Opened parcel returned to sender.

bkod · Post by **bkod** » 03 Apr 2017, 22:02

Hello,
I sent a parcel to Poland on 22/03/2017. RN038004792GB. Tracking points below:

Date Time Status Track point
03/04/17 07:02 ON DELIVERY ELLON PDO
03/04/17 06:08 AT DELIVERY OFFICEELLON PDO ELLON PDO
02/04/17 15:41 ON ITS WAY TOELLON PDO ABERDEEN MAIL CENTRE
02/04/17 14:57 ARRIVED ATABERDEEN MAIL CENTRE ABERDEEN MAIL CENTRE
01/04/17 15:18 ON ITS WAY TOABERDEEN MAIL CENTRE HEATHROW WORLDWIDE DC
01/04/17 14:32 ARRIVED IN THE UK HEATHROW WORLDWIDE DC
23/03/17 AM ON ITS WAY TOGLS POLAND POLAND
23/03/17 04:37 ARRIVED (MDN) AT HEATHROW WORLDWIDE DC
22/03/17 18:38 ON ITS WAY TOHEATHROW WORLDWIDE DC ABERDEEN MAIL CENTRE
22/03/17 18:33 ITEM COLLECTED ABERDEEN MAIL CENTRE
22/03/17 15:57 SENT AT POST OFFICE 32 Market Street AB41 9JD

This morning the parcel was delivered back to me by my local postie in a really poor condition.
Parcel has been cut open, stuff was sticking out of it. There was two bits of sticky tape across the cut and a sticker saying "z. HD Michael Mahony"
There was completely no information why the parcel was opened or returned.
My postie when she realised that I sent that parcel to Poland started to apologise me for the state of it, she took pictures of it and even phoned her manager what to do with such a thing.
She couldn't belive there was no documentation attached, no information about the opening/damage of the parcel on the system.

I suspect that parcel was opened for security checks as it included a set of metal baby cutlery - christening gift.
Whoever opened the parcel damaged packaging of the items inside the main box, didn't bother with wrapping stuff back up - just squeezed everything back into the box.
Never bothered to put any information in the RM system.

My postie told me that my parcel shouldn't be returned in such condition to me. It should be at least wrapped in RM plastic bag.

Customer Service Chat was actually less then useless. Girl was trying to tell me that they were looking for return address inside the box... I told her that all the addresses were on the A4 sheet of paper sticky taped to the parcel... She told me she can't confirm who and why opened the parcel, neither why it was returned to me. There's nothing about it on the system.

I really appreciate RM services, particularly compared to some of the courier companies performance, but this time I feel disgusted.
My postie, bless her, didn't know what to say... Nothing to do with her, but she was feeling kind of responsible for the company she represents.

I can't understand or accept why someone would open the parcel in such appalling manner, then just squeezed everything back in and send back to me without any documentation of occurred situation?
Adding to that, the parcel is still as undelivered on the tracking system... Why? I can only imagine...
In my opinion it's below any standards.

Please, could any of you dear RM employees, explain to me the whole situation because it is a bit beyond my perception...

Thank you in advance.

bkod · Post by **bkod** » 03 Apr 2017, 22:07

Pictures of the parcel

Post by **TrueBlueTerrier** » 04 Apr 2017, 15:53

My guess is that label is not a Royal Mail official label, so whatever happened to it, happened outside of Royal Mail. That leaves GLS, though their system doesn't show any tracking, so its either Customs in Germany (All EU stuff for GLS goes through their Hub in Germany), or Customs in the UK .

Customer Service Chat was actually less then useless. Girl was trying to tell me that they were looking for return address inside the box... I told her that all the addresses were on the A4 sheet of paper sticky taped to the parcel... She told me she can't confirm who and why opened the parcel,

You might think she was useless but without sight of the actual parcel it would be difficult for them to say anything with certainty about what happened to it. She is right though when an address is damaged or unreadable thats what the returned letter branch does, they open and investigate it. However, if RLB had opened it I think they usually attach a covering letter to explain what's happened.

To be frank with so many possibilities outside of RMs control you may never find what happened.

bkod · Post by **bkod** » 07 Apr 2017, 12:12

Hello.
Thank you for your information.
I got similar news from RM Twitter team. Compared to chat operators those guys at least tried to be helpful.
As you said before it seems something happened beyond RM control.
I asked for my postage fee to be refunded and it looks like the cheque is on its way.
I will try to send my stuff again, using RM services of course. This time I'm going to attach an inventory list with little pictures of the items included in the parcel to save it from butchering again...

Thanks again.
Ben

Mr Incognito · Post by **Mr Incognito** » 10 Apr 2017, 16:52

z.HD is a German abbreviation of the words zu HANDEN which basically means 'care of'.