Australia Post long delivery times, missing items & insurance.

[trrautoparts]

I am having so much trouble with Australia Post delivery lately, and just wondered if anyone else is having similar problems.

I use eParcel for all our deliveries, and have had quite a few items in the past few weeks that have taken over 2 weeks to be delivered.  When tracking these items, they haven't even been updated in the AP system since the lodgement!  I have tried contacting AP but all they do is just open another case *sigh*.  Sometimes the item turns up, but quite often the item is never seen again... well at least is never returned to us!

I have also considered using the insurance option for my parcels, but that is only going to increase the cost.  Is there a way that this insurance can be an option that the buyer can choose as an extra charge if they wish to???  I have looked into the postage options, but can't find anything for insurance.

Any feedback, help or suggestions?

[clarry100]

Yes... in this past month or so we are seeing a huge increase in reported lost items.

We normally get around 1 in 1000 reported lost. We use large letter so no tracking.

But at the moment this has incresed to aound 1 in 250 or so. Dramatic increase.

We put it down to Aust Post financial troubles. They are letting workers go all over the place so the quality of service is suffering.

We recently had an express post article take 6-weeks to arrive. See another thread about this.

[transport-posters]

Just an idea, but it could also be the increase in everyday ice users who may be going out and stealing stuff from mailboxes to fund their expensive habits.

[trrautoparts]

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@transport-posters wrote:

Just an idea, but it could also be the increase in everyday ice users who may be going out and stealing stuff from mailboxes to fund their expensive habits.

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That's definitely a possibility, but not in our case, as all our parcels have to be signed for so there is no safe dropping at all.  All our missing parcels have been 'lost' somewhere in the AP abiss.

[kingfisher.curiosity.shop]

To highlight this my PO box in the last month twice has got mail addressed to other people with distictly different PO Box numbers.

A envelope addressed to me was put in someone elses box- containing an item - luckily the person was honest and took it back into the PO.

My home letter box got mail for someone around the corner- distinctly different surname, street name and different number.

Thats 3 examples in a month of mail being misdelivered.

[joethenuts]

to king maybe its not the people on ice maybe aus post employees should have  special tests done ,mmmm then a counting test  pobox  1  then 2  and so on , then a spelling test , but dont let me mark that test  lol.

[typhoon4u]

Don't think because it's marked as "signature" that you actually get it.

I've had two deliveries to me requiring my signature dumped in the last few months.

One thrown up to my first floor balcony containing serious security identification.

It seems to me that parcels are now being delivered by posties who traditionally only deliver mail/letters.

Probably an effort by AP to reduce costs to parcel contractors.

I would imagine there is some resentment among them about this.

I'm now getting my postie off his scooter and knocking on the door with parcels. (sometimes)

You can see this happening in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEANONcsLJQ

Notice he is a postie, not a parcel contractor.

[lyndal1838]

For some time now the postmen have been delivering small items that fit in the post box.....they are not supposed to have to get off their bikes unless the item is signature required.

That is nothing new though...they have always had to knock on the door to deliver registered mail.

[trrautoparts]

With our deliveries through eParcel, they must get a signature that is uploaded into the system as proof of delivery.  If the contractors are not getting signatures they are going against our instruction and contract with AP.

However, it is being introduced shortly that the recipient will have the option to authorise a safe drop, but then we will have proof that they have requested it.

[robinsonmarineparts]

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@trrautoparts wrote:

I am having so much trouble with Australia Post delivery lately, and just wondered if anyone else is having similar problems.

I use eParcel for all our deliveries, and have had quite a few items in the past few weeks that have taken over 2 weeks to be delivered.  When tracking these items, they haven't even been updated in the AP system since the lodgement!  I have tried contacting AP but all they do is just open another case *sigh*.  Sometimes the item turns up, but quite often the item is never seen again... well at least is never returned to us!

I have also considered using the insurance option for my parcels, but that is only going to increase the cost.  Is there a way that this insurance can be an option that the buyer can choose as an extra charge if they wish to???  I have looked into the postage options, but can't find anything for insurance.

Any feedback, help or suggestions?

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I'm sick to death of it, i'm getting at least 4 complaints a day for either late deliveries or my item has not been scanned, where is it.

Australia Post told one buyer (allegedly) that i hadn't posted the item, when in fact i post it the very same day.

Something has to be done about this, weather Australia Post come out and ask the public to be patient because of ,.......................... whatever there problem is or explain to the public that most of the problem lies with them not the seller.

Edit: I should of said that i carry the stock that i advertise and i post either the same day or within 24 hours as promised.

[trrautoparts]

I couldn't agree more!  And again, I'm glad to know that I am not the only one.  Everything that we list and sell is in stock and if purchased by 1pm we send the same day.

And to add insult to injury...

I had one buyer who eventually received his item after nearly 2 weeks (Qld to Nth NSW!) and was very happy with the way I followed it all up for him.  He gave me positive feedback that he was happy with the service, but then marked me down with only 1 star for the item not being delivered when eBay said is would.  I can totally understand his reasoning, but why should the sellers be punished for AP stuff ups???  I upload the tracking every day, so eBay could easily check that I followed all the guidelines, and mailed the item the saame day!

There has to be something to stop sellers being penalised when it is clearly a problem with AP.