Aust Post Signature on Delivery is a waste of money

[ozemovieposter]

Australia Post is still selling Signature on Delivery as a service but not providing it. Staff at Post Offices have been told that its OK to put packages with SOD straight into PO boxes without requiring a signature and drivers dont have to get a signature when delivering to private addresses.

I received a package that had been sent with signature on delivery and insured for $5000.00 last week. It was just left in my PO box with no signature required. It wasnt packed very welll and if there had been some damage to the item I wonder how Australia Post would have dealt with a claim considering that it had not been signed for.

[lyndal1838]

Nothing new there.....the rules changed back in March with the first lockdown for coronavirus.

Maybe you need to become familiar with the current rules instead of whinging about them after all these months.

[ozemovieposter]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

Nothing new there.....the rules changed back in March with the first lockdown for coronavirus.

Maybe you need to become familiar with the current rules instead of whinging about them after all these months.

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This board is supposedly here for people who have concerns or questions about selling issues. Thats all I did with my post. There was no need for you to be rude. This issue has been happening since March and it needs to be addressed by Australia Post.

[collect247]

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@ozemovieposter wrote:

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

Nothing new there.....the rules changed back in March with the first lockdown for coronavirus.

Maybe you need to become familiar with the current rules instead of whinging about them after all these months.

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This board is supposedly here for people who have concerns or questions about selling issues. Thats all I did with my post. There was no need for you to be rude. This issue has been happening since March and it needs to be addressed by Australia Post.

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It has been addressed and that is as to not come in contact with the postman they now sign on your behalf and if needed they also take a photo of your parcel and place it in a safe place.

I'm very familiar with my postie and she does a great job and comes to the front door even though she doesn't have too.

[ozemovieposter]

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@collect247 wrote:

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@ozemovieposter wrote:

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

Nothing new there.....the rules changed back in March with the first lockdown for coronavirus.

Maybe you need to become familiar with the current rules instead of whinging about them after all these months.

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This board is supposedly here for people who have concerns or questions about selling issues. Thats all I did with my post. There was no need for you to be rude. This issue has been happening since March and it needs to be addressed by Australia Post.

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It has been addressed and that is as to not come in contact with the postman they now sign on your behalf and if needed they also take a photo of your parcel and place it in a safe place.

I'm very familiar with my postie and she does a great job and comes to the front door even though she doesn't have too.

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My concern is primarily for packages that are insured. If they are left in a "safe" place or even left in a PO box without physically being handed over to the customer it is likely to cause problems in the event of a claim for damage or loss. I actually think Australia Post will keep their current policy in place after the Covid restrictions have been eased.

[tazzieterror]

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@ozemovieposter wrote:

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My concern is primarily for packages that are insured. If they are left in a "safe" place or even left in a PO box without physically being handed over to the customer it is likely to cause problems in the event of a claim for damage or loss. I actually think Australia Post will keep their current policy in place after the Covid restrictions have been eased.

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If you set up MyPost you can disable the safe drop option from within preferences.  I'm not sure if that will apply to an item addressed to your PO box, but it should mean that anything sent to a physical address will get carded and taken back to the PO if there is no one there to receive it.

Regarding items being sent to your PO box, if you can see from tracking an expensive/insured item has been delivered to it (as opposed to being carded and. 'Awaiting collection'), I'd try to collect it during AP opening hours so you can immediately speak to a staff member if a package appears damaged when you collect it.

My general advice with the PO is to establish a good relationship with the staff there as it helps a lot if there are any issues.

[moviepostercentral]

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@tazzieterror wrote:

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@ozemovieposter wrote:

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My concern is primarily for packages that are insured. If they are left in a "safe" place or even left in a PO box without physically being handed over to the customer it is likely to cause problems in the event of a claim for damage or loss. I actually think Australia Post will keep their current policy in place after the Covid restrictions have been eased.

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If you set up MyPost you can disable the safe drop option from within preferences.  I'm not sure if that will apply to an item addressed to your PO box, but it should mean that anything sent to a physical address will get carded and taken back to the PO if there is no one there to receive it.

Regarding items being sent to your PO box, if you can see from tracking an expensive/insured item has been delivered to it (as opposed to being carded and. 'Awaiting collection'), I'd try to collect it during AP opening hours so you can immediately speak to a staff member if a package appears damaged when you collect it.

My general advice with the PO is to establish a good relationship with the staff there as it helps a lot if there are any issues.

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Yes, I quite agree with all of that from a buyers point of view although sellers cannot specify whether they want their deliveries safe dropped or carded. Unfortunately many buyers are happy to have packages safe dropped and that is risky when the package is insured. 

[tazzieterror]

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@moviepostercentral wrote:

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Yes, I quite agree with all of that from a buyers point of view although sellers cannot specify whether they want their deliveries safe dropped or carded. Unfortunately many buyers are happy to have packages safe dropped and that is risky when the package is insured. 

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It's only risky to the buyer.  If tracking shows the item as delivered—whether safe-dropped or in person—then it's delivered as far as eBay is concerned. If it gets safe-dropped and the package goes missing, whether or not it's insured is irrelevant as it's still considered delivered.

[glenbankloel]

I understand your query about being able get a claim accepted by them if your expensive item had been damaged, personally wouldn't want to put it to the test.Could be quite a fight to get it accepted, but your seller should have been well aware of the changes that have come into place and not be charging for this service.

Ignorance is not a defence.

Perhaps you can get a refund from your seller to reimburse you for the fee that you paid, for a service that is currently not available.

Aust Post have a great deal of information on their website, including the fact that SOD is no longer being done, so your seller should be held accountable. IMO.

Aust Post's policies are in a state of flux, so pays to read it every few days, especially with the surge in Virus outbreaks in Victoria atm.

They also have information re international delays and blocks, and updates on how they are adjusting to the flow of mail domestically and how some countries are now starting to open up and accept mail. 

It is quite interesting reading. 

However, if they are accepting mail clearly showing that payment has been received for SOD, then that is just wrong, and refunds or temporary blocks should be in place in their labeling and across the counter to not accept and /or do a refund. Perhaps their website could have a section where people could claim.? Or just block/grey it out in the Labels section on My Post.

[digital*ghost]

Packages being able to be delivered to a PO box without capturing the signature has actually been in place for a couple of years - I've had a PO box since 2011, and remember receiving both emails and a flier in my PO box to announce the change.

Packages being delivered to an address that have SOD on them, however, are not supposed to be safe-dropped. Due to covid, the signature itself does not need to be captured, but someone must be present to accept the package. If no one is present, the package is meant to be returned to a PO to await collection.