Haven't been on these boards for a while but a recent experience brings me here today. Wondering what experiences people have had as a buyer knowing through online 'tracking' tha an item is on board to be delivered that day only to be told later when chasing up up with the company to see where the package is that the courier attempted a delivery and left a card when neither were clearly true as the buyer in question, me, was home all day and no card was left.
What happens Lyndal? The driver says they tried to deliver, that no one was at home and that they left a card??? When none of this was true and the item had been sent priority due to the seller having forgotten to send the item the week before and then sending it a week later priority because I have had to chase up where the item is?
I've been a buyer/seller on ebay for over 14 years so fully conversant with the way things work when a seller hands over a parcel for delivery to a courier service but that was not what I was getting at if you read what I wrote.
1) Courier said he attempted delivery saying no one was at home which was untrue! What got my goat was his saying he left a card WHICH HE DID NOT. I only found out what whas going on and the card number for an undeliverable item because I went online to see what was happening. I probably would not have been all that upset if somehow I had simply missed the courier even though I was at home the whole day but I did get pretty upset being told by the company that the driver said he left a card which was untrue. So my question was what have other's experience been with courier services who do this.
Now I have health issues and do not go out all that much depending on how I am feeling and that is why I buy on ebay and elsewhere and like to have things delivered to me, especially when I am paying for the damn service in the first place.
2) The second point which does directly relate to the seller and his incompetence was the item not being sent in the first place. A week after buying and paying for the item I phoned the company interstate (QLD to VIC) chasing up the item to be told after the phone ringaroung that the item was still sitting in the warehouse and would be sent that day. Would have been nice to receive an apology.
So you might start to understand my frustration when both the seller on their part stuffed up and the courier on their part lied about the delivery of a priority post item.
Geez Louise, you really are missing the point.
1) Re seller: Item was bought from a company selling on ebay, not an individual. When I finally traced the right person to speak to I was told THEY HAD FORGOTTEN TO POST THE ITEM, THAT THE ITEM WAS STILL SITTING IN THE WAREHOUSE AND HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN TO THE DESPATCH AREA. The item was bought on April 15 and paid for the same day with Paypal and through an email I received via the ebay sytem was advised "Your item has been shipped" and "estimated delivery between Fri Apr 17 and Tue Apr 21". It was on the Tuesday after our mail delivery that I phoned the seller/company only to be told the item was still sitting in the warehouse. Now I was a tad upset but happy to know where the item was. Was told item would be sent that day (Tuesday) by priority and that later that day I would receive via email tracking details. This happened and late Tuesday I was able to see that the item had been picked up and was en route.
The next morning I checked to the online tracking system to see what was happening and saw that at 8.26am the item status had been updated to "onboard for delivery". So far all good and knowing this I then cancelled two appointments I had for the day so that I would be home to receive/sign for the item.
Every hour or so I checked the status and then around 1.15pm I saw a status update to "Unsuccessful Delivery". I also noticed a NHCL reference number (not home card left) so went out looking for the card - no such card had been left either in or on top of the letter box or anywhere near the front door which was open - the security screen door was locked and all morning I was sitting in the front room at my computer and can clearly see down our short driveway and see passing traffic.
About 11.45am I saw the company truck concerned drive by and jut put it down to his doing his run up one side of the street and expected he would be back down my side in due course. That never happened. After seeing the online statue update to "undeliverable" I phoned the company about 1.30pm , went through my issue and was told someone would get back to me. No one phoned back so I called back at 2.30pm and after a bit of a runaround and the customer service supervisor speaking to the driver they came back and said the driver had tried to deliver and had left a card. They then told me that I could go down to our local post office and pick up the item after 4.00pm and I asked since the PO is only five minutes away why can't the driver do the delivery then. Was told the driver refused to do so. In the end I had to go to the post office to pick up the item that was sent priority - not blaming the seller and never have, my issue is with the courier company and once agais this was the question I was raising at the outset. Have others had similar experiences and if so with which company.
BTW. Before a massive heart attack in 2007 I was working as a courier here where I live and in fact had a number of times did sub-contracting work for the company concerned and the company that bought them out in 2011so fully conversant with the procedures when it comes to an item not being delivered because no one is at home to sign for the parcel. In the above incident the driver concerned did not do as he says he did. I can also add that when I lived in Sydney I did courier work for Aust Post and know very well what you are talking about as I heard this happening just about everyday, some got caught, some didn't. I never thought it was worth the risk, earning 23.50 an hour in 2000 was too good money to risk on fiddling times.
Getting close davewill. Was really trying to find out if other BUYERS have had/are having issues with couriers these days, an issue that was a real concern a number of years ago when I was more active on these boards and as a seller. And if they have had issues with which company have they been having the problems.
All well and good to say once the seller hands over the parcel to the courier it is out of their control but as a buyer, you/we/I look at the total experience which usually is reflected in feedback and if there is a repeat issue mentioned with a particular seller over delivery matters potential buyers may start to think twice about buying from a certain seller even if the price is right if delivery is a regular issue.
