Aust Post parcel truck fire affecting VIC parcels heading to NSW and QLD

[panoramic7]

Did anyone else easy about this. There may well be a few unhappy buyers this week (including mine possibly). 

http://www.smh.com.au/national/another-australia-post-truck-catches-fire-on-the-hume-highway-2016090...

[thecatspjs]

Oh my goodness .... what a coincidence .....

Both our parcels twice around the Sunshine West mail centre over 2 days 4-5 minutes apart each scan.  Wonder why they sat at the centre for two+ days before being loaded ?  

Aside from an SMS alert from AP confirming their enquiries are underway, had no news at all. 

Thanks for the information - very much appreciated, I will follow up with AP on Monday.

[thecatspjs]

Update on  my missing parcel.

No contact from AP to date, so I finally made the time to ring them.

No sign of parcel in tracking.  The rep said they are having difficulty salvaging any tracking numbers from the burnt out AP truck.

AP will pay compensation (though they noted they do not normally pay out on uninusred parcels) and are putting are cheque in the mail for the amount of my loss ($46.90) 

Woo Hoo

[lyndal1838]

So the cheque is in the mail Cats?   Don't hold your breath!

[mydiyau]

It's not just fire, AP has been hit by theft 4 times since June, same gang tricked off thousands of parcels in Melbourne. Google AP theft.

We have a $140 parcel in limbo, filed missing item enquiry and provided all the info to AP but no news for a week, buyer hit us with threats and neg. and demands a refund without going though Paypal dispute.

[gymnorhina]

I've spoken to four people at AP. All were helpful and there was really nothing they could dispute. I was ready to raise the remarkable coincidence, the catspjs, but I didn't need to. The last person had to get some approval from a superior but apparently I'll be getting a money order to cover the loss and the postage. They did say eight to ten days so I haven't received it yet but I fully expect to.

Interestingly, two of the four I spoke to had those "American" accents you associate with the Philippines and Mexico. Is the AP helpline offshore now?

[thecatspjs]

AFAIK their call centres are in Australia. 

I have not yet struck a rep with that type of accent.  Only those with an Australian or New Zealand accent.

In Victoria, there is a call centre in Mount Waverley.  Not sure if it services Australia wide though.

The rep indicated it to me the cheque would take approx 2 weeks to arrive as well.  This is consistent with my experiences in the past.  I have had  a number of chequest over the years, most particularly for express post cost reimbursement due to failure to deliver within guaranteed time frame, as well as compensation for lost parcels.

[mydiyau]

AP updated my case, said it needs another 10 days of investigation, item missing since September 13, probably stolen by the two men gang in one of their mid night heists. I have now got a neg and a paypal case. Initially buyer asked a refund without going through paypal dispute which I refused. Will Paypal refund buyer from my account? Or is the $50 AP compensation + postage all I will get for my $140 parcel? Paypal Seller protection?

[thecatspjs]

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@mydiyau wrote:
AP updated my case, said it needs another 10 days of investigation, item missing since September 13, probably stolen by the two men gang in one of their mid night heists. I have now got a neg and a paypal case. Initially buyer asked a refund without going through paypal dispute which I refused. Will Paypal refund buyer from my account? Or is the $50 AP compensation + postage all I will get for my $140 parcel? Paypal Seller protection?

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If your article has been scanned at or after lodgement then you will have Seller Protection.

Leaves the buyer out of pocket though.

Personally I would consider refunding the buyer, and in the context of forgoing any profit I made on the sale, seek the AP compensation available to recoup some of my losses. 

For goods that are over a certain value IMO purchasing extra cover for $1.50 per $100 is money well invested and would mean in this scenario no-one is out of pocket except for AP.

[mydiyau]

Yes it was posted at AP and with tracking etc. Tracking shows not delivered. I don't think the buyer will be out of pocket, the buyer protection should cover it, except the money shouldn't come out of my pocket with seller protection.

[thecatspjs]

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@mydiyau wrote:
Yes it was posted at AP and with tracking etc. Tracking shows not delivered. I don't think the buyer will be out of pocket, the buyer protection should cover it, except the money shouldn't come out of my pocket with seller protection.

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Whilst eBays money back guarantee would cover the buyer and not the seller in this scenario,   Paypal buyer protection does not cover parcels that are not received where they have been scanned as lodged.  That being said there have been reports on the boards that from time to time Paypal may make a discretionary payment to buyer, but it is not a given.

From Paypal user agreement re Buyer protection

S9.9 If the seller presents Proof of Shipment to your address, we may find in their favour even if you did not receive the item.