Package delivered to wrong suburb, buyer wants refund

[nt_toys]

Today a buyer contacted me and said the package that I had posted on last Tuesday had been marked as 'delivered', but they haven't received it. The suburb that it was delivered to in the tracking didn't match the one that I had posted to. It was a suburb in the same area, maybe 15 minutes apart. It was supposed to go to Harris Park NSW, but it went to Strathfield NSW instead. Item was sent via a prepaid satchel with tracking and worth about $170. No SOD.

The buyer wants me to give them a refund as he sees it as my fault the item wasn't delivered. I opened up a case with Australia Post, but is there anything else I can do in the meantime? 

[lm-entertainment]

although this is an old post on some whirlpool forums by australia post themselves - this does in fact still happen today. i've had this same response from australia post through their support portal even up to 6 months ago or so and in fact, the addressee did still receive the item. 

sometimes, the delivery suburb is actually the delivery centre the delivery driver is from rather than the actual delivery suburb. 

you can see the whole thread here - https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1958384

i've also attached a screenshot of the post by Australia Post. 

just because the suburb displays as different to the buyer's address, doesn't necessarily mean it hasn't been delivered - it may just be that the driver has been showing parcels as being delivered to the "suburb" of the depot he / she works out of. 

[nt_toys]

UPDATE and it's not good:

So here was my procedure:

- Item delivered, but on tracking shows the wrong suburb (just couple suburbs over, the sorting office most likely)

- Buyer requests refund 

- I file an investigation with Australia Post

- Australia post says item delivered, nothing more they can do

- I inform buyer to make an ebay item not received

- he makes a dispute to Paypal instead

- Paypal gets back to me and asks for tracking details

- tracking provided showing item delivered

- paypal now requests photo of package and receipts clearly showing addresses

Here's where I'm stuck. I lodged the item over the counter and didn't take a photo because I send like 20 packages in a group so this one slipped through. I'm basically screwed because of this.

Lesson learnt now, even WITH Item delivery confirmation, you as a seller are not guaranteed to win unless you take the precautions to take photos of all items, WITH a postmark showing the date clearly and also WITH signature on delivery. All the poists I've read where all you need is delivery confirmation even if the suburb is close by is just not true, at least for me. My post office doesn't even postmark stamp when they take the satchel over the table. If the item happens to say delivered but they scanned in the last office it's at, you're screwed.

[clarry100]

Strathfield is a very large AP sorting and distribution centre. I'm quite sure it would be the DC for Harris Park which is close by.

When deliveries are scanned, the delivery suburb will often show up as the DC the item came from, especially if there is something wrong with the GPS in the delivery driver's hand-held scanner. Or the driver sometimes marks up all his deliveries once he gets back to the DC.

If you call in to AP and check this they will issue you an email that confirms that Strathfield is their DC for the address this item was sent to. And hence in their opinion it will be delivered as addressed.

Such and email/letter from AP should satisfy PayPal that the item was delivered as addressed.

[stick.it.good]

I thought I would share my experience here since it's somewhat relevant to the discussion.

I bought something online and the tracking shows delivered, and my suburb is correct. No SOD, and says "left in a safe place"
However I haven't got it, and no one has come because my cameras and doorbell camera would have seen it, and no one came today.

I called Auspost Lost Parcel service, and I learnt today that the photos that the delivery guys take aren't just for their own purposes. They actually go to Auspost, the guy on the phone was able to see the picture of the parcel and confirm it does not look like it was left at a door that matches mine (I'm guessing he looked my address up on street view).
I asked if the pic has a geo location tag, they said it does but he doesn't have access to it.
He said the delivery guy can go back and ask for the package, or I'll get a refund of the lost amount.

I've seen delivery guys take photos of the parcel after dropping them off at the front door. But always assumed they did that to protect themselves in case Auspost asked what happened to it. But it's interesting to learn that Auspost have access to the photo, on the same day it was taken, and also can retrieve the location.

This could be useful for anyone who has had customers complain of lost parcels. Something you can advise them to ask Auspost about.

