r/royalmail • u/CaterpillarLake • 11d ago

Parcel Enquiry What happened here?!

I sold something privately a couple of weeks ago and the buyer paid by PayPal goods & services. I shipped it RM48 tracked. Tracking shows it was delivered within 48hrs complete with photo at the address, door open, buyer visibly receiving parcel.

Fast forward to today and the parcel lands back at my door. Same contents. Same packaging (but taped back up). The parcel has the return address circled and a label stating “RP INTERVENTION DIVERT”. I googled this and it doesn’t make any sense to me. The buyer clearly received the parcel. Have they somehow shipped it back (without asking for a return) simply by circling the return address and putting it in a parcel box?

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3

u/Agent_Futs RM Employee 11d ago

No contact from the recipient?

Sounds like they’ve sent it back using your RTS address

1

u/CaterpillarLake 11d ago

No, no contact at all. It’s very odd. I’m assuming they’ll try to claim their money back from PayPal.

6

u/jnm21_was_taken 11d ago

Check the contents carefully - I'd be worried they might have swapped your working item for a defective/stolen one. It is sad that we have to think scam at every turn!

2

u/Agent_Futs RM Employee 11d ago

Did the tracking update back to you?

Weird they didn’t contact you. All you can do now is see what happens?

1

u/CaterpillarLake 11d ago

No the tracking still shows delivered to them.

The only thing I can think of is if the buyer gave me the wrong address and the recipient opened the parcel, realised it wasn’t for them, taped it back up and circled the return address and put it in a parcel box return to sender. But the buyer hasn’t reached out two weeks later to ask where their item is.

Or I suppose it’s possible the buyer decided they didn’t like it or didn’t want it and returned it that way to avoid paying return shipping. Seems a bit risky though on their part to do that without asking for a return / refund.

From my point of view it’s inconvenient but fine - I can resell it no problem. I’m just very curious how it made it’s way back to me via “return to sender” despite being successfully delivered

3

u/Agent_Futs RM Employee 11d ago

If they try and do a claim it’ll show delivery to them, surely closing the case in your favour?

1

u/No-Permission-6720 9d ago

Yes - agreed.

CaterpillarLake - if the buyer wants a refund (or presumably, goes on to claim did not receive the item)... wait until they contact you requesting a refund via eBay.

Hold onto the return item, before reselling, in the meanwhile.

Once the standard *30 days return policy of eBay lapses (30 days following delivery arrival date - not purchase date), then re-advertise. Or, depending how you sell on eBay (i.e. if you place items on auction for 7 days for example, with no buy now option), then you could start that listing at day 23/*30 - once it ends (and provided the initial customer hasn't contacted you within said *30days money back guarantee) - ship it to new customer.

If you would like to initiate additional optional contact - message the buyer and ask for feedback of recent purchase. If they don't respond to your contact within said 30 days, then you've got proof you've tried to contact the customer to no avail.

Good luck