Anyone ever had a return go missing? Lola Rose return gone ...

[AndiK]

Very smart comment and ideas. Thanks. Will do that re: the name and signature ... a 3 year old could sign as well as this person did. That's a good point. I won't hold my breath but a good point to make.

Let us know how you get on. The "proof of delivery" they say they provided is worthless. The postman could put "John" and a squiggle and hey presto, he/she has a nice freebie Lola Rose Xmas gift for the mother-in-law.

 

[miss molly]

I think LR are out of order here, it was delivered to their address and somebody has signed for it so surely they should honour the returns.

 

[HYPE in a JAR]

I would phone up Lola Rose and ask to have a chat with someone high up at customer services.

If you made a return in good faith via a reputable service (Royal Mail) and they claim they never received it, the onus is as much on them to investigate the matter I would have thought. After all they don't want this to happen to other customers.

Presumably you have proof of posting with the correct address showing.

Surely Lola Rose are interested in keeping your custom and your good will towards them. I would give them the chance to try and sort out a suitable resolution to the situation over the phone.

 

[Anna]

Royal Mail need to be more particular about these so-called signatures they obtain or the system is useless. It's simple really - they just need to make sure the person signing clearly prints their full name as well as signing, whether or not, but especially if, the signature is incomplete or illegible. Then at least if the addressee says they have not received it, you can point to the full name of the person who is supposed to have signed and if, as is likely in this case, there is no such person at that address, it can be proved that Royal Mail have taken it to the wrong address (for which they would be bound to compensate the sender) or committed some kind of fraud. I guess there is a chance someone could put a fake name when they sign and then deny receiving it so proof of ID is the only way round that. But, however you look at it, a squiggle is certainly no proof of delivery or receipt by the intended recipient. I would go back to RM on that basis, AmethystRox. Tell them they have not fulfilled their contract or demonstrated duty of care by providing the full name of the person who accepted it so they have not ensured the secure delivery as you consigned the package to them to do.

I agree completely AndiK - who said it all far more eloquently that I could.

I certainly would not give up getting your money back. A few years back I returned some items to Lola Rose and the signature was just a squiggle. I was not impressed at the time as I thought how would I prove who had signed for it. Luckily I did get my refund. The thing is you also have to trust Lola Rose that they have searched for the item too, and it isn't just sitting around somewhere. I cannot see the point on getting a signature and paying for it if Royal Mail just wont take any responsibility at all. They should make sure the signature is readable and is printed too - and also at the right address! I don't suppose the items you sent back suddenly appeared back in the sale did they? Had they sold out?

I hope you get it sorted.

 

[Roseanne]

I did have a similar problem with an item of jewellery I was returning to QVC. I had a feeling in my water when I left the parcel in the cubbyhole at the Post Office that it wouldn't ever get back to them as there was someone acting very suspiciously at the back of the queue.

Initially, QVC denied all responsibility because I hadn't insured it - it was a gold ring - so I contacted Ofcom and they "persuaded" QVC to refund me as I had proof of posting.

This is the relevant Ofcom page. Best of luck AmethystRox

http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/post/postcomp

 

[Silver Fox]

I recently returned some items ( cost over £150 --not QVC )but was offered a postage of under £5 or over £12 for signed for.I opted for the cheaper & it arrived & I got the cash back into my account.The only point I make is why do we have to pay over the odds to make sure a parcel arrives or take the chance that we are out of pocket as it goes where ever?

 

[Toots]

How did you pay for the items? If you used a Debit card or a Credit card, there is hope. The Visa Debit Chargeback service works differently to the protection provided by paying by credit card (be it Visa/MasterCard credit card, Amex etc) but it can still be used to get your money back. However, even though each scheme works differently I think you've got a good case with your card provider for them to refund you your money & then they take it up with Lola Rose.

 

[Akimbo]

Much as I agree Royal Mail "signed for" is pants, I think the onus is on Lola Rose to prove the signature wasn't theirs. In terms of customer relations they should take the hit. There are plenty of people reading thins and having second thoughts about ordering from them (me included). If the same thing had happened with QVC, they'd accept the "Signed For" as proof of postage and refund even if they misplaced or never received the package. It's unusual for QVC to out serve a company like Lola Rose!