[lyndal1838]

Any time a parcel is safe dropped a photo has to be taken....it must show some identifying marks so you can idntify where it was left.

It should not be left at the front door if it is within full view of passers by.

The photo is sent back to base immediately it is taken on the scanner.....it will show the address on the label and the GPS co-ordinates where it was left.   If they do not indicate the same address then AP knows where it was left.

This is not new.....it has been in use for several years now.

[clarry100]

Lyndal....

This is all true only IF the delivery person's scanner is fully equipped with camera and GPS. One of the newer ones.

Not all are at this stage but they are gradually rolling them out across the board.

So if the driver ticks "safe drop" and his scanner is technologically eqipped then the photo will be mandated by the scanner software.

Otherwise nothing.

At this point very few of the posties on bikes have the new ones.

The older devices were not internet connected and the scan event data is then stored onboard the device until the delivery person returns to base where it is all then uploaded.

And if there is a photo then it will be uploaded immediately because they are also equipped with SIM cards and therefore internet connected, if within range of signal. Otherwise the uploads will be queued until they re-acquire proper signal.

Source of the above... my son at AP in Brisbane

[lyndal1838]

Thanks Clarry.....my info comes from my OH who is a StarTrack courier and has been using the technology for several years.

I did not realise the bike posties were so far behind in their equipment.

My local postie actually had the you beaut bells and whistles scanner before my OH did.

There seems to be little rhyme or reason behind the roll out.

[countessalmirena]

I appreciate all of this first-hand inside information!

                                                    

[*tippy*toes*]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

Any time a parcel is safe dropped a photo has to be taken....it must show some identifying marks so you can idntify where it was left.

It should not be left at the front door if it is within full view of passers by.

The photo is sent back to base immediately it is taken on the scanner.....it will show the address on the label and the GPS co-ordinates where it was left.   If they do not indicate the same address then AP knows where it was left.

This is not new.....it has been in use for several years now.

---

Ooooohhhhhhhhhhhh, if only that were true! I can tell you now, both the posties and delivery drivers will leave parcels at my front door. I have no front fence and my door is in full view of the street. I have been fighting with them for YEARS to get my address black listed for safe drops. They won't bluddy listen, even when they say they will send a message through to the local sorting centre. Even if I pay extra for SOD, so it needs to go back to the PO, someone signs for it and then it's left at the door. I can't win.

You can only imagine my anxiety when I go to Sydney, get an alert saying my parcel is delivered, check the CCTV to see this parcel or satchel propped up against the front door, in full view of anyone walking past, knowing I won't be home until the next day. Have I had parcels stolen? YES! Several times. One was within 30 seconds of the driver dropping it off. I was home, still in bed, but awake. I heard the scanner, and the parcel dropped. I heard the driver walk away. Less than a minute later I heard footsteps.

I knew I was expecting several parcels, so thought he'd missed one. I got up less than 5 minutes later, to discover it wasn't the delivery driver coming back, it was some low lowlife coming in behind him to steal my parcel. I can only wonder what they were going to do with half a dozen US number plates! It was after that we got the CCTV installed.

As for photos, I don't think the scanners out here are equipped with them, because I've seen drivers drop the parcel and run off, while I've had the front door open (they are told they must run to and from the door.....saves time apparently). If they are equipped, they aren't using the photo option because I've never seen a photo taken at my door (probably because I keep complaining about safe drops!).

Photos taken, no safe drop, bring it on! I can only dream.......

Source......ME!

[lyndal1838]

  Note I said the parcels SHOULD NOT be left at the door if it is in full view of the street.

Unfortunately there are posties and contractors who seem to delight in flouting the rules.  It might explain why there is such a high turnover of postal staff.

I have been very lucky with my posties.....they are all reliable and do the same run for many years.  In the 49 years I have lived here I have only had 4 or 5 posties.....3 retired after many years of service, one only lasted 11 months because of the complaints and the current one is coming up to a year and is very good.  There was one other young postie who was the best of the lot but was only on this run for 2 years as he wanted to run closer to where he lived.  We still see him occasionally and he knows he can park in our driveway when he brings his children to the beach.