Delivered Unpaid Item - Is There Anything He Can Do?

gozyla86 on 15/08/2019 - 17:24
Last edited 15/08/2019 - 19:28 by 1 other user

Hi all,

My friend who is working at a big music store, messed up an unpaid order and had it delivered. The item is over 1k in value. There were deposit receipt, customer's delivery signature but there is the remaining amount of nearly $1k unpaid.

The deposit was paid in cash, in store. The order was made in store 3-4 months before today. I don't know why it took them that long to realise the mistake.

He tried to contact the customer a couple of times but unable to, both SMS and phonecall.

Is there anything he can do?

Thank you

• 

  AdosHouse on 15/08/2019 - 17:44

  +3

  He can asked nicely for it back, failing that he can just write it off.

  Good luck with the boss.

• 

  oscargamer on 15/08/2019 - 17:46

  +7

  'Your friend' needs to talk to the boss and work out a way forward.

  At best, they'll keep their job.

  Any 'trying to hide the fukup' will only end badly.

  It's called being an adult.

  • 

    dcep on 15/08/2019 - 17:50

    +2

    nearly $1k unpaid.

    I'd pay that out of pocket and bury it to keep the job, after failing to recover from customer.

• 

  pinchies on 15/08/2019 - 17:46

  +1

  If there was a deposit paid, does that mean a contract was signed? Maybe there's some avenue for recovery via small claims court under unpaid money? Worth a shot.

  • 

    gozyla86 on 15/08/2019 - 18:23

    +1

    There is deposit but no signature, I think. Just name and delivery address. I don't think it is a proper contract but worth to try.

• 

  Randxyz123 on 15/08/2019 - 17:51

  +6

  Tell them to own up to it.

  They fked up. People fk up all the time. Their boss will be more annoyed if they try some dodgy tactic to hide it.

• 

  Presence on 15/08/2019 - 18:01

  +1

  If it was delivered then send a registered letter to that address. Not much else you can do.

• 

  gozyla86 on 15/08/2019 - 18:35

  Hmm, just talked to him. He did not mean to hide it or whatsoever. He was the one that took it straight to the boss when he found out the mistake.
  The item was supposed to be sent to the store and wait there until the customer pay and the store would handle the delivery themselves. But the supplier (the main company) deliver it straight to the customer address instead. Nobody knows why. The paperwork was in order, nothing missing or incorrect. Maybe misunderstood or somebody really fked up. The whole process involved 5 people: my friend (salesperson), supplier rep who took the back-order, warehouse staff, delivery man and accountant. Even the software did not pick up the behind amount until he found out.
  The Boss asked him to sort out with the customer first and he did not know what to do.
  P/S: The boss said he will not sack my friend but there will be some sort of punishment, I think

  • 

    ihbh on 15/08/2019 - 18:47

    some sort of punishment

    Take out of his pay?

    • 

      gozyla86 on 15/08/2019 - 19:14

      maybe? I don't know. And he doesn't know either. Take out of his pay, no bonus, both or nothing at all if his boss can find out who at fault.

      • 

        DemocracyManifest on 15/08/2019 - 19:33

        What's the legality of that? Doesn't seem straightforward

        • 

          gozyla86 on 15/08/2019 - 23:50

          @DemocracyManifest: that is just my guess. better than losing the job, I suppose?

        • 

          HighAndDry on 16/08/2019 - 10:17

          @DemocracyManifest: Legally iffy. But it's that or be sacked for cause - which is not just no job, but also bad references, having a sacking on his job history, etc.

      • 

        Love a bargain on 16/08/2019 - 13:41

        +1

        But the supplier (the main company) deliver it straight to the customer address instead. Nobody knows why.

        That seems to suggest it's someone else's mistake that lead to the item being delivered. Doesn't seem fair for your friend to be punished (whatever that punishment might be) at all.

  • 

    Randxyz123 on 15/08/2019 - 22:01

    Hmm, just talked to him. He did not mean to hide it or whatsoever. He was the one that took it straight to the boss when he found out the mistake.

    Ok, good, he owned up.

    The item was supposed to be sent to the store and wait there until the customer pay and the store would handle the delivery themselves. But the supplier (the main company) deliver it straight to the customer address instead.

    Does he have a copy of the paperwork? Was the customer's name and address anywhere? Has it definitely gone there?

    The Boss asked him to sort out with the customer first and he did not know what to do.

    Maybe try calling using private mode on their mobile and see if they pick up. Depending on when this happened, the customer could just be away.

    • 

      gozyla86 on 15/08/2019 - 23:53

      He has the delivery confirmation with the customer's signature (or somebody else) on it. With the order form, deposit receipt…

• 

  brokenglish on 15/08/2019 - 19:27

  -1

  Question in title and in body doesn't match?

  Is There Anything I Can Do?

  If that's your best friend, then laugh hard, like really hard

  Is there anything he can do?

  A lot of things.
  He could visit the delivery address to try to get the item back.
  He could REALLY own up to his mistake and return the $1k+ out of his pay.
  Why should the boss bear this loss. If I'm the boss I wouldn't.

  • 

    gozyla86 on 15/08/2019 - 19:29

    Thank for point out. My mistake in the title.
    And your 1st solution is kinda not a solution. You can't just go to some people house and take the item.

• 

  thatonethere on 15/08/2019 - 19:48

  Could try a letter of demand then small claims. Very low chance tho

  • 

    gozyla86 on 15/08/2019 - 20:06

    Can you tell me Why the chance is low?

    • 

      HighAndDry on 16/08/2019 - 10:18

      +1

      Not worth it mostly. Costs of suing for a company are higher for an individual, and would get to the ~$1k mark almost immediately. Even a letter of demand would be most of that ~$1k amount honestly.

• 

  ssquid on 16/08/2019 - 07:52

  +1

  One word: Bikies.