Seller says they send Auspost but end up sending Aramax. Is this Fraud?

[theyobbo75]

So many sellers state they will send Auspost but when the tracking arrives it turns out they have sent it by the cheaper and far inferior Aramax.

I live in central QLD and Aramax have little coverage here. The tracking is always fake or non existent and delivery always takes twice as long as Auspost. Plus Aramax will drop parcel on doorstep even when a signature is required. They have no depot to take it back to for safety. 

I am always careful to select items adverting Auspost. Yet time after time sellers end up sending Aramax and use the same polished excuses (warehouse mistake) and I have to wait far longer.

Shouldn't this be classed as seller fraud as they are saying they will send using a middle priced service like Auspost and then knowingly sending via a cheaper service to save themselves a few dollars. If they are falsely advertise a product EBAY would refund but sellers are regularly falsely advertising their transport service and EBAY does nothing. 

[davewil1964]

Look up the definition of fraud.

You are getting what you paid for at the price you agreed to. Unconscionable conduct maybe, hardly fraud

[papermoon.lady]

As dave said, it is not fraud (if you look up the definition of fraud), but I understand your frustration, as I had many problems with Aramex too. When the price sounds too good to be true, I now always ask, just to be sure, because I want to avoid them too. Some sellers told me they use "both" Australia Post and Aramex (but they only indicate Australia Post in the listing), depending on location, so because Aramex is sadly available where I live, I just have to avoid them. 

[springyzone]

I don't know that it is actually fraud, but I hear your frustration with services that just leave parcels by the door.

I don't know that you can avoid that with any of them as that happens to us too, even with Auspost. The point of difference though is one of the services (not Auspost) does not even ring the doorbell and that irks me beyond anything. I was left a big package the other day, valued at close to $400, with not so much as a courtesy push on the doorbell. These people expect that everyone is superglued to their mobiles and will see any delivery notification immediately.

But mainly I wanted to reply to the bit where you wrote that sellers are constrantly telling you that you have to wait longer.

No, you don't. Your items, when you buy them, will have an estimated arrival date and if it isn't there by then and they haven't supplied a satisfactory tracking number, open an ebay claim immediately and follow through for a refund.

[papermoon.lady]

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@springyzone wrote:

But mainly I wanted to reply to the bit where you wrote that sellers are constrantly telling you that you have to wait longer.

No, you don't. Your items, when you buy them, will have an estimated arrival date and if it isn't there by then and they haven't supplied a satisfactory tracking number, open an ebay claim immediately and follow through for a refund.

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Springy, personally I know that, but the problem is, yes, I know I can open a case, but the item can arrive later, and considering I would stop checking the tracking and that they (I mean Aramex) leave parcels unattended downstairs in common areas in apartment buildings, it is an unpleasant situation. The item could arrive later, it could be downstairs for hours or even a couple of days and be stolen, then the seller could tell me that it was delivered and that they want their money? 

Once I did get an Aramex parcel after receiving a refund (a month after receiving a refund) and I was really lucky because it arrived with an international item, so I was checking the tracking of the international item and then found the old parcel too together with the new one.

The seller was nice. They first told me that if the item arrives late I can keep it as a gift. I told them anyway when it arrived and asked them if they wanted to be paid. They said it was "up to me" and if I wanted to keep it as a gift I could - "what is your opinion?", they asked. We eventually agreed on a discount. The seller had initially mentioned Australia Post in the listing but then changed the carrier to Aramex. Their other items were with Aramex too, so maybe they had initially made a mistake, but I relied on Australia Post!

[arctoph_49]

Common areas are definitely not a safe place, but from reading reviews it appears that they take no responsibility if an item is stolen from a common area, and they never ever knock.  Not to mention that because they don't knock you can't even refuse acceptance of a late parcel and you would have to go to the depot yourself to send it back  - assuming the parcel is not stolen.

I avoid Aramex too.  Not good enough.

[daydreams_12]

Definately not fraud but any seller who advertises AP and uses a courier for a parcel to me gets a NEG.  I bet you did not get a part refund on postage price.

[theyobbo75]

I am not getting what I paid for. I paid for a product that advertised it would be sent buy AUSPOST which is a reputable company with a constant delivery timeframe to my area and tracking and what the seller said they would use.

Instead seller has charged me for Auspost and sent by Aramax/Fastaway which is a far cheaper service that dont deliver here and instead of arriving in a few days will take weeks it the parcel arrives at all.  

I can call one phone number to get onto Auspost if the parcel is late or missing. With Aramax you have to guess where the parcel could be, call that depot and have them lodge a fictitious enquiry that does nothing.  They have no tracking centre cause all their drivers, warehouses and people are subcontractors and management hides behind that. 

BTW fraud is "wrongful (or criminal) deception intended to result in financial or personal gain".  Seller has advertised one service to get business and used a cheaper inferior service for their own financial gain. 

[theyobbo75]

Fraud is "wrongful (or criminal) deception intended to result in financial or personal gain".  Seller has advertised one service to get business and used a cheaper inferior service for their own financial gain. 

Maybe fraud is a strong word but its definitely deceiving the customer. With an online only service having the parcel arrive in a time frame (or at all) is part of the sale. 

Plus using this bait and switch method as a "sales trick" is mentioned lots of times on sellers facebook groups to help sellers grow their business as most people trust Auspost.  

I realise in the citys this isnt usually an issue but in country areas a seller using a different transport method to what is promised does result long delays and often non delivery. 

We have full coverage here but every other transport company except Aramax which is why I choose what I buy on Ebay carefully to avoid these problems. 

[ratman0100]

Fraud is defined as the wrongful or criminal deception intended to result in financial or personal gain. Fraud includes false representation of fact, making false statements, or by concealment of information.

Told will be sent by Aus Post $15, who you trust and get to you reasonably on time. Then have it sent by another party for $5 with a bad reputation for example. Seller gets gain of $10 in their pocket. Seems a gain to the seller to me.