Question about shipping losses in Spain

[FramFramson]

[mods you can move this thread if need be]

Hello folks,

A little while ago I ordered several game items from several different private European sellers, sent to a friend in Scotland who is forwarding the lot to me in Canada.

All my orders arrived with the exception of one small package (with a value of 16 EUR, so not exactly the end of the world) from Torrejon De Ardoz, Spain. For the time being the seller's stringing me along with promises to re-send it if it bounces back to him, but I am not optimistic. The purchase was done through a third party website (they only facilitate European orders, which is why I had them sent to the friend in Scotland), so I can't dispute it through PayPal as I normally would.

In spite of having the seller's name and address (confirmed valid per the third party site), I don't imagine there's really anything I can do and suspect that if it vanishes (or "vanishes") I will be out the money. But I was just hoping to ask any of our Spaniards here on the off chance I'm wrong and there's anything they could suggest in that unhappy eventuality?

[Ajsalium]

Which shipping alternative was used? Standard, express, insured...?

[FramFramson]

Which shipping alternative was used? Standard, express, insured...?

Just regular mail. Standard uninsured.

[Ajsalium]

I think you are out of luck I'll look into it, though, as sometimes there's a "hidden" insurance no one will tell you about unless you ask.

I'd also like to point out that I've never had a parcel lost by Correos (spanish mail company). So when I hear that many parcels are lost in Spain... I can't help but wonder if they are lost or "lost". (Of course, every now and then a parcel will really get lost in a company that provides for 40 million customers).

[FramFramson]

Even in countries where there is supposedly "trouble" with the mail, most packages or envelopes are fine. If it's not outright lies (i.e. the seller never really sent anything or the buyer pretends they never got it), it's almost always something dumb like the seller writing the wrong address or trying to mail something with bad packaging (like sticking a miniature in a regular paper envelope) so that it gets chewed up by mail machines. In my recent round of orders I easily had five or six orders from Spain and the rest were all fine.

[Oldgamer]

I have just had a terrain mat from the US go missing, I am quite sure the mat was sent and have been refunded with no problem so I am quite sure stuff genuinely goes missing. I have sent some items to Spain that never arrived though so mistakes do happen.

[Arlequín]

I'd also like to point out that I've never had a parcel lost by Correos (spanish mail company).

There is also the consideration that it has been passed to Royal Mail once it hits the UK... my recent experiences with them are that it is not the company it was before privatisation.

[Ajsalium]

And just because I ofended Murphy in His heaven... an item that I bought from China hasn't appeared, and it's six weeks now. Of course, difficult to know which mail system screwed it, that's what happens with international orders.

Back to the OP, I've checked the spanish mail laws, and I'm afraid standard delivery lacks any insurance. Sorry.

[FramFramson]

Quite alright, thanks.