COVID-19 hasn’t magically vanished. What makes you think it has…? The lack of significant media coverage? The lack of daily government announcements? But in the meantime, people are still dying without the fanfare.

Victoria’s public health website concerning COVID states “COVID-19 continues to be part of our lives.​  Together, we can protect those most at risk of falling very sick.”

551 active cases (that are known) this past week in VIC alone, 99 of which are severe enough to require hospitalisation and six people in ICU. Two deaths on average every day. Just in Victoria.

If you think that this is not continuing to affect AP and other services Australia-wide and around the world, I hope that I’ve managed to explain it in a way that makes sense to you.

I haven’t found delivery timeframes to be so drawn out that it becomes ridiculous. I do consider it best for delivery estimations to err on the side of caution, though, because it’s much worse to overpromise a fast and unrealistic delivery date than to ignore logistical realities of common delays, COVID-driven or otherwise.

If you are finding delivery timeframes very blown out, have you checked that the goods are in fact coming from Australia? A longer-than-usual delivery time might mean just-in-time delivery from China …

In terms of AP delivery times it can vary quite a bit- some sorting centres are really slow ( Sunshine/Chullora) some really quick!

I always mention quick postage if seller has handed it to AP/ courier quickly even if it then takes a while for it to be delivered. I also mention slow postage if item does not get 1st scan within their stated handling time. 

I have noticed an uptick in the number of items that do nothing for 3 or more days after the "we've got it"

I hope most buyers know that a seller can't be held responsible for AP/Courier holdups. What counts more ( in my mind) is how responsive a seller is when there is a problem. Some will say" take it up with AP/Courier" even though AP and couriers would prefer to hear from the sender when needing to conduct a search as they can give more details about what the package looks like. 

I haven't had any problems with Australia Post delivery times as a buyer or as a seller this year.  Maybe my local sorting centres are extra efficient.  I regularly order supplies for my work from interstate. Most come via standard mail in a few days, perhaps 5 from WA (to Vic) which is reasonable considering the distance.

As for documents, I've had mail deliveries every working day this year (not exaggerating includes 874 postcards).

And as for prices, not just APO raising prices.

It always amuses me when feedback mentions "fast delivery", I may get parcels to the PO quickly, but once they leave my hands I can't take credit/blame for the next stage.

The estimated delivery date is clearly shown to buyers before they buy, so if they have an issue with that time frame, they can choose not to buy

Why does the buyer 'have' to click on delivered on time exactly?

Plus, feedback is voluntary in any case

Sorry to burst your bubble, but COVID does still exist. At least in the real world 

Have you contacted eBay and AP and raised it with them?