topic Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember in Selling

Express post is not Express post as we remember

prettypaperprints — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 08:55:09 GMT

Just been going back and forward with emails with Aussie post for 2 hours now and finally have an answer.

I posted an Express post item on Monday last week and the customer received it Friday ....4 days. It should have arrived Thursday at the latest.

Anyway, it appears now that only 80% of Australia is covered by the Express post network. If the item you are posting falls outside the network, it goes NO faster than regular mail. What a rip off. They take extra money from us for a service they do not provide to some areas AND they don't tell us about it. It explains why the postcode delivery areas are not shown on the back anymore.

I used the calculator below and there was no difference in delivery time for Express or regular to this customer as their postcode is " Outside the network "

It means more work, but in future I will be checking my customers postcode 1st, before charging express post. I will also need to contact the customer and let them know if there postcode falls outside the " Network "

Anyone else had problems with this happening ?

How can I send my item urgently if the origin or destination fall outside the Express Post network?

You can still use Express Post for delivery to or from areas that fall outside the Express post network

While next day delivery is not guaranteed, your item will still be processed, handled and delivered as fast as possible.

Use our online postage calculator for an estimate of when your parcel might arrive.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

cherry*135 — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 09:07:32 GMT

Yes, I have been aware of that for years. I live in a regional town and was told by staff at my local PO that the Express Post delivery guarantee doesn't apply as we are not in the network. I also still hear them telling people that at the counter when they ask how to get a item delivered quickly. At least they do let customers know our PO is outside the networ,k.

I can drive 10 mins up the road and use a 'city' PO, which is in the network.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

phorum_junkie* — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 09:10:56 GMT

It has been that way for as long as I have been using AP which is about 13 years so I certainly don't remember it as being any different other than the fact that the number of postcodes for next day delivery has increased considerably.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

cq_tech — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 09:17:39 GMT

AP advertise that as long as both parties reside in the Express Post network area, they guarantee that the item will be delivered the next working day, and if not, the cost of postage is refunded. It's easy to check before sending as the available postcodes are specified on the back of the satchel / envelope, and if not, they're available on separate documentation inside the PO and on-line. If either party resides outside the designated area, there's no point paying the extra cost for Express Post.

I've lost count of the number of Express Post items I've sent over the years, but in all that time I've only ever had to claim for reimbursement of the cost of postage on one occasion, when the item wasn't delivered until 2 days after having been posted, and as far as I'm concerned that's a pretty good track record.

Incidentally, if you offer Express Post as an option, it's a simple matter to transpose the list of available postcodes from the AP site into your listing so that buyers will immediately know if it's worth paying the extra for Express Post, and if you as a seller live outside the network area, there's no point offering it at all.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

prettypaperprints — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 09:26:35 GMT

Thakyou all for your comments.

I have be selling and poting items for 11 years now and know that where we live has never been next day delivery.

My point is that my customers always received their Express post items on the 3rd day...never has it been 4 days for me, so something has changed and they haven't told us about it.

Also, regular parcels from where I live are now taking 3 days longer to deliver.

Cheers

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

cherry*135 — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 09:45:43 GMT

Maybe your mail goes to a different sorting centre now.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

prettypaperprints — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 09:48:19 GMT

Yes... I was wondering if that was the case. I have also heard that 2 or 3 sorting centres have been shut down

Oh well ...just keep plodding along

Thanks 🙂

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

harley_babes_hoard — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 10:27:34 GMT

I would say it is the sorting centre that is the issue. I am in NSW my mail has to go 1.5 hours up the road into QLD sorting centre before continuing on it's journey to NSW. Seems ridiculous to me.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

prettypaperprints — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:39:15 GMT

Yes, it all seems ridiculous. Things have certainly changed the last few months.

The women at my PO told me today, that if I want to send a letter to Lismore from where I am.... 30 minutes away... it now takes 3 days to deliver as the letter would be sent to Coffs Harbour 1st and then back up to Lismore. Just crazy.

The staff at my PO are getting so many compaints and questions about why it takes longer now and what is going on. I feel sorry for the staff as they said they don't know much either.... left a bit in the dark.

Cheers 🙂

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

cq_tech — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 13:45:09 GMT

As your not in an express zone, surely you'd be far better off sending your item via registered mail. It costs less and you get the added advantage of tracking, insurance and signed delivery, and it would still take precisely the same amount of time to arrive.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

beautysecretfashion — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:24:42 GMT

The satchels no longer have the delivery time zones... I suppose that means AP has done away with the compensation if not delivered within the time frame.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

cq_tech — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 19:39:37 GMT

Compensation is still paid for late delivery. This was taken from the AP site only a few minutes ago.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

bigbrickshop — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 23:23:02 GMT

@cq_tech wrote:
As your not in an express zone, surely you'd be far better off sending your item via registered mail. It costs less and you get the added advantage of tracking, insurance and signed delivery, and it would still take precisely the same amount of time to arrive.

Express satchels are sent by air interstate so generally they are quicker than regular parcels sent with signature on delivery even if the sender and recipient are outside the Express postcodes.

They are also cheaper than sending with SOD and do include tracking. A C&S 500g Express satchel is only $10.30 ($9.30 for Business 250) and 3kg $14.45 ($13.05). And you can add Extra Cover to Express satchels, the same way you can with signature on delivery parcels.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

cq_tech — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 01:58:29 GMT

So they still travel by air even if the sender or recipient aren't in the express zone, do they? That'd certainly speed things up with items sent from say Brisbane to Perth then, so perhaps there's still an advantage even if both parties don't live in gazetted express zones after all. I'd also forgotten that all AP items other than small or large letters are now sent with tracking, as the last time I sent something via Express Post I'm sure that wasn't the case.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

prettypaperprints — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 03:57:38 GMT

Thanks to all for your comments. Food for thought.

I send large letters . Not parcels. The average cost to post regular is $2.10 for stamps plus the envelope and packing supplies.

A registered post envelope costs $6.10 to post. It seems a bit much to add at least another $3.50 to my items. I don't think I would get many sales.

My customers receive their items but not always in the time frame Ebay and Australia post have said they would....hence the problems I can get from time to time.

I opted for Express post on some larger orders, but they still do not arrive when they are supposed to.

Just sent some today, Express and emailed my customers and told them about the postage delays and if it doesn't arrive in time, to go to their local PO to find out why. Maybe someone at their end would have more of an idea what is happening.

I also gave them the Express post tracking number, as well as put it in the Ebay sales.

We can only do so much from our end.

Cheers 🙂

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

phorum_junkie* — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 07:23:48 GMT

I just don't offer express post, makes life much easier.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

prettypaperprints — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 07:56:11 GMT

I thought of that, but it seems if you don't offer it, Ebay put your items lower in their searches. Just can't win either way

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

jensmanchester-australia — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 08:03:19 GMT

I offer the express post option an all my items even though I am outside the express post zone. For parcels to and from WA express post is still a far quicker service than regular post and it is generally quicker for any interstate deliveries as they go by air (as was mentioned previously).

I am surprised at how many buyers pay a few extra dollars and choose the express post option so it is quite popular. Usually my express post parcels take 2 - 3 days and only once in all my years of selling have I had a buyer question why it didn't arrive overnight.

Re: Express post is not Express post as we remember

character_parties_aus — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 10:41:55 GMT

that guarantee applies to post office satchels but not eparcel unsure about click and send