 

[AmethystRox]

I guess LR offices and Returns Dept are something similar.

 

[AmethystRox]

Let us know how you get on. The "proof of delivery" they say they provided is worthless. The postman could put "John" and a squiggle and hey presto, he/she has a nice freebie Lola Rose Xmas gift for the mother-in-law.

I've drafted an appeal to RM and will send that first to see what RM says. Not holding out hope as I'm sure RM won't compensate as long as they can get away with saying it was signed for by someone. I'll update when I find out anything good or bad.

 

[Minnehaha]

I agree with Hype in a Jar – take this further with LR. I would also take it up with Royal Mail.

Were I you, I would write a letter to Nicky Gerwirtz at LR and explain what has happened. Provide copies of your signed-for receipt, and any letters between you and RM. Provide a brief timeline: date posted; date of ‘delivery’, the name of the person who reportedly took custody of your items – signed for the delivery - and your subsequent actions.

Ask Nicky to pursue this with RM; she will not want her business to be affected adversely by this event.

I have checked the LR returns policy and it states: “We recommend you use Royal Mail Special or Recorded Delivery for security.” You followed those instructions and the item was, according to RM, delivered to LR. You should not suffer loss for actions outwith your control.

Nicky or one of her assistants can surely be expected to be in a better position than any customer to know the name of the person at LR receiving mail on behalf of the company on the date of the delivery.

Similarly, the Royal Mail depot would know which of its posties was covering the ‘walk’ on that particular day. It should not be beyond the abilities of LR and RM to find out what happened to your goods.

As Sazza says, compensation for missing jewellery is not covered by the signed-for service. It is, however, incumbent upon a Post Office employee to make this fact known in advance to the customer when the latter informs the employee that she is sending a package containing jewellery. In short, the Post Office employee is put on notice; the customer should be informed that were the package to go missing, compensation would not be forthcoming.

I have detailed below the names and addresses of the Chairman and CEO, respectively. Write a similar letter to the CEO – cc the Chairman; again providing copies of the relevant papers – and address it Private & Confidential (I find that usually works). Ms Green can then pass it down to the appropriate person.

Good luck,

Jay


Chairman

Donald Brydon CBE
Royal Mail plc
100 Victoria Embankment
London
EC4Y OHQ

Chief Executive

Moya Green

(same address)

 

[AmethystRox]

I agree completely AndiK - who said it all far more eloquently that I could.

I certainly would not give up getting your money back. A few years back I returned some items to Lola Rose and the signature was just a squiggle. I was not impressed at the time as I thought how would I prove who had signed for it. Luckily I did get my refund. The thing is you also have to trust Lola Rose that they have searched for the item too, and it isn't just sitting around somewhere. I cannot see the point on getting a signature and paying for it if Royal Mail just wont take any responsibility at all. They should make sure the signature is readable and is printed too - and also at the right address! I don't suppose the items you sent back suddenly appeared back in the sale did they? Had they sold out?

I hope you get it sorted.

I don't recall seeing them back in the sale but once the sale goes to 50% or 70% off, things sell fast so I could have missed them had they been unpacked and put up on the website again. But it could be said that someone else returned their purchase.

 

[AmethystRox]

I did have a similar problem with an item of jewellery I was returning to QVC. I had a feeling in my water when I left the parcel in the cubbyhole at the Post Office that it wouldn't ever get back to them as there was someone acting very suspiciously at the back of the queue.

Initially, QVC denied all responsibility because I hadn't insured it - it was a gold ring - so I contacted Ofcom and they "persuaded" QVC to refund me as I had proof of posting.

This is the relevant Ofcom page. Best of luck AmethystRox

http://ask.ofcom.org.uk/help/post/postcomp

Many thanks for this link. You're the second person who's submitted a link and everyone has been very helpful and encouraging!! Thanks.

 

[AmethystRox]

How did you pay for the items? If you used a Debit card or a Credit card, there is hope. The Visa Debit Chargeback service works differently to the protection provided by paying by credit card (be it Visa/MasterCard credit card, Amex etc) but it can still be used to get your money back. However, even though each scheme works differently I think you've got a good case with your card provider for them to refund you your money & then they take it up with Lola Rose.

