General information about compensation
If the item is damaged, delayed or lost during Posti’s delivery, the person paying for the transport may be eligible to compensation from Posti. The person paying for the transport is almost always the sender, even if the recipient had paid the sender for the shipping costs.
In accordance with the Consumer Protection Act, in online retail, the seller is responsible for the transport of their goods. If the product you ordered is damaged or lost in transit, the seller can usually provide you with a replacement product. The compensation paid by Posti to the sender, in these cases the seller, is usually less than the value of the product.
If the item you received is damaged
If you notice any damage to the item that you received, follow these steps:
Immediately report the damage to the Posti employee who handed over the item. If the item was delivered to your home address, record the damage on the shipping documentation with the driver. If the damage is not visible on the outside or if you picked up the item at a Posti Parcel Locker, go to step 3.
Take pictures of the damaged item. This way, you can prove that the damage occurred during transport. Take separate photos of external damage to the packaging, the way the product was protected inside the packaging and the product itself.
Report a damaged item to Posti. If the item already includes a note by Posti on the damage or the item includes a damage report, you don’t need to report it to Posti separately.
Let the sender know what has happened. Once Posti has verified the damage, the sender can claim compensation from Posti. If the item was purchased online, talk to the sender about sending a replacement or canceling the purchase.
If the item is delayed or lost
You can track your parcel with the item ID via Item Tracking or OmaPosti.
As in the case of parcels, you can also track letters equipped with an item ID, such as insured letters, prepaid letters or express letters intended for the delivery of valuable or urgent goods.
Ordinary letter items, newspapers or magazines do not include an item ID, which is why we’re not able to track them. If you’ve sent a letter and you suspect that it hasn’t been delivered, contact the recipient.
It is also a good idea to check the delivery speed between addresses using the delivery time inquiry.
If there is no sign of your item, contact our customer service to submit a clarification request. The clarification request can be submitted by either the sender or the recipient. That said, the sender usually knows best what the item looks like and what it contains. This information is useful as we largely search for items based on their appearance in the case that tracking doesn’t reveal the location of the item.
If the item can’t be found despite the search, the sender can claim compensation for the lost item from Posti. If the item was purchased online, talk to the sender about sending a replacement or canceling the purchase.
Tracking will tell you if Posti had the item
Compensation is only paid for items that were in Posti’s possession at the time the damage, delay or loss occurred. You can use the item tracking information to check whether Posti had the item during this time. As ordinary letters do not have an item ID, they can’t be tracked and they are usually not subject to compensation.
Posti usually pays compensation by weight
We usually pay compensation based on the weight of the item. This is based on the law and terms and conditions, such as the Act on Road Transport Contracts. Typically, the amount of compensation is EUR 10–20 per kg. If the actual value is less than the weight-based compensation, we’ll pay compensation based on the item’s value. We’ll also reimburse the transportation charge paid by the sender.
Example 1: Kettlebell
Santtu has ordered a kettlebell that costs EUR 50 and weighs 10 kg from a Finnish online store. A logging error occurs at Posti, causing the parcel to disappear from item tracking. It can’t be found even after a search.
At Santtu’s request, the online store sends a new kettlebell as a replacement. In doing so, the company operates in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act because, according to the law, online retailers are liable for the transport of their goods.
Posti, on the other hand, is liable to the sender, i.e. the online store. Based on weight, the compensation for the kettlebell would be 10 x 20 = EUR 200. However, since the actual value of the kettlebell is lower, Posti pays the online store compensation based on the value of the item, which is EUR 50 (+ the transportation charge paid).
Example 2: Smartphone
Emma has bought online a new smartphone that costs EUR 500 and weighs 200 grams. The phone breaks while Posti is delivering it.
Emma submits a damage report to Posti and also notifies the sender. In accordance with the Consumer Protection Act, the online store offers Emma the option to cancel the purchase or get a new phone in place of the broken one.
In accordance with the Act on Road Transport Contract, Posti compensates the sender for the broken product based on its weight. The compensation is calculated on the basis of full kilograms. The sender, i.e. the online store, is therefore reimbursed for the phone 1 x 20 = EUR 20 (+ the transportation charge paid). Here, the actual value does not affect the amount of compensation.
Compensation policies are based on the law
The liability of the transporter of the item is governed by law and regulations: the Postal Act, the Act on Road Transport Contracts as well as the provisions of the Universal Postal Convention. They determine:
Who is eligible for compensation
The amount of compensation
The terms and conditions under which compensation is paid
The compensation policies are also specified in our delivery terms.
The liability of the sender to the recipient is also based on law. Pursuant to the Consumer Protection Act, online retailers are always liable for the transport of their goods.