Missing Tracked Return 48 package

[KR15 ADZ]

I'm hoping someone from Royal Mail can explain how this is possible?

I've had a return sent to me through ebay, ebay provided a return label (which I have a copy of and confirm the address is correct). I get a notification to tell me the item has been delivered, when it hasn't. I check the tracking and see a picture of a bundle of packages / letters with a different address on them. So, assuming it was within that bundle, it has clearly gone to the wrong address.

I contact Royal Mail through chat, after going round in loops, they finally admit that it had gone to the wrong address but can't do anything about it as my account is no longer "managed", and directed me to file a claim.

I file the claim online and it comes back rejected. The reason for the rejection is "The purchaser gave us a different address to the return information that you supplied to them. Based on the information received, we delivered the item to the correct address."

My question is, is it possible that the customer could provide a different address at the post office? Bear in mind, the tracking number has not changed from the original label that was sent.

Does Royal Mail have a record of the address recorded at the terminal of the post office, or are they simply going by the photo the postman took of the bundle of packages?

[yellowbelly]

I file the claim online and it comes back rejected. The reason for the rejection is "The purchaser gave us a different address to the return information that you supplied to them. Based on the information received, we delivered the item to the correct address."

This statement is the bit I can't get my head round. The fact that the tracking number provides a picture of delivery suggests the return
label was scanned and you've got a copy of that label with (your) address on it. But the picture you describe (as you've deduced) indicates it was possibly delivered to a different address with a load of other packages.

If you check the tracking info does it definitely indicate a different delivery location on the map/location/gps co-ordinates if they're available (sometimes they're not)?

I don't know how the 'purchaser gave a different address....' etc. statement is a reasonable assumption to make if they printed off and attached the same return label as you've got for returns in your ebay account.

Does Royal Mail have a record of the address recorded at the terminal of the post office, or are they simply going by the photo the postman took of the bundle of packages?

Did the sender get a proof of postage receipt at the PO? If they did it could/should show the tracking number, house name/number and postcode the item was being returned to. If they've got that and can send you an image of it then that could help to show the address label was correct.

Bearing in mind we're not 'official' Royal Mail on this site, just shop floor posties we don't actually 'know' what might have happened.
If you were willing to post the tracking number on here someone else might be able to suggest something.

[KR15 ADZ]

Thanks for getting back to me. That's a good idea, I've contacted the sender to see if they still have the post office receipt.

I don't mind adding the tracking number FC140822651GB

I've also attached the label with partial addresses blanked out.

FC140822651GB.jpg

I don't have any GPS location data but I think I did manage to figure out where it was delivered by enhancing the photo available on the tracking page, The fulfilment centre, Brewery lane, NE10 0EY, it has a very similar postcode to mine, which may help explain things. I tried contacting them and they say they don't have it either.

By the way, I'm pretty sure the photo on the tracking is not a picture of the item I was expecting to be returned as it looks too small and returns usually come back in the packaging it was originally sent in, which it isn't.

[yellowbelly]

PIty there's no GPS data/map location on the tracking.

One thing about the photo - we are supposed to take photos of tracked items either going through the letterbox or with a door open
(which indicates the item is being passed over) or when it's a business I usually take a photo of an identifiable location in the reception area for example on the reception desk. This photo indicates neither. The background is not identifiable to a property location and those yellow boxes are a bit strange.

Sorry I don't have any ideas in this scenario, hopefully the sender has got the PO receipt (I would have kept it if I was returning something!).

The only other thing I can think of is that a bar code has been duplicated - it's not unknown but rare.

[yellowbelly]

Just noticed something else - on the picture the item doesn't appear to have the white and black boxes with E71 and C28 above the barcodes but below the 'Tracked 48' wording that's on the label you've provided - even stranger.

That's making me think there's something strange happening with the label on the item.

[KR15 ADZ]

Yes, I agree. I'm pretty certain the package in the photo is not the package that was returned. I think my package has been scanned at the same time as the items in the photo and delivered to that address.

Thanks for responding and hopefully the sender will provide the post office receipt.

[Snaggletooth]

Who actually paid Royal Mail for this service? EBay?

[KR15 ADZ]

It was paid for by me, I have the vat receipt from ebay. However, it was done through ebay's Royal Mail account.

Ideally it should be ebay chasing this up, but unfortunately, they don't want anything to do with it, they just direct me to contact Royal Mail.