PostOffice lost my iPod - how much to claim?

[watercooled]

Same thing happened to me years ago with an iPod Mini, never made the same mistake again, but did get the company that were supposed to be repairing it to give me a 20 gig iPod as a replacement.

Do they use an obvious address implying it's an Apple product inside the bag? If that's the case I'd strongly suspect someone has nicked it...

Edit: I agree with snootyjim, it probably isn't worth ringing to make a complaint. If you write/email then it's available to read/resend or whatever, if you get a dope on the phone they could just talk a load of rubbish to you and hope you go away.

[Pob255]

Also unless you record any phone call then you'll not have a record of it, emails and letters are much better for keeping copies.

Interesting question for you all here.
As apple supplied him with a prepaid packaging, who is contracted?

ie if you normally send something to someone then the contract is between you and the service not the recipient.

But does this hold true with a prepaid package? because surly the contract is between apple and Royal mail, you where just responsible for putting the ipod in the jiffy bag and giving it to the post office, for which you have a receipt to prove you did.

I'd contact apple and supply a copy of the postal office receipt.

[dave87]

I've probably got about £140-ish from complaints in the past, obviously all of which were legitimate. And I've had £20 of charges refunded on an account as well. As long as you're calm and very clear about what the problem is, I've always found them to be very accommodating and helpful. Probably because it's their job to try and placate people, but as long as you feel placated then what does it matter!

I've found broadly the same.

Vodafone were a particular example of this - though it relies on finding someone who actually gives a toss. A couple of the people I spoke to offered insincere apologies for the problems (wrong phone, wrong delivery address, wrong delivery day, phone looked like it had been opened, mis-sold the contract - in hindsight they didn't get very much right at all). Speaking to one of their team (think it was in returns for some reason) I had to do the work - in the end getting a SureSignal box FOC as an apology (only the first 3 bits had happened at that point). It was only later when I spoke to another person (who was clearly very good at her job) that not only was the original, verbally offered contract honoured, but a sincere apology given. The latter being something very rare in the modern mobile telephone market. As a result of her assistance, Vodafone kept me as a customer (and the three lines I'd setup with them). Never heard back from the talk to the CEO link though - that says something....

Apple were the complete opposite when my iPod failed a day outside of warranty, after having been in their care for the previous month. Didn't want to know. A lot of 'discussion' later, and they agreed to repair it again....

[crossy]

Do they use an obvious address implying it's an Apple product inside the bag? If that's the case I'd strongly suspect someone has nicked it...

Hmm, that thought occurred to me too - in which case, since it was being sent away for "exploding battery replacement" here's hoping it goes bang and takes a thieving finger or two off. (not a very Christian attitude I know)

[Pob255]

Have you contacted apple yet?

[Behemoth]

Do they use an obvious address implying it's an Apple product inside the bag? If that's the case I'd strongly suspect someone has nicked it...

Edit: I agree with snootyjim, it probably isn't worth ringing to make a complaint. If you write/email then it's available to read/resend or whatever, if you get a dope on the phone they could just talk a load of rubbish to you and hope you go away.

From what I remember and I'm thinking back to 6 years ago, it was sent to a company called Equinox, it was sent in a plain white box with their address on it, and a repair reference number. Their packaging instructions stated to send using hte postage they provided with no instructions that it should be insured, something I used to my advantage and created hell with the companies MD who contacted me personally about the replacement

[Mev007]

Don't get robbed here m8, It's a matter for RM + Apple, you will get a full refund or replacement. It's Apples postal contract and you aren't to know the policy, they will be insured either privately or through their contract with RM. Don't bend over backwards to find the lowest price possible either, just send in several print out from reliable retailers (inc postage).
If you end up calling someone don't let them BS you either.
Good luck..

[crossy]

In case anyone's interested here's what happened eventually.

After being given a bit of a run around by RM, I eventually contacted Apple support. Well I've got to say that I'm VERY IMPRESSED with the response - very friendly and helpful. They said they'd chase RM since (as predicted above) the "contract" really was between them and RM. Although Apple's support lass was "very sure" that it was Royal Mail that lost it as "it isn't the first time that this has happened".

Imagine my surprise when - unannounced - a UPS guy turned up at the door with a small box. In there was a reconditioned 6th Gen iPod Nano (in Silver) Okay, it's not the one that I sent, and it's only got 90 days warranty, but it's "as new" and twice the memory capacity of the one that went missing.

So my advice to anyone in the same position - politely phone Apple support and see what they can do.

Like I said I'm very impressed with Apple's behaviour in this - and it makes up for the shoddy and unprofessional way I got treated at the so-called "Genius" Bar in my local Apple store when I tried to get a problem with an iPod Touch looked at.

[3DWizard]

Only just seen this, but great response and service from Apple. You don't get if you don't ask!

[peterb]

As the OP has already posted that the problem has resolved, I am closing the thread.