Royal Mint return process waiting time..is this normal?

[MoralHazard]

Hi

I returned some coins back to Royal Mint for replacement as the coins I received looked like somebody at the production line has stomped onto them. My tracking shows that the package was delivered on 18th of April. So it is now almost two weeks and still have not heard back anything regarding the replaced coins. The only information I have got from their customer service that they can confirm the coins have been delivered. The customer service just says that they have not heard back anything from their dispatch team about the status of my replacement request.

To me a waiting time of almost two weeks sounds a bit too much. Is this normal? How long for people here have had to wait to get coins replaced?

[Bullionbilly]

My coins went back on 13th of March and still no replacement or refund. Ive called again today to chase up and was advised of 3-5 days. Ive now decided on a refund rather than replacement.

FYI- it says somewhere in the print they can take 30 days to replace/refund.

[MoralHazard]

6 minutes ago, Bullionbilly said:

My coins went back on 13th of March and still no replacement or refund. Ive called again today to chase up and was advised of 3-5 days. Ive now decided on a refund rather than replacement.

FYI- it says somewhere in the print they can take 30 days to replace/refund.

That is outrageous!

How many times have you contacted them since then? Have they given you any reason why it takes so long? Your situation is totally unacceptable.

 

[AlphaBeast]

Unfortunately it's normal! Have sent back 1 oz Clarence Bull proof 3 times as each time there were scratches!

Been about 2 weeks since I returned the last one and got an email yesterday to say it's being despatched.

[augur]

At the Moment they seem a bit overstretched. Usually it takes 5-7 working days but I guess with the Great British Coinhunt, things are getting a bit out of hand. 

[Bullionbilly]

3 minutes ago, AlphaBeast said:

Unfortunately it's normal! Have sent back 1 oz Clarence Bull proof 3 times as each time there were scratches!

Been about 2 weeks since I returned the last one and got an email yesterday to say it's being despatched.

Trouble is... itll be another someone else has sent back at this stage . 

Fingers crossed you get a good one ! 2 of my 3 were garbage 

[Bullionbilly]

10 minutes ago, MoralHazard said:

That is outrageous!

How many times have you contacted them since then? Have they given you any reason why it takes so long? Your situation is totally unacceptable.

 

Called 3 times, emailed twice still no reply so i called again today.

[Ansel]

I feel your pain. I returned a damaged item which they received on the 11th April. They told me replacement dispatch can take up to 30 days after my return is logged into the system, which I can see happened on the 24th. Considering the order was originally placed on the 5th March it's not great, I guess they are busy  

Oh blimey @Bullionbilly, I'll get to the back of the queue!

[AlphaBeast]

10 minutes ago, Bullionbilly said:

Trouble is... itll be another someone else has sent back at this stage . 

Fingers crossed you get a good one ! 2 of my 3 were garbage 

Just annoying especially as the first time I sent it back, they should make the conscious effect to make sure the next one they send is immaculate especially considering I am paying for a proof coin!

[Bullionbilly]

14 minutes ago, AlphaBeast said:

Just annoying especially as the first time I sent it back, they should make the conscious effect to make sure the next one they send is immaculate especially considering I am paying for a proof coin!

Exactly ! Every one that gets put in a box should be excellent for the premium . 

[AlphaBeast]

6 minutes ago, Bullionbilly said:

Exactly ! Every one that gets put in a box should be excellent for the premium . 

They must surely be getting lots of people returning them so hopefully one day, they will take a good long hard look at themselves. 

[Bullionbilly]

8 minutes ago, AlphaBeast said:

They must surely be getting lots of people returning them so hopefully one day, they will take a good long hard look at themselves. 

You would hope so !

 

[kimchi]

18 minutes ago, AlphaBeast said:

They must surely be getting lots of people returning them so hopefully one day, they will take a good long hard look at themselves. 

I feel really sorry for the pensioners, people of any age with sight problems, etc who get these and don't know how to/can't check them etc. 'It's a Royal Mint Proof, it must be immaculate' - that is the lie of the marketing, and these will be the folk who really lose out (probably in the end receiving some of our returns). I think it's absolutely criminal myself

[Bullionbilly]

27 minutes ago, kimchi said:

I feel really sorry for the pensioners, people of any age with sight problems, etc who get these and don't know how to/can't check them etc. 'It's a Royal Mint Proof, it must be immaculate' 

Good point ! There will be plenty guilty of that.

[kimchi]

19 minutes ago, Bullionbilly said:

Good point ! There will be plenty guilty of that.

The elderly will likely also be much less able to go through this ridiculous and convoluted returns process, which doesn't work full stop, and often sends out other returns time after time...this part of the mint is a right royal scam by design imo.

Call me cynical, but as the late Terry Pratchett said:

“If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.”  

[Xander]

Sometimes they have to resource replacement coins which takes longer.

[SovTracker]

Generally The Mint overproduce by about 10% to allow for replacements. Unfortunately, I believe Clarence The Bull has had a number of scratch issues which may well have exceeded the 10%.

The Mint is guilty of sending one damaged coin to another returnee in the hope that it is "good enough".

I've had several issues with quality control and send evidence of the return to my account manager. Its the only way to get them to see the issues.

I the this time the "Bull bad" may have hit the fan and overstretched their normal limits!!

Waiting for my replacement also - I wonder if they may have to do a re-mint??

Still I don't care if it takes 10 weeks as long as its a Proof, Proof!!

[sovereignsteve]

2 hours ago, SovTracker said:

Generally The Mint overproduce by about 10% to allow for replacements.

as a general point, is there any reason why they can't just go back and strike another few dozen (or hundred! ) to replace the shite ones they made in the first place?

maybe they do, and that's why it takes them so long to send replacements?

[AlphaBeast]

34 minutes ago, sovereignsteve said:

as a general point, is there any reason why they can't just go back and strike another few dozen (or hundred! ) to replace the shite ones they made in the first place?

maybe they do, and that's why it takes them so long to send replacements?

They probably do. My 2018 sovereign proof was scratched and got one back and it was immaculate. Fingers crossed! 

[Fivepoundfred]

I think the number of returns they receive has increased dramatically in recent times. I can't remember the last time i got a problem free proof coin at the first attempt, but have always received a good one second time after a rant. From my experience there seems to be delays processing the returns when they initially arrive back at the mint maybe owing to volume.

[fehk2001]

Best is refund the coin and buy another one that’s quickest and easiest 

18 hours ago, AlphaBeast said:

They probably do. My 2018 sovereign proof was scratched and got one back and it was immaculate. Fingers crossed! 

It’s just u are lucky 

many coins 3rd time lucky here