DSF

Yeah had more than a few of those myself - "why should I call the post office to see if my item is there... isn't that your job?"

Eh. No.

I have an ebay return from Argos on the way, the customer didn't collect. Ebay are paying the return postage (tracked) and I am to refund the customer on receipt of goods. So the customer can't be bothered to collect but ebay and I pick up the tab....hmmm.
Can't complain too much as eBay was surprisingly good for me this Christmas.

Janners

I had the same ..I sent it on special delivery to Argos and it was returned. .now customer is saying where is the item and asking to send back..!!....

What is the best thing to do, offer a refund and tell them you will open a case with the Royal Mail investigation team.

I just has someone get in touch and the item was posted 26th January

It was royal Mail 2nd class on the click and drop service, I have a certificate of posting

Yes. The law states that it is the sellers responsibility for ensuring the buyer receives the item(s) they have purchased even if it is a couriers fault. So provide refund and anything to do with an investigation is between you and Royal Mail (not the buyer). It always surprises me when a supplier tries to get people to pay more for tracking services when legally the supplier has to deliver the goods in the time specified and they are liable if the goods do not arrive.

Thanks for the info, it is the first time this has happened to me with Royal Mail

I gave up with Hermes, so many complaints, throwing things over fences, stating they had posted a mug box with bubble wrap through a letterbox, handed to customer when it was not

Yes, we tend not to use Hermes any more as well. Royal Mail do provide a good service and only very occasionally does something not turn up. When you get to larger volumes then perhaps look to use Interlink Express who provide the best tracking facilities of all couriers. As a buyer you can even track the van on its way to your door and if you have their app it will know if you are home or not. If you're not home then the courier will wait until you are apparently (if you approve this)!

eBay have advised me to wait and see if a case is opened as it was sent 3 weeks ago and the buyer has not been in touch with them

I posted a mug on Friday, 2nd class. It arrived on Monday. Good delivery you may think, problem is, it was delivered back to me!! Yep, on the front is the address to be delivered to along with the postage thing that the post office put on, and on the reverse is a notice saying 'If undelivered return to', so the muppets at Royal Mail, delivered it back to me. Thankfully the nearest post office to me know I had posed it on Friday, and took it and popped it in the bag again. Ho Hum!

I was selling E-liquid on Ebay (about 600 bottles a week) and was using a franking machine and apart from one customer who i shipped 3 of the same order to and eventually gave him a full refund I never had a problem, that was until I stopped using the franking machine second class post and started using first class stamps instead, I no longer sell on Ebay because of the nicotine content but still sell through my website and about 50% of my deliveries end up at the post office saying "not enough shipping" and so I am now putting two 1st class stamps, Royal mail seems to work great when you have a contract with them using a franking machine, but not so good when it comes to posting products with stamps on, I am curious to hear how people are shipping their t shirts, once I get going I will probably get another franking machine as giving full refunds or repeat orders hurt, signed for works but it takes a big chunk of your profit. what do you use ?