What's wrong with the Post Office ?

We've been selling security items over the internet for over a year now and never had any problems...that is until 3 weeks ago!

We now have about 5 claims for non receipt of items, I know they have been posted because thats my job, I always pack everything up and post it. We also always put a return address on everything so, if the postman has a problem with any address, the items should end up back with us, but we've not had anything returned

Fortunately we always get proof of posting but that doesn't pacify the people that have paid out good money for those items we have sold, and then we are telling them that they will have to claim from the Post Office.

We are thinking of increasing the postage charges and sending things out recorded but it is so difficult to make a living at the moment we aren't sure the buyers will wear an increase in price, and we can't afford to lose any of the meagre profit we do make.

I was just wondering if anyone else has been experiencing any problems.

My local post office is always losing stuff, so I use a different one now

Do you think it is down to the local post office or the sorting office? I've been queued up at the PO when the postie arrives and seen them hand over the parcels so hadn't even thought of blaming them...its a real mystery and one that's really getting on our nerves

No idea but since I've changed its very rare they go missing

I spoke to the postie this morning, he said that the volcano has caused problems with overseas/airmail services but there are no other strikes/problems that he knows of..maybe I should take a leaf out of your book and try swapping for a while to see if things improve

It has to be worth a try?

I was sending mine at the local one, I changed to the main office and the parcels went fine

Is it worth using a different handler, UPS or something?

I would wonder if the receipient really had not received the goods. How can you get proof that it was never delivered?
Good luck anyway.

Thanks Jenny

The problem is, by the time we've paid listing fees, paypal fees etc., our profit is quite small, which is why it is my baby rather than Clives...he says he wouldn't get out of bed for what we earn through it so using anything other the the post office would cut into that profit even more.

We can only go by peoples honesty at the end of the day, and they obviously have to trust us too

Hi,

Unfortuantely in this Country proof of posting isn't proof of receipt. Unless something has to be signed for, you cannot prove that someone has or hasn't received it. And eve if you pay for the service when a package neds a signature (is it registered or special delivery?), there's no guarantee the postman at the other end (customer's end) will wait for a signature.

I've ordered things before now online that should have been signed for and I've found them just left in my porch.

I woudl suggest you check where you stand legally regarding claims to the Post Office. At the end of the day if a customer pays you for something and they don't receive it, they can ask you for either a replacement product or a refund. It's not the customer's responsibility to claim back something on your behalf. I had the same problem when I bought a show set online. It never arrived. Fortunately, the company did send it vias the service where I had to sign for it and when they chased it up, they found it had never been delivered. They claimed bac, the cost of the items from the Post Office and sent out another one.

Legally it's a very grey area; particularly when you have customers who may not be very honest. But the ONLY way around it is to use the more expensive services.

Laura xx

You could have it signed for? Its not the same as special delivery but still requires a sig, and I *think* its only 45p more?