SOUNDING OFF: Ripped off? Stunned by good value? Write, text or blog your experience to us

A reader from Dublin got in touch with us with a cautionary tale about using FedEx, after the courier lost a ring worth nearly €3,000. She bought the ring as a 30th birthday present to herself, but the amethyst stone had come loose. She contacted the designer in Milan to have it repaired under warranty. She decided to return the item for repair using the jeweller's FedEx code, the third time she had needed to do so in about 18 months.

"I telephoned FedEx and gave them all the details of my package. They asked questions about the description and value of the item at this point." She told them she needed a FedEx package and an air waybill, so they sent a courier to her work address. "The courier came into my office and asked for the air waybill and package and assured me that he would complete all the documentation on my behalf as he was in a rush, working to a deadline and wanted to make the cut-off time for the plane for that day. I had an e-mail with all the details I was going to copy on the air waybill, which I printed and gave to the agent. I showed him the item (it was in the original jewellery box, however, not in a parcel) and he again asked me about the value of the item. I then told him it was worth about €3,000. This exchange of information and the ring was conducted in front of six of my colleagues," she says.

After he left, she wondered why it was all so rushed, but, as she had used them before and was using the jeweller's account, she felt reassured. "I also rang FedEx to obtain a tracking number, which gave me comfort that the ring had actually been processed and was on its way to Italy." But it wasn't. The ring was lost and FedEx is now claiming no responsibility. "They say that as no value was declared on the air waybill 'which is the sender's responsibility to complete correctly', the maximum they will reimburse me is €64.21, a sum based on the weight of the item to a maximum." She says there is no argument from them about the fact that the ring was lost by them in transport.

"I was never allowed to complete the air waybill despite asking their agent for it. I feel insulted by their 'offer' and totally let down by a huge multinational company in which people are led to believe it is okay to place complete trust based on years of experience and service. They have been very slow to respond and difficult to work with since the beginning of this process.

"I have also given them all the documentation they could possibly require - photograph of the ring, original receipt, etc. I was also using their client's own dedicated account. The idea that a designer jeweller would be having items worth less than €60 routinely FedExed to them is laughable. As you will appreciate, it is not even the monetary value but the love I have for the ring and the disgraceful manner of my treatment that hurts me most."

We contacted the company and were given a statement that was high on aspiration but low on solutions. We were told FedEx's "aim is to make each customer experience outstanding". It said that every "individual package is important to us and we do everything to ensure that it reaches its destination safely". However, the company added, "regrettably on this occasion we are unable to locate the package". The statement goes on to say that its "liability for loss of a package is limited under international law regardless of whether an air waybill has been completed or not. We recommend that for items of high value that customers obtain their own insurance cover for the full value." It concludes that it would contact the customer again "to discuss this matter and the results of our further investigation."

Deal, no deal

A reader from south Dublin got in touch after feeling he got a raw deal. At his local garage he had noticed a large stall with big bags of Doritos for sale for €3.99 each. "They were on a buy-one-get-one- free special offer," he says, so he bought two bags. Feeling pleased with himself he went to pick up his wife, who happened to be finishing off the weekly shop in a nearby Superquinn. When she got into the car he told her of his "bargain", only to be shown an identical bag of Doritos that she'd just bought for €1.98. "It left me with a feeling that I'd be completely conned."

Bitter about Bud

A reader from Drumcondra went to see De La Soul in Tripod, an event sponsored by Budweiser. Although he had to pay full price for his tickets, he was less than pleased when all he could buy was Bud products. "If the ticket was subsidised I'd say grand," he says, "but I am paying full whack and being deprived of my consumer choice."