Hamilton watch lost in post
Discussion
Hi all, just after a bit of advice, I've done the Google but there are so many different views, most of them to do with ebay, which isn't what I need.
I was tasked with sourcing a nice (around £500 ish) watch for my other half's fathers 80th, as I'm a bit of a watch geek. I settled on a Hamilton Khaki Pilot watch (nearly £800 value) as he used to be in the RAF.
I ordered the watch online from an well regarded jewellers with physical shops as well as online, on the 6th May. I paid for Special next day delivery. It never arrived, so I spoke to their customer service and they said allow it 2 days by Royal mail's guidelines. I waited 2 days and still didn't turn up, so they looked at the tracking and saw it left their store on the 6th, but never arrived anywhere since then.
I asked if another could be sent as the birthday was imminently approaching but they said they can't send another until the missing watch issue is investigated and rectified, nor can they refund me yet. Royal mail have told them we have to wait 10 days before the parcel can be officially listed as lost, despite it being special delivery before 1pm!
Her father's birthday is today, 17th May, and the gift was due to be given at the family dinner tonight. To say that I feel awful and have been getting it in the neck from some quarters is an understatement.
The jewellers concerned are very upset with Royal mail's attitude and lack of service, but my question is (sorry for the long preamble) can they refuse to send me a replacement or refund until this has been investigated if my goods have not turned up?
Any advice welcome, thanks all
I was tasked with sourcing a nice (around £500 ish) watch for my other half's fathers 80th, as I'm a bit of a watch geek. I settled on a Hamilton Khaki Pilot watch (nearly £800 value) as he used to be in the RAF.
I ordered the watch online from an well regarded jewellers with physical shops as well as online, on the 6th May. I paid for Special next day delivery. It never arrived, so I spoke to their customer service and they said allow it 2 days by Royal mail's guidelines. I waited 2 days and still didn't turn up, so they looked at the tracking and saw it left their store on the 6th, but never arrived anywhere since then.
I asked if another could be sent as the birthday was imminently approaching but they said they can't send another until the missing watch issue is investigated and rectified, nor can they refund me yet. Royal mail have told them we have to wait 10 days before the parcel can be officially listed as lost, despite it being special delivery before 1pm!
Her father's birthday is today, 17th May, and the gift was due to be given at the family dinner tonight. To say that I feel awful and have been getting it in the neck from some quarters is an understatement.
The jewellers concerned are very upset with Royal mail's attitude and lack of service, but my question is (sorry for the long preamble) can they refuse to send me a replacement or refund until this has been investigated if my goods have not turned up?
Any advice welcome, thanks all
sugerbear said:
What do the terms and conditions say on their website?
It doesn't say anything about an item not turning up, just says the usual about returns /refunds if you're not happy.They said that due to another case where a luxury watch didn't arrive, they sent the customer another, only to discover that a few days after they had also signed and received the original.
I said I would be happy to send an email or word document, signed and dated my myself that if I received the original at any point I would return it, but they still said can't do it, (in a very polite way). I told them I'm not interested in trying to scam anyone, it's not my fault the item hasn't arrived, but I just simply need it for Friday (today now). Still no dice. I'm so f
king stressed right now, the dinner is tonight and all he's got from us is a big fat IOU and a screenshot of a watch on my phone as an 80th present. Speed Badger said:
...and have been getting it in the neck from some quarters is an understatement.
Given you put your trust in a trusted brand and they put their trust in a trusted delivery company with special delivery, I'd suggest they have a word with themselves. It's not your fault. deckster said:
Seems to me you have two problems:
a) An unfulfilled order from a retailer, and
b) A birthday present to buy
I would suggest the second is the more pressing problem to solve and I'd be spending my afternoon sourcing another watch rather than playing the blame game with the retailer.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^a) An unfulfilled order from a retailer, and
b) A birthday present to buy
I would suggest the second is the more pressing problem to solve and I'd be spending my afternoon sourcing another watch rather than playing the blame game with the retailer.
