship to certain parts of the world for the problems outlined in this question. I understand this follows a lot of fraud where items sent abroad are declared as 'not received' and the Ebay guarantee then cuts in, regardless of the true circumstances. I am afraid that honesty and decency are far from universal!