Delivery not received by overseas customer

[rjb7]

I have an unusual problem whereby a customer ordered goods on our website and specified an overseas delivery address, a hotel where they were staying for one week. The goods were fairly low value so we dispatched by airmail, but the customer did not receive them during the time they were at the address. I suspect the goods are likely to have been delivered after the customer left, but I have not been able to confirm this as the hotel has not responded to my enquiries. I was not aware of the limited time to receive the delivery when the goods were dispatched and I feel that the customer was wrong to request delivery to this address in the circumstances. The customer is now demanding a refund which I will probably have to accept, but I'm not sure where I stand on this. Can anyone advise?

 

[TomJ83]

It doesn't sound like a pleasant situation. Did you send the goods with tracked postage?

 

[rjb7]

The goods were fairly low value so it wasn't worth sending tracked. I will probably have to accept the loss, but I am reluctant as I feel that the customer was at fault and now they are being rather unpleasant about it.

 

[GraemeL]

Give a refund. If you felt that you would not be able to comply with the customers request, then you should have said so at the start - whatever prostestations the customer might have then made.

You could have asked the customer to pay more for a more rapid tracked service.

It was all up to you, not the customer.

 

[lesliedocherty]

Give a refund. If you felt that you would not be able to comply with the customers request, then you should have said so at the start - whatever prostestations the customer might have then made.

You could have asked the customer to pay more for a more rapid tracked service.

It was all up to you, not the customer.

Not 100% its his fault, he only became aware of the 1 week window after the goods had been sent, when the order was placed delivery was not of the essence, so normal airmail is fast enough (sending with no tracking is another matter though).
With no tracking, you have no recourse other than to refund, if you had proof you arrived at the requested delivery address, then regardless of the time, you would have been covered, it would have been the customers problem to get the parcel forwarded onto himself, not yours.

 

[Paul Norman]

You have to refund here, and I would do it quickly before the customer gets annoyed.

This is not about fault, or blame, but about moving swiftly on.

As a general top tip, never dispatch to a hotel without some additional verification of why, where, and in what time frame, and at whose risk.

But you know that now. Guess how we all learned it?

Hit the refund button. Do it today.

 

[antropy]

This is not about fault, or blame, but about moving swiftly on.

Agreed.

As a general top tip, never dispatch to a hotel without some additional verification of why, where, and in what time frame, and at whose risk.

Or never dispatch to a hotel at all.

You have to refund here, and I would do it quickly before the customer gets annoyed.

Why refund? What will happen if the OP doesn't refund, politely says no refund will be given and then ignores further emails?

 

[rjb7]

Thanks for all advice. I will issue a refund and move on as suggested. It's an annoying situation, in large part due to the customers attitude. I wouldn't have sent to the hotel address if I'd realised, but it slipped through unnoticed. Lesson learned.

 

[wayzgoose]

Why refund? What will happen if the OP doesn't refund, politely says no refund will be given and then ignores further emails?

Chargeback !

 

[Newchodge]

Chargeback !

Poor reviews, complaint to trading standards.