This
Replace this afternoon,
Should the original arrive … simply return, should the original not arrive … receive refund
Thanks for the replies, I think the best option is one suggested above, just explain the problem to him and he will understand. He's a very calm person, I'm the one who hates letting anyone down and trying to make things perfect. I can't believe I've been let down gain for a special birthday - for my Mum's 70th I organised a custom birthday cake from M&S's food department, and guess what wasn't there on the agreed pickup day due to a management ordering issue? Yep. No sodding cake, luckily they gave me two cakes as a replacement, but it's not the point, my mum never had the special 70th cake.
Anyway, I digress. To answer a course of action above, I can't afford another £800 watch right now, plus I can't get out anyway. I've given up with it now, I just really wanted a rant and the advice about if they can actually not send me another or refund me until the 'disapperance' has been investigated.
Anyway, I digress. To answer a course of action above, I can't afford another £800 watch right now, plus I can't get out anyway. I've given up with it now, I just really wanted a rant and the advice about if they can actually not send me another or refund me until the 'disapperance' has been investigated.
Speed Badger said:
Thanks for the replies, I think the best option is one suggested above, just explain the problem to him and he will understand. He's a very calm person, I'm the one who hates letting anyone down and trying to make things perfect. I can't believe I've been let down gain for a special birthday - for my Mum's 70th I organised a custom birthday cake from M&S's food department, and guess what wasn't there on the agreed pickup day due to a management ordering issue? Yep. No sodding cake, luckily they gave me two cakes as a replacement, but it's not the point, my mum never had the special 70th cake.
Anyway, I digress. To answer a course of action above, I can't afford another £800 watch right now, plus I can't get out anyway. I've given up with it now, I just really wanted a rant and the advice about if they can actually not send me another or refund me until the 'disapperance' has been investigated.
He may well understand, but you can't relive a birthday surprise so it's still going to be a disappointment either way. No explanation is going to offset the deflation from not receiving something on the day. 80 years of age isn't a minor birthday either.Anyway, I digress. To answer a course of action above, I can't afford another £800 watch right now, plus I can't get out anyway. I've given up with it now, I just really wanted a rant and the advice about if they can actually not send me another or refund me until the 'disapperance' has been investigated.
Is there no avenue you can use to buy a replacement watch? Overdraft? Credit card? if it's the latter you could pay off the expenditure with the refund from the first watch before you accrue any interest.
You'd expect a jewellers to have decent insurance to cover this sort of thing. Whilst it is ultimately Royal Mail's fault as its in their system and the jewellers have handed it over to them, so it's out of their hands so to speak, they are the ones that need to claim the money back - as the contract of transportation exists between them and Royal Mail, not you. They should replace it and then claw back the money from Royal Mail.
Durzel said:
He may well understand, but you can't relive a birthday surprise so it's still going to be a disappointment either way. No explanation is going to offset the deflation from not receiving something on the day. 80 years of age isn't a minor birthday either.
My FIL turned 80 and he said the best thing was having everyone together, esp his grandchildren.It tends to be the younger that obsess over the present rather than the event.
Speed Badger said:
I said I would be happy to send an email or word document, signed and dated my myself that if I received the original at any point I would return it, but they still said can't do it, (in a very polite way).
I hate it when firms say they can't do something, when what they mean is they don't want to.matchmaker said:
I'd hazard a guess that it has been stolen whilst in the hands of Royal Mail - it happens.
And then claim it is because it wasnt packaged sufficiently.This happened to me when i used Royal Mail mobile phone recycling service. Apparently it needed to be packaged as though it was a nuclear warhead
Vaud said:
My FIL turned 80 and he said the best thing was having everyone together, esp his grandchildren.
It tends to be the younger that obsess over the present rather than the event.
Happens in my family mostly on the inlaws side, nobody understands to value of time over material crap. It tends to be the younger that obsess over the present rather than the event.
Edited by Whatsmyname on Friday 17th May 18:15
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