topic Re: Delivery by Toll in Selling

Delivery by Toll

countessalmirena — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 08:35:14 GMT

I have had a food/meat slicer delivered today.

It wasn't through eBay, as the particular model that I wanted wasn't listed there. (Ausonia, red, gorgeous red, steel base and lacquered cast aluminum, tempered steel blade. Did I mention that it is red?)

I was going to purchase this from in-store last Friday; with the store being in West Melbourne, it wouldn't take me more than 40 minutes to drive there. However, events intervened (including an unexpected hospital conference) and I decided instead to buy it over the phone and have it delivered.

In light of AP's slowness over the last month, I opted to have it delivered by the courier used by the shop from which I purchased, rather than by AP. (Purchases sent through AP have taken much longer lately. Every "express post" item has taken about 2 weeks. I'm certainly not putting the blame on sellers; this is an Australia Post problem.)

I'm so glad that I accepted the courier option! The courier was Toll.

I note that a lot of online websites for Australian businesses are displaying a banner about delivery delays. Buyers should be cognisant of these delays and factor that into their purchasing, adjusting their expectations with regard to those unavoidable isssues. It seems ironic, though, that buyer behaviour driven by concern over venturing forth to shop in a time of social distancing is clearly glutting the domestic postage system. It seems somewhat shortsighted of AP not to have anticipated the volumes of parcels in these circumstances.

For sellers on eBay, perhaps it's worth having a similar prominent piece of text advising buyers of delivery delays.

It may also be worth the while of sellers normally sending by Australia Post to add a courier option.

Re: Delivery by Toll

porcelain_dolls_by_me — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 08:37:34 GMT

"somewhat shortsighted of AP not to have anticipated the volumes of parcels in these circumstances"

Typical of the slow decision making process of a large company. Throw into the equation it is a government entity and then what can one expect.

Re: Delivery by Toll

kopenhagen5 — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 08:42:52 GMT

Good suggestion Countess.

I have a hand one I use, vintage.

Teak and stainless from Denmark.

Re: Delivery by Toll

padi*0409 — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 08:49:19 GMT

Kopes, so that's where my Norton chaincase cover dissappeared to............."from Denmark" indeed..............

Re: Delivery by Toll

kopenhagen5 — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 08:53:48 GMT

Hook up a Norton motor to a slicer............................now there's an idea.

Certainly do a boatload of slices in a hurry.

Re: Delivery by Toll

digital*ghost — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 09:07:53 GMT

@countessalmirena wrote:
It seems somewhat shortsighted of AP not to have anticipated the volumes of parcels in these circumstances.

I don't think it's shortsightedness as much as it is shorthandedness.

I mean it's a factor, but I doubt couriers have increased their workload any where near as much as Toll et al, and their infrastructure would be considerably different.

Couriers are only as good as where they'll deliver (which is not Aus-wide), and unfortunately on eBay it is not possible to offer Aus Post services to everywhere but courier services to select areas, so you would have to provide that manually. Typically the costs for the odd package from non-commercial customers are quite high as well.

Re: Delivery by Toll

countessalmirena — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 09:10:55 GMT

Ai ai ai... I don't anticipate slicing anything that would need a chainsaw! (Trees? Body parts? None of that.)

Re: Delivery by Toll

countessalmirena — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 09:20:03 GMT

AP are indeed shorthanded; this seems to be an issue every Christmas and it seems that extra staff are taken on to get on top of the anticipated demand.

I don't have inside information about the workings of AP, so this is all just my view as things stand... In my opinion it would have been prudent to have sought additional staff about a month ago. The problem with social distancing requirements in the sorting centres poses other challenges, of course... but from what I understand, it's primarily machine-sorting.

You're right, of course, about different infrastructures, and that must play into how quickly deliveries can be made. Equally there are issues in terms of where deliveries are made. Perhaps the current conditions make this a good time to be considering Australia-wide delivery options, perhaps to partner with AP in a temporary way to relieve some delivery congestion issues... These are not normal times, and thinking outside the (postal) box might be a good way forward.

I ake your point about eBay constraints when it comes to postage options. That's a pain in itself.

Re: Delivery by Toll

digital*ghost — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 09:53:55 GMT

@countessalmirena wrote:
In my opinion it would have been prudent to have sought additional staff about a month ago.

A month ago no one had any idea what would / could remain open, we had no idea how far our lockdown measures would have to go in order to flatten the curve - it was when everyone started losing their jobs, panicking about not having money to eat in the potential weeks / months to come.

In that kind of atmosphere, AP was probably thinking online shopping would curb, not rise, and talking about how to survive if they need to shut down post offices nationally.

Edited to add, my previous post was meant to read "I doubt couriers have increased their workload any where near as much as Australia Post".

