topic Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels? in Selling

does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

clickbaitoz — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 15:58:55 GMT

i am wanting to list a rare cd that should fetch between $20-40, not an amount i can really afford to lose if it goes missing in the post. My local po now say i can't send it as a registered letter because its a solid object (even though i used to do that). So it means i have to pay their exorbatent parcel rates for such a light small item at $6.95 plus $3.40 for registered, total $10.15 which i think might put buyers off. X-(

If they still offer the compensation for items valued up to $50 then i don't see the point in making the buyer pay for registered post. I'm asking because i haven't made a claim for a lost item for about 3 yrs & AP seem have become really stingey lately.?:| (also they have never provided compensation for lost unregistered letters)

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

*new2vintage — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 17:17:27 GMT

A CD can be sent as a large letter for $1.20 if it's under 2 cm's think when packed. Ask to speak with the manager if staff at your local post office want you to pay the parcel rate. By the way a parcel can now only be insured by paying for Signature On Delivery and Extra Cover which together cost more than Registered Post. Only letters can be insured with Registered Post now. Members have said it isn't easy to obtain compensation now so don't rely on that.

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

chezzy — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 20:57:57 GMT

In my Post Charges easy guide within Australia As at 8 April 2013 it says:

Compensation up to $50 may be paid at Australia Post’s discretion upon production of a receipt or other proof of lodgement for loss or damage.

This is in the Letter Post section (Large letters by ordinary post)

Whether that is enough to help you if something untoward happens, is anyone's guess

Like you I haven't had to put in a claim for a number of years

Maybe find out what the current Registered Post Prepaid Envelopes say on them about contents. The B4 one might be overkill size wise but allows a thickness of 20mm, a charge of 'only' $5.10 and compensation up to $100 (my old style Registered Post Prepaid Envelope does NOT say contents are limited to papers/printed matter)

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

putney32 — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 22:24:15 GMT

kewl, the 'missing parcel' may not be your problem .... but rather the 'I didnt get my item' claim via paypal. so sending with a paypal approved method should be your only concern if you cant afford to loose the $$

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

dotcomdotayu — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 02:43:04 GMT

I just want to point out ... You really shouldn't charge your buyers for Signature on Delivery or Registered Post.

It's better to put that cost into your start or BIN price because a lot of buyers don't like the idea of paying for your seller protection.

Just some food for thought.

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

zelly888 — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 02:52:37 GMT

But dotcom even if you put the price into your BIN or start and then have free postage everyone should still realise that this is what the seller has done and therefor the buyer is still paying for sellers protection.

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

digital*ghost — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 02:55:34 GMT

I just want to point out ... You really shouldn't charge your buyers for Signature on Delivery or Registered Post.

It's better to put that cost into your start or BIN price because a lot of buyers don't like the idea of paying for your seller protection.

Just some food for thought.

Only people that think that's all reg. / SOD is for. Considering registered post was around 100+ years before eBay and PayPal, some people believe it has a different purpose, like protecting the value of the item should anything happen to it in transit.

Registered / insured post also means the seller has a legal obligation to seek any compensation payable and pass it on to the buyer, so if the seller has protection without a registered / insured service being used, the buyer may be lucky enough to get a discretionary payment from somewhere, but it's by no means guaranteed.

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

dotcomdotayu — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 06:47:34 GMT

Not everyone realises that though DG. I've spoke to numerous buyers who always believe the seller should "cop" that out of pocket expense. They believe buyers should only pay for exact postage and a small handling fee.

Zelly, I don't mean free postage items. The ones with a postage price on them. Instead of adding, say $2.90 for Signature on Delivery to the postage price, it's best to add it onto the auction or buy-it-now price.

It's of course, up to each seller how they prefer to do it but from those I've spoken with, they believe buyers don't like to pay for a sellers protection.

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

digital*ghost — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 08:09:46 GMT

Not everyone realises that though DG. I've spoke to numerous buyers who always believe the seller should "cop" that out of pocket expense. They believe buyers should only pay for exact postage and a small handling fee.

Zelly, I don't mean free postage items. The ones with a postage price on them. Instead of adding, say $2.90 for Signature on Delivery to the postage price, it's best to add it onto the auction or buy-it-now price.

It's of course, up to each seller how they prefer to do it but from those I've spoken with, they believe buyers don't like to pay for a sellers protection.

I understand what you're saying, and as a seller it's been my experience that 99% of the time, given the option a buyer will choose non-registered / uninsured - it's usually less than half the price of the registered option, and as you say, many believe that the seller will cover any loss (or be made to by PayPal).

