Help/advice pls - Aust Post contractor signed for my item & it's missing

[the3coopers]

We've lost a very expensive item that was delivered from the USA via USPS Express last week. Yet the AP tracking shows that it's been signed for!

Last Sunday we arrived back from an Easter Holiday, and it seems that the AP Contractor had come Tuesday 10th at about 7:38am -  there is a hangup on our home Answering Machine (my home phone number is on the vendor's invoice) at that time. The delivery status says delivered at 7:42am.

I phoned AP customer service and they say there's a scrawled signature with my first name on it. I am unable to get a copy, but I've asked the vendor to request it via USPS. I never sign my name that way, and anyway I can easily verify that I wasn't here on that day. The item should have been carded, not dropped.

Item was paid by Paypal, funded by a ANZ Visa Debit card. Theoretically I cannot claim INR since the item was delivered - and it'd be really unfair to chargeback on the vendor since they certainly did deliver something to us.

AP seemed to be saying "too bad", claim back via the vendor. Yet the only reason it's missing is because the AP employee seems to have either delivered to the wrong address or signed for it themselves and left it sitting on our front porch for nearly a week!

So, how on earth should I handle this? The item cost me almost $1000, so it's not a loss that I can "absorb". I'm wondering if anybody has had similar experiences, especially with making a claim against Australia Post for such a loss.

Thanks heaps for any advice you can give me. 🙂

[tall_bearded]

Australiapostshop

Did a miss a step, 

In your earlier posts you justified Australia post position on the grounds that only the owner of the goods can claim, and that as far as Australia post is concerned, until such time as the goods are delivered the seller is the owner.

But now, if I understand you correctly, in you last post, you saying it’s the postal service used and not who owns the goods which dictates who claims.  That is, if an item is sent registered and it goes missing after it has been delivered it’s the recipient (buyer) who lodges the claim. However, if it’s EMS, even though the recipient is the owner after delivery, it's the sender who is no longer the owner who must lodge the claim.

[peppers-tree]

Hello..I have been following this topic and was wondering if there is n update. What did the Contractor say Coops ? Anything else to add ?

[the3coopers]

Hi all - I am working with Australia Post towards a resolution. The ball is currently in my court to provide them with some documents regarding the original sale, customs, etc

[peppers-tree]

Thanks for getting back coops...But what happened with the contractor? or can't you say on here ?

[the3coopers]

I'll update later, when I know more.... Australia Post are investigating again 🙂

[debra9275]

Just checking in to see if there's any resolution yet Coops

[cosmosgrove]

I've just been reading another thread that reminded me of this one, so what happened Coops?

[t0psales]

yeah would be interested in knowing too

[treasure124]

Hi there

Thought you may be interested to know I am currently going through a similar experience, also out of Chullora depot.  When an expensive item I had purchased did not arrive in the expected time frame, I contacted the store (a major retailer) to check and was told item was delivered and signed for, however I was not home at the time that the signature was recorded, nor was anyone else.  I had shopping centre receipts showing times covering the period before and after the recorded delivery time that confirmed I was not at home, and asked the store to request a copy of the signature. The signature was signed with my first name in full, as was yours, and my surname was scrawled over the top.  I also do not sign my first name, and requested the vendor advise AP to compare with my signature for previous deliveries (I was advised that AP would not speak to me, only the store as they organised delivery).  The past three weeks have been a nightmare due to the store's incompetent customer service person and lack of response from AP, though luckily one manager at the store showed some empathy (he has also had a bad AP experience) and agreed to refund my money and seek compensation from AP as it appears that AP were able to determine that their contractor was not near my address at the time the signature was recorded, though for some reason it is "still under investigation" after three weeks. I am not sure if this information is of any help to you, but would love to know your outcome and will also advise of mine if I ever get one!!

[thebraff]

I have just read this whole thread.  What a nightmare.

I hope it is resolved for you soon Coops, You too treasure.

One thing that I have noticed with deliveries that come to my place is that on those little machines that you have to sign they always have a 'P' in my surname,  This is not correct, so if ever I have a parcel go missing and I get a copy of 'my signature', if it is signed with a 'P' in it I will know exactly who has signed for it.