I always use ‘signed for / confirmed’ delivery when posting but I know from parcels I have received that not everyone does. At the beginning of September a customer requested that I send a parcel but omit the invoice from the package as it was a present for a friend. After posting I emailed them to let them know that it was on its way and that I had followed their instructions. Three weeks later I received an email from them saying their friends parcel had never arrived and asked that I confirm I had posted it. Luckily, because I had paid the bit extra for ‘signed for’ postage I was able to track it within minutes and found that the parcel had indeed arrived 2 days after postage and had been signed for by the friend! I sent a polite email back with all the details. Had I not got proof of postage it could have been a much longer problem to resolve and possibly a costly one too. Has anyone else experienced a similar scenario?
I had a bit of a problem posting to Tenerife. The book I sent “went missing” for some time. My cousin (it was a gift) went to the local sorting office, with the tracking details… the parcel mysteriously reappeared and was sent back to me “undelivered - no-one home” (untrue!). At least I got it back and was able to resend it to a UK address when she came over to stay for a bit. She said that Tenerife is a bit famous for parcels not arriving…
Just a note about US postage. I was told by a US seller (on another well-known online selling site!), that there has been a problem with postal deliveries being “signed for”, but not actually arriving. The delivery person / postal staff were signing for packages themselves, but not delivering them.
I actually had a similar problem here recently - with a parcel sent to me. The courier’s delivery person didn’t deliver it, but he/she did sign the slip. Luckily we got it sorted out.
Pity we can’t always rely on the honesty of those we have to trust with our parcels!
I sometimes send things signed-for (it depends on value really), but have found that quite often the details are not updated on the RM system, so I still have no idea whether they have arrived or not. I also received a signed-for package recently that had been posted through the letterbox while I was out. When I checked the number on the website, there was an electronic signature in my name…but it certainly wasn’t mine!
Hi Sarah, I always use Royal Mail signed for, as it protects both the buyer and the seller. I had an interesting experience with a small item that I didn’t send Recorded Delivery. I had an e mail requesting that I send out another item as the person’s dog had attacked it when it came through the letterbox! (This was a ooak design that couldn’t be easily replicated.) When I replied that I had listed a similar item, I heard no more about it.
I have had that happen too; I don’t think I minded that, as the postie obviously thought it better to sign herself and deliver it, since it fitted through the lettebox, rather than make me walk to the post office to get it. I suppose your postie had a similar thought. It’s when the couriers sign for stuff, which they don’t actually deliver at all…
Have had one or two packages not updated on the RM System, but usually they are good about it.
Anything over £10 value I send signed for, just for my own peace of mind.
Kim
x
My regular postie will knock for the sign for but if I’m not in he’ll sign it and put it in my porch and hide it. Not that anyone would see what’s in my porch from the pavement as it has a closed door.
I once tried to find a package that was updated on RM sight it had been signed for but was unreadable.
Nearly 3 weeks later a young lad from the road came down into the close to give it to me. He’d signed for it and then the family had gone away for a holiday DOH!
Mother had a problem sending a box of items she’d knitted to my niece in the Nertherlands it got lost. She had to fill in a claim form and work out how much her hand knitted items cost so she had to provide receipts for the yarn used.
Once it was filled in the box arrived back at her door.
I did have one a few months back on that well known auction site. Item was sent signed for and about a month later customer claimed they had never received it - think they thought I wouldn’t have kept slip for that long. I tracked it and sent copy of signature to them and never heard another thing!
I think it does depend on what your sending. My items are often under £5 so it’s difficult to absorb the cost myself & I don’t want to pass it on to customers
About 3 weeks someone 2 doors had something sent to them special delivery. My postie knows I work from home so asked me to sign for it. I don’t mind however I had to sign on one of those electronic things with the plastic stick and it never looks like my signature so if I decided not to pass it onto the person, I doubt they could ever prove that it was me that signed for it. Good job I am honest person !!!
I complained to RM on one occasion that the signature details had not been updated and that I had therefore had to phone the recipient to check the parcel had arrived. It had - taken in by a neighbour. .RM refunded me my £7+ tracker postage. 
I ALWAYS send Recorded and refuse to send any other way. That way you always have redress. Mx