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Topic starter
29/07/2025 11:39 am
Just a note of passing interest.
You may remember I recently showed a couple of Rolls Royce Silver Seraph models produced by ATC Models in Hong Kong.
I then decided I wanted one of them in a nicer colour, plus another for possible “chopping” purposes. So I ordered two more. They were shipped free of charge by basic mail, so no delivery guarantees or compensation for loss.
On 17 June I got an email from Royal Mail saying my package was out for delivery. It never came. Tracking said it was still at a sorting centre near Heathrow Airport and was “progressing through the system”. Six weeks later it still says the same thing. (Lots of other people online with the same problem, packages in limbo at this mail centre, which has no public access and doesn't answer any queries).
Various Royal Mail phone numbers and “Help and support” sites all asked me for the tracking number, with the same result. Eventually their Customer Service Team told me that international rules require the seller to query the delivery problem through their local mail service (China Post), so 3 weeks ago I asked ATC to follow up.
Yesterday I asked them if there was any news yet. Reply - China Post has had no response from Royal Mail. Not looking good.
I said $160 was a lot to lose and if I re-ordered, a package from China might be fair game (possibly because high-value items are sometimes sent from China with a low declared value and might be worth stealing) and the same could happen again. Reply from the lady at ATC – My boss thinks it is terrible that you should have to bear this cost, so if we have no news by the weekend we will supply replacements at half price, and to avoid any more problems with Royal Mail we will ship free of charge by EMS – Express Mail Service, a commercial shipping courier service for goods and documents.
This problem was no fault of ATC, so I think that is a pretty good response. Just hope it works out OK.
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.
29/07/2025 11:53 am
Yes it is a nice gesture, but in reality it should have had a tracking number and been insured. So now your total will be even more for the two cars you originally ordered, but will probably not receive. It's their fault and they should send replacements free of charge.
Topic starter
29/07/2025 12:30 pm
Well, they were offering free shipping on the understanding that that meant a tracking number but no insurance. I could maybe have asked if there was an alternative of paid shipping with insurance but I didn't because I've had several "basic shipping" deliveries from China before with no problem at all.
I am entirely blaming Royal Mail for the package being safely received at their main sorting office and then being mislaid (or stolen), and they appear to have absolutely no system for tracking a package within their own premises, and haven't even given China Post the courtesy of saying "Sorry, we will investigate."
Rightly or wrongly, I don't feel it is ATC's fault (and to be honest, I suppose it's partly my own fault). I'm just grateful that they have offered to mitigate the additional cost.
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.
29/07/2025 3:26 pm
IMO, they treated you fairly. There are more than a few sellers who would say it was your problem. The real measure is whether or not both parties are satisfied with the arrangements.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA
Jack Dodds and David Green reacted
Topic starter
29/07/2025 4:25 pm
Quite so. When I initially alerted them to the problem they said something to the effect that with their basic free shipping there was no guarantee and no come-back, which implied they might well say "tough luck, your problem". So as you say, JK, I think they have made a decent offer in the circumstances, especially with priority shipping with insurance thrown in for free.
Graeme.M. Ogg
London U.K.