Wow Toots, this hadn't even ocurred to me. I paid by credit card. Thank goodness I didn't use Paypal, I wonder if using Paypal is worse ... I'll look into the card's policy and see if it can be of help.

 

[AmethystRox]

I agree with Hype in a Jar – take this further with LR. I would also take it up with Royal Mail.

Were I you, I would write a letter to Nicky Gerwirtz at LR and explain what has happened. Provide copies of your signed-for receipt, and any letters between you and RM. Provide a brief timeline: date posted; date of ‘delivery’, the name of the person who reportedly took custody of your items – signed for the delivery - and your subsequent actions.

Ask Nicky to pursue this with RM; she will not want her business to be affected adversely by this event.

I have checked the LR returns policy and it states: “We recommend you use Royal Mail Special or Recorded Delivery for security.” You followed those instructions and the item was, according to RM, delivered to LR. You should not suffer loss for actions outwith your control.

Nicky or one of her assistants can surely be expected to be in a better position than any customer to know the name of the person at LR receiving mail on behalf of the company on the date of the delivery.

Similarly, the Royal Mail depot would know which of its posties was covering the ‘walk’ on that particular day. It should not be beyond the abilities of LR and RM to find out what happened to your goods.

As Sazza says, compensation for missing jewellery is not covered by the signed-for service. It is, however, incumbent upon a Post Office employee to make this fact known in advance to the customer when the latter informs the employee that she is sending a package containing jewellery. In short, the Post Office employee is put on notice; the customer should be informed that were the package to go missing, compensation would not be forthcoming.

I have detailed below the names and addresses of the Chairman and CEO, respectively. Write a similar letter to the CEO – cc the Chairman; again providing copies of the relevant papers – and address it Private & Confidential (I find that usually works). Ms Green can then pass it down to the appropriate person.

Good luck,

Jay


Chairman

Donald Brydon CBE
Royal Mail plc
100 Victoria Embankment
London
EC4Y OHQ

Chief Executive

Moya Green

(same address)

Thank you Minnehaha for this advice and address. I will try this if the appeal letter comes back and hasn't worked. You write as if you've been down this road before! Everyone has been so helpful and sympathetic. Many, many thanks.

 

[miss molly]

Send a Tweet to LR about it, surprising how fast queries get sorted when tweets get sent and tag in QVC.

 

[Boris Bear]

Send a Tweet to LR about it, surprising how fast queries get sorted when tweets get sent and tag in QVC.

Or post on their Facebook page.

 

[Mazza]

I have never experienced this so have no help to offer. But threads like this are why I think this forum is so great, all the help and advice offered!

Good luck AmethystRox, I do hope that you get your refund.

 

[Breeze]

I agree that LR is where the blame probably lies & would really start to lay it on with a trowel with them. Send a very firm letter to the head of customer services, letting it be known that you've posted about it on forums ( agree about their Facebook page too) & say that you'll be writing to one of the media complaints programmes, or the Daily Mail chap on the money pages is quite good at getting things like this resolved. Throw in a mention of contacting Trading Standards too. It's amazing what the prospect of bad publicity can achieve when you get fed up of banging your head against the wall with customer services.

 

[thatu]

LR recommend you send by Registered Post whereas you sent by Signed For, which is different. Nevertheless, as I said earlier, your best weapon is the threat of bad publicity. No company should be able to get away with this, because it will happen again to someone else if they do. Write to LR first, since you have a receipt signed by someone apparently at LR, we know not who, so they seem to have received the item back. Use the address kindly given above and I agree, a list of dates, times, copies of receipts and anything else relevant. What you need to do is to shut down all avenues they have for arguing that they haven't received it. As far as you and RM are concerned, the item is back with LR, no matter who signed for it, and that is the basis of your complaint. What I generally do in a letter of complaint is write all the facts first, in order as they happened, then a list of concerns and questions, and lastly the promise (not a threat) of publicising your concerns, whether you choose to go public or not. This has worked for me in the past and I've even had a letter of apology from the Chief Executive of a Health Service, which they know could lead to legal action on my part, but they couldn't argue with facts.

The publicity is working already. I'm pretty shocked and disappointed with LR. They should refund you and take it up themselves with RM if the signature isn't valid.