The problem with that way of thinking, particularly now that there are numerous ways a seller can have protection without increasing the basic cost of postage (eg all the basic postage options via C&S are the same price, uninsured but provide seller protection), is that the seller is more protected than the buyer, and now, choosing a registered / insured option gives the buyer at the very least a legal right of recovery (assuming the loss was due to AP / courier negligence).

As much as it's great for the seller to provide discretionary refunds for uninsured packages where proof of postage is established, it would be a shame for buyers to find out the hard way that they don't have to.

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

clickbaitoz — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 08:22:46 GMT

Thanks for pointing that out deja, its all so complicated nowdays, i don't understand why they have a seperate charge for sod & extra cover. i have now downloaded & read some of the Aust Post guide. From what i can gather, sod just confirms they received the item, does not cover for damage, but then sod should cover for loss right?

In terms of proof of postage for paypal seller protection do i just need sod? Of course i have no problem providing both if the buyer wants it, but as already pointed out, most buyers don't when given the choice.

chezzy maybe its more depending on how much the ap staff at the local po know the rules &/or are prepared to enforce them 😉 But i guess they can't argue with what it says on the reg post envelope about contents if anything, i will have a look at one next time i go.

digital ghost, i'm confused, how does it mean the seller doesn't have to provide refunds?

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

digital*ghost — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 15:28:35 GMT

digital ghost, i'm confused, how does it mean the seller doesn't have to provide refunds?

I'm talking specifically about instances where the seller can prove postage, but uses an uninsured postage option. For example, Click & Send regular parcel is not an insured service, but gives proof of postage. Considering that's all a seller needs to protect themselves, what is the point of SOD or insurance from the seller's perspective?

It's the buyer who loses out if a discretionary (that is, voluntary) refund isn't paid by someone. The PayPal buyer protection policy now states under the eligibility requirements that a buyer is not eligible for protection if the seller provides proof of postage, so if AP don't compensate, and neither the seller nor PayPal refund the buyer, there is nothing the buyer can do to make any one of those parties pay up when an insured service hasn't been used. This might not make much of a difference to a buyer who is purchasing a low-value item and is choosing between a standard letter or registered letter delivery, but it could make a big difference if they're purchasing a higher value item and they're choosing between a standard or SOD parcel service.

Of course, there are many sellers who will refund their buyers regardless of the postage service used, but there are others who will not.

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

chezzy — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 22:33:05 GMT

ebay/paypal proceses and requirements aside, the original question is

does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

If I get to my local PO this morning I will ask them the question. I will also ask if I can have a look at their Registered Post prepaid envelopes. I am tired of the conflicting information so if it came to it I personally would refer back to whatever is in hard copy print eg info on the envelopes and info on the postal guides.

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

colic2bullsgirlore — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 22:54:54 GMT

ebay/paypal proceses and requirements aside, the original question is

does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

If I get to my local PO this morning I will ask them the question. I will also ask if I can have a look at their Registered Post prepaid envelopes. I am tired of the conflicting information so if it came to it I personally would refer back to whatever is in hard copy print eg info on the envelopes and info on the postal guides.

http://auspost.com.au/media/documents/AP_TCs.pdf

Ap have changed the format of the terms and conditions to a pdf format

page 55

clause 73.1, .2 and .3 expains APs compensation scheme.

the word discretionary (IMO) is generally misunderstood

ie if your item meets the parameters in the clauses and AP also concurs then the claim is not discretionary it is automatic.

Claims may not be paid if AP proves that the item was delivered or that with a damaged item claim that it was improperly packed then they MAY not pay any compensation or be liable for it

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

chezzy — Fri, 28 Jun 2013 23:15:38 GMT

Thanks Colic!

Re: does Australia Post compensate for lost unregistered parcels?

clickbaitoz — Sun, 30 Jun 2013 07:17:17 GMT

ok i see what you mean now digital ghost, looks like things have changed quite a bit since i last had to deal with registered post etc. From memory there was only registered post which included sod, and tracking was seperate? But now sod is just proof of postage, but doesn't cover the buyer for loss, only the seller? but it seems like sod is useless if its a tracked satchel, or are all parcels now tracked? sorry still confused.

As a buyer i hadn't even thought about whether tracking/sod meant i was covered for lost items, & as a seller i dont want my buyers to lose out either. So for example it could be a satchel with tracking, they could knock on the door & leave it with someone who is a dishonest housemate of the buyer who then keeps item for themselves. Because there was no sod, the seller has proof of postage, but the buyer has no claim. Then even if its sent with sod the housemate could sign themselves, how does the postie know whos signing?