Er - No!

That's what you might realistically expect would be the case, but what actually happens is that RM say that for the extra cost of recorded delivery they don't actually promise to get the package delivered, only to tell you if it has been delivered or not. The maximum it is therefore insured for is thirty quid, which you then have to jump through hoops for.

Another problem with ebay is that for certain items such as vinyl Lp's (which are pretty easy to distinguish when wrapped) the postal workers know that some may be valuable, so it's easy to quickly open them to find out. I've been advised never to post on a Friday for example, as temporary, or agency staff cover many sorting depo's at weekends.

Similarly I know of RM workers who talk of some of their number using metal detectors intended to find pipes in walls when decorating in order to 'scan' letters for cash.

I've gained more than I've lost with ebay of course, but I've lost a lot more than I should have. Between dodgy punters and lost RM deliveries I'm a couple of grand astray at least, spaced over a period of perhaps four or five years.

On the other side of the coin I just bought a brand new big plasma telly and a digital recorder from two different ebay sellers during the recent bad weather, both were a good saving on going to Curry's, and arrived in a few days despite the weather and the busy time of year. They both arrived by Citylink courier.

City link can be good, currently the only lot that are operating in Scotland because we had some snow the other week, however when stuff goes missing with them its a 'mare. took nearly 2 weeks and finally resolved by driving 60 miles to have a word with the manager when they insisted they had tried to deliver a laptop to my son on various occasions despite him being a lazy sod that never left the house

RM again good till you get caught in the beurocratic nightmare when they loose something infuriating when the local manager just shrugs "no my problem, speak to Belfast"

suspect the scottish delivery thing is because they are overwhelmed with deliveries this year and have decided to concentrate on the more lucrative southern business conveniently using the weather as an excuse to not go north

S

My apologies, Old Nail - I meant recorded delivery with appropriate insurance level.

Even then I suspect it probably won't be as simple as saying "Look, the guy says he hasn't received it, you know it hasn't been signed for, ergo it hasn't been delivered. Pay up..." But you should, surely, ultimately be able to make a claim based on this?*

I've been lucky with every thing I've sold - although they've generally been pretty low value items in most cases. But PayPal have come up trumps on more than two occasions when things I've won (for a very low price) were subsequently not delivered (ie: not sent...). Ok, I didn't get the bargain I'd hoped for, but at least I wasn't out of pocket. And being able to leave a stinker of a feedback without fear of retribution is pretty nifty too.

Yes, they look after the buyer more than the seller. I suspect simply because it's easier to do so.



(*Don't call me 'Shirley'. Sorry - had to be done. Tho' I seem to be one of the very few who didn't find his films funny... )

Why does Vince Cable wear his hat like a scarecrow?

Maybe you're just wrong on hat etiquette and it is cool and stylish?:lol:

PIXIEHAT YEAH!

Dear Santa,

I’m a little old to be writing to you, but in this topsy turvy world we live in, I’m afraid that the belief in Santa has become a less absurd proposition than believing in our current crop of politicians. I would of course have preferred to have written to ‘Jim’ll Fix it’, but it appears that Jimmy Saville has yodelled his last on prime time TV.

I won’t ask for much as I’m sure that you are very busy, but if you could help the following things to come about I would be extremely grateful.

1. Just today the director of BAA responsible for the mess at Heathrow has declared that due to his poor handling of the ‘snow event‘, and as an act of contrition, he will not take the bonus on his one million pounds pay packet this year. The snow that fell has therefore reduced this man’s earnings, and also made a lot of people in high authority look stupid. I would like to ask for more snow please.

2. Each Christmas we in the UK have the ancient tradition of the Queens speech. If I promise to actually sit and listen to it this year, do you think we might change the national anthem for something more egalitarian? While I have never actually met the Queen, and I’m that sure she is a very nice lady and deserves to be saved by God, that sentiment makes for a very uninspiring, and dreary national anthem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7Ztac69HLE

Might I suggest that given number of courageous young men and women who are currently giving their lives for this land, that ‘I vow to thee my country’ ( Above, or more poignantly below) be introduced as a tribute, and 21st Century replacement for the current dirge?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qv5GeQZY9E

3. Would it be possible to have at least one Christmas pass without the screening of “Honey I shrunk the Kids” ?

4. Could you get someone to explain to me how direct line insurance saves us money by ‘cutting out the middle man,’ then goes on to pay hundreds of thousands of pounds to three different celebrities for voice over’s in one TV commercial? Just let someone non famous tell us eh, and pass on the savings - simple!

5. Will someone tell Michael Barrymore that we’re not interested in his sexuality, he was funny once.

6. I would like to know the secret of how a person is supposed to just eat one handful of salted peanuts. I have never been able to stop myself going back for ‘just one more’ handful, and then just one more, etc.

7. It appears that the only qualification Paddy McGuinness has in order to present the recent re-hash of Cilla Black’s Blind date, or to advertise Greggs the bakers, is his Bolton accent. Same goes for Vernon Kay in family fortunes. If TV executives should happen to need someone to do little more that issue phrases such as “Come on” or “It’s not there” in a Bolton accent, then they will find my rates considerably lower than the aforementioned luvvies.

8. Regarding alcohol, including wine, beer, and especially Jack Daniels. Please see question six.

9. In 1948 the French introduced the 2cv as a form of cheap, economical transport for the masses. Given that both China and India are the most populous, and fast growing nations on the planet, and that they are seeking mobility for all, while bearing in mind that neither country really gives a monkeys about safety or the limiting of carbon emissions, might they at least start building the 2cv again?

10. At this time of year I studiously avoid the over commercialisation, the dreadful repeats of repeats on TV, and of course the beer induced faux bonhomie of office parties, so if there’s anyone else left out there that does the same, and is as obviously miserable and cantankerous as myself, then please wish them a very happy Christmas from the Old-Nail!

That seems like a fair list to me. Apart from Vernon Kay, Him and his stupid fat mouth need to take a hike. (his bolton accent makes my ears hurt).

Also, this Gem of a song for your ears.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XzknjC-DJt0