Australia Post - orders posted on 4 Sep never arrived - any recourse?

[charmony]

I've had 4 customers tell me over the past week that orders didn't arrive. All were posted in the same street mailbox on 4th September (to destinations across Australia). Other orders I posted with the same batch have arrived, so it seems a group of envelopes from that mail bag were lost at some point after collection. 

I have resent the orders but any suggestions on how to report this to Australia Post and what the likely outcome will be? Is there a way they can check what happened to a specific mailbag? I can only imagine the missing orders are sitting in a puddle somewhere, or in the back of an AusPost van.

[mbselections00]

I'll try and be brief.  I had similar issues.  As I post some Registered Large Letter, and other items only Large Letter, I discovered often the Large Letters posted at my nearest Red street Box (5 minutes away) went missing.  But I never had problems with those lodged over the counter at my 'local' PO - a good half hour drive away.  Back when this happened I mentioned it to my local PO staff, who are just amazingly helpful, but they did say they hadn't heard of any other complaints out my way.   I also rang 131318 and reported the issue & was told it would be investigated.  They explained that information like this is very important as it gives them the ability to see if there is a pattern.  They admitted on some occasions the mail can actually slip from the bag itself and be sitting in the box, but that is usually realised on the next pick up.  It would appear, without pointing any fingers so to speak, there could have been some pilfering occurring.  Unregistered Large Letter of course, regardless of the outcome from Aust. Post, you have no recourse.

Hope this is some help . . . . .

[mbselections00]

Sorry, just in addition, and I realise you don't need me to suggest it, but just for others who may read your post.  Before I re-send items not received, I do ask if the Buyer would mind checking with their local PO in case it is being held (as it is a large letter) and as I now lodge all items over the counter (even when not Registered) I send them a photo of my Lodgement list for that day (with Buyers names other than theirs removed) and I explain, it is just for their peace of mind that the item/s was sent.  I also request if the original item happens to turn up, (depending what the item is) would they please consider marking it Return to Sender, or in some cases I tell them they are welcome to keep it.

Of course, the results vary, but in most cases, the item miraculously turns up within a day or two !!

I had one Buyer who 'Returned To Sender' and another who messaged when the second parcel arrived, said she had since received the original and was happy to keep both and wanted to pay 

All in all, I think the results have been pretty good

[charmony]

I'm pretty sure in this case the items went missing during or after collection but before sorting, because the destinations were all over Australia. They were small letters too. I suspect they dropped out of a torn mailbag. I have reported it via their online form so we'll see what happens. I'm not after compensation (the value was quite low anyway), I would just like them to check for a pattern, as you said, and also physically check the dark recesses of the van of the postie who picked up the mail that day!