The dreaded empty package.

[Mike]

The "better half" this morning "signed for" a jiffy bag which was empty. The package has a small hole in it where the item has come out (or been take out)

I have recorded the item as "lost" with Northumbria Police this morning, but Royal Mail's phone contact number is a merry go round of menus, so I'll have to email.

Fortunately the item is a named medal rather than a badge so is uniquely identifiable, (have the ebay searches set up already in case it appears on there)

Anyone been in this situation before and what was the eventual outcome?

[davec2]

Hi Mike,

I, as an ebay seller and I should imagine, many more sellers, have all suffered similar situations, I have on several occasions had badges not received by the buyers ( that has always been open to interpretation though ), I have had a couple of empty packet senarios too.

I have even had recorded delivery packets signed for and then I've been contacted by the buyer asking where their item is.

With one buyer, he did find it eventually in the dog basket ?? but no hint of an apology ? I have only had one bad experience as a buyer and the seller actually refunded me, in all other cases, as the seller, I had to refund the buyers, so, as you will realise, I lost the sale and the badge.

Good luck.

Dave.

PS, Happy New Year to yourself and everyone else ??

[LONGSHANKS]

Hi, good morning. I too have had this happen as a seller, and buyer....

As a seller - What I do now is pack them for example if on slider or lugs by cutting a piece of cardboard and when folded in half will just slip into the envelope. I slide the badge if on a slider into a flute of the corrugate, or pierce with loops.
The size of the card board being the interior space of the envelope, prevents the cutting and removing ploy; through said small hole.

I have so many as a buyer, shipped to me with it wrapped in a small piece of bubble wrap and thrown in a padded envelope to freely rattle around. Not the safest way I have to be honest......

I now have started making the shipping sleeve from a piece of cardboard and wrapping in brown paper. This means the badge is actually attached to the shipping package itself. It has to be dismantled to get at it.

Regards
Simon.

[Mike]

Hi Mike,

I, as an ebay seller and I should imagine, many more sellers, have all suffered similar situations, I have on several occasions had badges not received by the buyers ( that has always been open to interpretation though ), I have had a couple of empty packet senarios too.

I have even had recorded delivery packets signed for and then I've been contacted by the buyer asking where their item is.

With one buyer, he did find it eventually in the dog basket ?? but no hint of an apology ? I have only had one bad experience as a buyer and the seller actually refunded me, in all other cases, as the seller, I had to refund the buyers, so, as you will realise, I lost the sale and the badge.

Good luck.

Dave.

PS, Happy New Year to yourself and everyone else ??

Hi Dave, a happy new year to you too. I've had a charmed life with outgoing stuff I think, but did lose a recorded item once. I was refunded by royal mail and I refunded the buyer. The item some months later (A General Service Medal) appeared on ebay. I contacted Royal Mail but they weren't interested. Even thought with a little investigation they would have had a high chance of uncovering the "problem" with their system.

Hi, good morning. I too have had this happen as a seller, and buyer....

As a seller - What I do now is pack them for example if on slider or lugs by cutting a piece of cardboard and when folded in half will just slip into the envelope. I slide the badge if on a slider into a flute of the corrugate, or pierce with loops.
The size of the card board being the interior space of the envelope, prevents the cutting and removing ploy; through said small hole.

I have so many as a buyer, shipped to me with it wrapped in a small piece of bubble wrap and thrown in a padded envelope to freely rattle around. Not the safest way I have to be honest......

I now have started making the shipping sleeve from a piece of cardboard and wrapping in brown paper. This means the badge is actually attached to the shipping package itself. It has to be dismantled to get at it.

Regards
Simon

Hi Simon, (happy new year also ) I think your strategy is the way to go - pack so it has to be dismantled in an obvious way to get the goods out. Item stuck to internal packaging near the width of the outer envelope.
Although it doesn't help with incoming goods, unless you're happy to lecture the seller on packaging!

My offending package and the hole: