“Says Delivered” But Nowhere to Be Seen — The Mysterious Case of the Vanishing Parcel (and How Small Businesses Stay Sane)

If you run a small pet business and sell on eBay, there’s one message you can recite in your sleep:

“Hi, it says delivered but it’s not on my doormat, not behind plant pots, not behind the bins, and no card was left.”

Ah, the holy trinity of parcel denial. Bless you, Royal Mail gods, for bestowing upon us such joyful customer messages just moments after our lovingly packed parcel was confirmed… delivered.

At Cosmo Pet Products—makers of the legendary Canker Powder, Cosmo Eye Stain Remover, Royal Bleu Ear Wipes, and Paw Balm that could revive a cactus… we’ve seen it all. And by “all”, we mean at least three “lost” packages a week that somehow reappear like magic after a passive-aggressive eBay message.

Let’s Talk About the Magical Disappearing Parcel

So here’s what happens:

We hand-pack your order.

We weigh it.

We drop it at Royal Mail.

They scan it.

They deliver it.

And then… poof 💨—it vanishes.

Except it doesn’t. It went through your letterbox, as designed. No signature. No card. Because we ship in flat cardboard envelopes (yes, ones that fit through your door—unless your letterbox is made for ants).

But Then, the Plot Thickens…

Just when you’re filing a claim, contacting eBay, and blaming us for parcel thievery, we get a second message:

“Oh wait, my friend with Parkinson’s found it. He thought it was his because he orders a lot. Sorry!”

👏 And there it is. The twist ending that M. Night Shyamalan would envy.

We’ve heard it all:

• “The dog grabbed it.”

• “My husband thought it was a pizza leaflet.”

• “Janet next door had it for 3 days and didn’t say a word.”

• “I’ve had a lot going on.”

Look, life is messy. We get it. But the drama of “lost” items that later reappear under a pile of takeaway menus? It’s giving “I didn’t actually check before I accused you of theft.”

What We Do (Because We’re Saints)

✅ We respond kindly.

✅ We explain that it was scanned, weighed, and confirmed delivered.

✅ We suggest checking again. And again. (Behind bins, under doormats, inside houseplants, etc.)

✅ We file a Royal Mail case if truly missing (spoiler: it rarely is).

But remember: when it’s scanned and confirmed by the postie, we can’t just manifest another out of thin air—we’re not Amazon with a spaceship fleet.

What You Can Do (Besides Blame Us)

📌 Actually check. With eyes.

📌 Ask housemates, friends, your dog, and Janet next door.

📌 Check the bin. Yes, the bin.

📌 Remember that if you live with someone forgetful who orders “a LOT,” maybe—just maybe—they took it.

‼️Because 9 times out of 10, when we’re about to file a Royal Mail theft case, the buyer suddenly “remembers” where they saw it.‼️

A Little Reminder

We’re a woman-owned, small UK pet brand. Not a mega-corporation. We don’t have offshore warehouses or drones. We have one post office, a few grumpy staff (hi, it’s us), and products we care about.

A false “not received” claim can tank our seller rating, cost us money, and waste everyone’s time. But sure, go ahead and open a case over your £4.99 canker drops without checking with your goldfish first.

Final Words (Dripping With Love)

We love our customers. Really. But please, before you declare an item missing, do the following:

1. Check.

2. Check again.

3. Ask the forgetful friend.

4. Then message us — nicely.

Because believe it or not… we’re trying our best. And no, we didn’t teleport your parcel to a parallel universe.

Support small. Shop honest. Check behind the wheelie bin before launching an eBay claim.

🦴 www.canker.co.uk – Because pets deserve better (and so do sellers)

When it says “delivered” but they haven’t checked Narnia yet 🧙📦 #eBayLife #SmallBusinessStruggles