US to UK package not received by buyer

Hi, I sold an item to someone in London, UK. It was shipped Feb 21, and the online tracking says Delivered March 2, and again March 7. The buyer says he has not received it. I rarely sell out of the US, and am not sure what to tell him or what to do from here. I suggested he check with his Post Office or Customs Office. Is there anything else either one of us should do?

Thanks!

 

It is not going to have anything to do with customs, but the crucial thing to do is contact the local sorting/delivery office. They deal with the deliveries, not the actual post office.
There should be a card left if there was no one at home, this may have been overlooked, but if it was carded it will be waiting at the sorting office.

The worst scenario was that it it was delivered to the wrong address.

 

af is right. You also need to know if it was to be delivered by ParcelForce or by Royal Mail. Different people deal with it. I suspect the 2nd March was an attempted delivery.

Oh, and what sort of rough value was it on the declaration?

 

Thanks AF and OBB. Value was $115. I didn't insure it. I can eat the cost if I have to, but of course I don't want to. I've asked the buyer to check at the sorting/delivery office.

 

What was the weight and class of USPS mail used.

This would define the delivery service.

 

It probably got caught for Customs duty, in which case your buyer ought to have had a letter asking for money before it was delivered. His best bet is to phone Royal Mail Enquiries - 03457 740 740 . They're pretty helpful usually.

 

It was 13 oz. First Class International.

Thanks everyone for the help.

 

Royal mail would do the delivery. FCI has the highest likelihood of arriving untaxed even if tax is due because they use limited resources on higer value parcels and packages, which are usually sent Priority because US sellers don't play the odds.

First Class stuff, being basic airmail, is often cleared in bulk because no one wants to waste taxing time on low value items.

Anyway, the sorting office is the first port of call. It should be possible to trace the item to a specific walk (postman's delivery route) and a specific postie who may remember delivering a foreign packet somewhere because it would have been a bit unusual.

It's a shame it was London, they have the worst postal workers in England because no one can afford to live there on RM wages. So lots of agency and casual workers. Who live in holes in the ground, cardboard boxes or hostels, six to a room.

 

And, drum roll, it arrived today, and all is well.

 

Tax free?

 

He did not say.

 

That implies not - RM have three attempts at delivery.

af, my posties are lovely. We've had the same ones for years - one saw me standing at the bus stop recently, stopped his van and leapt out with a parcel for me.