Does anyone have experience in making a complaint against/ receiving compensation from SwissPost? I bought new leather item from a professional prop maker (and personal friend) in England. The value was £100. The parcel has been opened at customs and the pillock who did it used a craft knife, leaving a 12cm long, deep score in the leather. The damage is not in a visible place, but does compromise the interity of the item. I intend to complain with a view to receiving monetary compensation, but I have the feeling I'm going to have a fight on my hands.

Does anyone with experience with the process have any tips on how to approach SwissPost?

I somehow doubt very much it was done with a cutter. These people are experienced and open several hundred parcels a day to check. Sounds like you may be trying to pull a fast one.

Send it back and let the seller deal with it...

If it was opened and inspected, most likely by swiss customs not swiss post. Usually they seal it back up with some tape marked "douane" or "zoll". If that is the case you should probably discuss with customs, see website here in english http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_pri...x.html?lang=en

Brought a used coffee machine via Ricardo, when it arrived the water tank was cracked. Whether this was the fault of the party who posted ie not using sufficient packing or whether it got damaged along the way, got wet from the snow we have in our area remains to be seen. We brought it in its packing to the local Post, who took it from us and gave us receipt. We are still waiting for response over 2 weeks ago. There is a phone number 0848 888 888 on the form but we are waiting a few more days.

How do you open a parcel without some kind of cutting tool. And if you open hundreds a day are you saying you take the same very high level of care with every single one, or do you do it quickly and efficiently, but not necessarily with all care that could be due?

Having seen some Customs reality TV shows, I can at least say yes they do use cutters at least.

This is why you should take out insurance if you value the item.

As far as trying to claim it was an inspection that damaged it you will get no where as there is zero chance to prove that it was not damaged before it was packed. Unless the parcel had suitable warnings to state that it should be opened carefully and that it may be damaged unless care was taken then you have no chance.

Swisspost is swiss customs now, they took over all customs duties a couple of years ago.

Good luck trying to get any money back from the post, I've called them a couple times over customs charges and ended up banging my head against a wall. They are very frustrating.

No, they are totally separate.

Tom

There was a lot of yellow SwissPost tape stuck over a very clear, sharp slice in the original parcel tape.

I took it to my local post office and the counter assistant was very helpful and polite. She immediately recognised the damage was due to the parcel being opened at the customs, however she isn't a position to authorize and compensation and the issue has to go further. I hope the bods higher up the chain are as understanding.

Re. Today Only's post, I'm a little puzzled. Are they playing devil's advocate and highlighting a possible response from the Post, or just being a bit of a chumly? Either way, have a good weekend and enjoy the sunshine!

Maybe they are separate, but anything coming through the post office goes through their own customs office. So any problems with customs relating to the post office, you have to contact the post office to figure it out.

http://www.poste.ch/en/post-startsei...verzollung.htm

If it's been cut by a knife by Swiss customs why are you copmpaininf about Swisspost, and are you certain that the damage has been done here? Send it back to where it came from as damaged on delivery.

There is still a difference between the customs "declarant" (meaning the guy who will do the declaration to customs) and customs themselves.

I doubt that they do their own inspection, as that would make no sense.. Who will watch the watchmen, etc...

...because the cut to the packaging has been resealed with SwissPost tape. I have no idea who deals with what when it comes to these issues, so I went where the evidence took me. They were accommodating at the Post Office and didn't tell me to complain elsewhere.

The person who made the bespoke item is a personal friend and not some faceless trader, not that that affects my decision. He has offered to make me another item (it's a street performer's pouch) and replace the damaged one free of charge. I have chosen to pursue the compensation course first. Why should he have to shoulder the cost for someone else's mistake, insurance or no insurance. And no, I don't think the maker's readiness to replace the item in anyway incriminates him. He is a decent person who cares about his reputation within a very small, specialized field and takes pride in the products he produces.

The fact that it has been fixed by Swisspost doesn't mean that Swisspost did it. You do it how you want and I won't bother to reply to any of your questions again.