Claiming compensation from Royal Mail

[medusa]

I have in the dim recesses of my mind the idea that if you post out jewellery RM will only pay out for the cost of materials and not the actual cost of the item. Was I dreaming this or has anybody actually been in the situation where they have proof of posting and proof of how much the customer paid for a specific item but RM refuse to pay up?

ETA: to clarify, I'm talking about when something actually gets lost in the post.

[Michael_D]

Your recollection is correct. Furthermore, they want original receipts, you can't claim for at least 30 working days and if they pay out it won't be for three months... So next tone the counter assistant asks how much you item is worth. Ask them if they mean how much you sold it for or how much the materials to make it cost?


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[metalsmith]

Your recollection is correct. Furthermore, they want original receipts, you can't claim for at least 30 working days and if they pay out it won't be for three months... So next tone the counter assistant asks how much you item is worth. Ask them if they mean how much you sold it for or how much the materials to make it cost?

Sorry but (no offence) that has to be cobblers. I have not had reason to claim, but had someone strike up a claim (as the seller) on a £200 ebay item. I doubt very much that they wrote to the factory asking how much the materials were worth. As per a co-existing thread on here somewhere regarding posting to Oz jewellery is permitted import since it is not (just) bullion.

[medusa]

Well I can say that this topic really has boiled it down to a gravy...
RM will pay sender their purchase price NOT SELLING PRICE. Unless they made it themselves then it's materials only. Original reviews needed to claim and no claim accepted before 35 WORKING DAYS. Payout will take another 35 working days....
I know as I've just recurve day cheque for £79....
That's what I paid for the gold ring I sold for £300.

Well that makes sense in a way, because RM won't pay for the profit made. That's a different thing to not paying for the labour on something which is really the issue of the thread. I have my wholesale price and my retail price.

That said, regarding reselling which is what you are referring to, I wonder what would happen if the ring had not been bought previously, but was inherited for example? And how far back could RM go to demand proof of purchase? What about if there was an insurance assessment of value?

I buy a lot of old jewellery, repair it and sell it on, usually making a very good profit. I have bought the same design on numerous occasions and paid between £30 and £160. So in theory, if one that I originally paid £30 for sold for say £250 then went missing, I could just use any one of the invoices for one I bought at a higher price for my claim. I still might not get the full price I sold it for back, but I'd get a substantial amount back. Alternatively I might say the item was my grandmother's and here is one in the same kind of condition which sold for more than I got. I don't see how they could argue the case for having to provide an original receipt then.

[Aurarius]

Alternatively I might say the item was my grandmother's and here is one in the same kind of condition which sold for more than I got. I don't see how they could argue the case for having to provide an original receipt then.

I'm not sure they'd play ball there.
A recent quote from RM:"Royal Mail insurance now only covers the purchase price of any item you lose or allow to be stolen and must be verified by a receipt rather than, as in the past, proof of the value of the item when sold..."
In other words if your grandmother's Cartier ring goes awol in transit, RM gives you zero.

[medusa]

I'm not sure they'd play ball there.
A recent quote from RM:"Royal Mail insurance now only covers the purchase price of any item you lose or allow to be stolen and must be verified by a receipt rather than, as in the past, proof of the value of the item when sold..."
In other words if your grandmother's Cartier ring goes awol in transit, RM gives you zero.

bummer.
…..

[Michael_D]

eBay is a different matter. I have been sending my sold jewellery items through the post for a number of years now, I don't sell though eBay, but use other web sites. If you an item
Is lost, the post office will only pay the sellers original purchase price. Next time you go the the post office ask for a claim form. On it you will see the example for the sale of a pair of jeans, the seller is only offered the wholesale price and NOT the retail price that they sold it for.
I'm sorry but invoice has to be supplied for original purchase price. I know because I sold a ring for £300, it got list in the US, and the Post office are still arguing that they will only pay the £75 I paid for it at auction. Read the claim form.


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[pearlescence]

Nope, they don't pay anything at all on jewellery. And even on special delivery they pay out only wholesale not your retail and only grudgingly at that. I only shut them up by sending invoices written in Manderin and a copy of the receipt for the plane ticket
Don't waste your money on signed for, by the way. it does NOT give you any insurance for jewellery.
I only use them for under £50 and accept that some will go astray.

[medusa]

Your recollection is correct. Furthermore, they want original receipts, you can't claim for at least 30 working days and if they pay out it won't be for three months... So next tone the counter assistant asks how much you item is worth. Ask them if they mean how much you sold it for or how much the materials to make it cost?

well I say how much insurance I want on the package so is that not how much I think it's worth?

eBay is a different matter. I have been sending my sold jewellery items through the post for a number of years now, I don't sell though eBay, but use other web sites. If you an item
Is lost, the post office will only pay the sellers original purchase price. Next time you go the the post office ask for a claim form. On it you will see the example for the sale of a pair of jeans, the seller is only offered the wholesale price and NOT the retail price that they sold it for.
I'm sorry but invoice has to be supplied for original purchase price. I know because I sold a ring for £300, it got list in the US, and the Post office are still arguing that they will only pay the £75 I paid for it at auction. Read the claim form.

But I wasn't selling a pair of jeans. I was selling a £400 bangle. which I made. So there that was the retail price, just the price on the paypal invoice.

Nope, they don't pay anything at all on jewellery. And even on special delivery they pay out only wholesale not your retail and only grudgingly at that. I only shut them up by sending invoices written in Manderin and a copy of the receipt for the plane ticket
Don't waste your money on signed for, by the way. it does NOT give you any insurance for jewellery.
I only use them for under £50 and accept that some will go astray.

I actually paid for International signed for to Norway. How do they determine the wholesale price given it was a custom sized bespoke item? Interesting that you say UK signed for doesn't give any insurance on jewellery. would that not contravene trades descriptions? what about using other postal services?

[pearlescence]

Suggest you check the RM small print. Only material costs which you spent will be reimbursed. They sell the retail value insurance, of course they do, but pay the wholesale minus labour and profit. Do try complaining.
UK signed for just gets a signature to say something arrived. It carries no insurance beyond that of the ordinary mail and that insurance does not cover jewellery type items. Again, they sell you....
No point arguing with us. We are not RM