Re: Delivery by Toll

11dustyattic — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 10:31:33 GMT

@countessalmirena wrote:
I have had a food/meat slicer delivered today.

It wasn't through eBay, as the particular model that I wanted wasn't listed there. (Ausonia, red, gorgeous red, steel base and lacquered cast aluminum, tempered steel blade. Did I mention that it is red?)

I was going to purchase this from in-store last Friday; with the store being in West Melbourne, it wouldn't take me more than 40 minutes to drive there. However, events intervened (including an unexpected hospital conference) and I decided instead to buy it over the phone and have it delivered.

In light of AP's slowness over the last month, I opted to have it delivered by the courier used by the shop from which I purchased, rather than by AP. (Purchases sent through AP have taken much longer lately. Every "express post" item has taken about 2 weeks. I'm certainly not putting the blame on sellers; this is an Australia Post problem.)

I'm so glad that I accepted the courier option! The courier was Toll.

I note that a lot of online websites for Australian businesses are displaying a banner about delivery delays. Buyers should be cognisant of these delays and factor that into their purchasing, adjusting their expectations with regard to those unavoidable isssues. It seems ironic, though, that buyer behaviour driven by concern over venturing forth to shop in a time of social distancing is clearly glutting the domestic postage system. It seems somewhat shortsighted of AP not to have anticipated the volumes of parcels in these circumstances.

For sellers on eBay, perhaps it's worth having a similar prominent piece of text advising buyers of delivery delays.

It may also be worth the while of sellers normally sending by Australia Post to add a courier option.

Couriers? Not on your sweet life

Re: Delivery by Toll

11dustyattic — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 10:47:01 GMT

Regarding AP staffing, I think they were expecting a decrease, not increase, in mail. Impossible for anyone to forecast what came about with so many people losing jobs.

I've moved PO's because my 'go to' one has only had one register open. All the other staff are there mind you, just lolling about behind the scenes getting paid for doing sweet f all. The manager seems to be a bit cranky too. Last thing I need when I'm usually already cranky after a big packaging session lol but found another one close by, very professional, friendly, usher you to a counter when you walk in. Faster for me to get in and out. But post is always on the slow side from WA anyway, so an extra few days wouldn't matter

I'm not even concerning myself with delivery times. If buyers aren't happy, given the circumstances, they can take a hike

Re: Delivery by Toll

eol-products — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 10:49:00 GMT

I was told due to covid19 distancing rules they had less staff in the same area so delays are expected with no real way to fix it.

Re: Delivery by Toll

repentatleisure1952 — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 10:56:03 GMT

@countessalmirena wrote:
Ai ai ai... I don't anticipate slicing anything that would need a chainsaw! (Trees? Body parts? None of that.)

ah countess...there is a significant difference between the chaincase cover for a Norton motorbike & a chainsaw...just sayin

Re: Delivery by Toll

kopenhagen5 — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 10:58:05 GMT

My PO has had increase in parcels by more than 200%.

Yesterday I had to wait inline for 30 mins as the two in front of me were lodging approx 50-70 parcels.

Some online businesses have boomed.

Re: Delivery by Toll

digital*ghost — Tue, 21 Apr 2020 11:04:13 GMT

The main issue is that it's really only the sorting that can be done by machines, and even then many articles still need to be hand sorted, plus their man-power has not only been reduced, but diverted to other priorities (care packages, essential medical supply delivery etc). Truck drivers are probably in very short supply at the moment. Or, at least well rested ones.

I've been very critical of Australia Post over the years, and still am (right now I am pretty miffed that I bought a bunch of priority labels last week to ship express to me, paid $15 for the privelege, when standard is free, on the hope I'd get them a couple of days sooner at least, they sent them regular and now when they do finally arrive, they'll be useless for 14 months or so).

But I also remember how I was feeling not so long ago, watching every aspect of my business, job and sole source of income circle the drain, and now I'm just grateful they're limping along and keeping me from any of the less attractive options out there at the moment.

There are probably a number of things they could be doing better right now, but I'm hesitant to put even more pressure on them or staff as they are in pretty new territory, since even at Christmas times in the past, domestic and international flights were plentiful, and at least there hasn't been continual notices of price increases like I got with DHL.

Offering a courier option isn't something to rule out (so my intention wasn't to criticise that), it's just something that will only help in limited circumstances.

Re: Delivery by Toll

south.coffee — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 06:15:55 GMT

Consider yourself lucky. If your meat slicer was ordered a month ago and couriered by Toll it would of been 'Salami'...

They suffered a Ransomware attack on their systems which put them out of action for 2 months ! Drivers were using paper consignment forms and lists. Their website only came good a week ago. We had orders 'Lost in Space' for weeks !