Express Post Failure

[clarry100]

We had a buyer on the weekend who wanted an item urgently on Tuesday and wanted to pay for express post.

I checked that their postcode was within the network for next business day delivery so advised her that we would get the package into the express system first thing Monday and she should have it on Tuesday.

She ordered and paid and we went to our local PO Monday morning. I asked them to double check the postcode and they said yes next day will be OK.

The buyer messaged me yesterday afternoon to say the item had not arrived yet and she was not happy.

I checked the tracking number and sure enough she is right. Still not delivered this morning although it says with driver for delivery.

So it seems it will be delivered today -- a day later than the buyer wanted and paid for.

So I feel we now have a cranky buyer and could end up with a defect because of Aust Post failure to deliver as promised.

They charge enough ($10.55 for 500gm satchel) and don't deliver on their promises.

Is there any recourse with AP for this kind of bad service?

If we can get refunded by AP we will refund the buyer their express post cost.

Feeling annoyed.

[bookmanx500]

"If your article is not delivered as guaranteed when sent within the Express Post network, it will be replaced free of charge, (or for parcels the postage will be refuned) on production of the barcode nnumber on the "Sender to Keep" tab or customer receipt."

Post Charges booklet 06/10/2014

Barrie

[character_parties_aus]

If its in the express area we guarantee same day despatch if ordered by a certain time and then say the delivery guarantee is austrlaia posts not ours. If there are issues you have to really really push to get a resolution and if you go through their customer service centre its not as bad as calling ebay but there is a computer says no mentality where at every opportunity they pass the buck to you which I hate. No accountability.

As you would well know the only recourse is a refund on the post cost if they fail to meet their obligations which only applies if there is lodgement at a P/O

I would be passing on any refund gained to the buyer and making sure they are will aware it was out of your hands which would know more than well how to do as an experienced eBayer.

I've had it happen twice in the last year or so. Once the parcel was simply lost and I had an understanding buyer. Once I had about 700 bucks worth of table cloths going to a large shopping centre for a specific event which had to be there and I had to in the end acquire by foul means the number of the local delivery centre call them direct and force them to sort it out ( turned out there was a late flight and the stuff was behind schedule but if I had not harrassed them it would not have been delivered).

[saarzi]

Pass the tracking number onto the buyer, appologize for the inconvenience and tell them you understand her frustration at Australia Post, as she can see from the tracking it was posted on time etc. This isnt your fault, deflect her anger toward them (tactfully), so she has them in her head and not you.
Make sure you screenshot the tracking that shows all dates etc (and make sure you can see the current date on the bottom right hand side of you computer screen, hover over it as screenshotting).
You can use the screenshot and the aus post claim back to get rid of any neg or defect she leaves you.

[clarry100]

This is getting rediculous now.

A further 24-hours later and the tracking number still shows in transit.

Went over the counter at my local PO on Monday morning.

I have messaged the buyer asking if/not she has it in her hands as yet but no answer.

I will grab a screenshot as you suggest too. Thanks.

[clarry100]

This is getting "weirder".

I just went back to the web site to grab my screenshot and in between the last time I looked and again just now it shows as having been delivered at 9:00am this morning.

Lodged on Monday at 11:00am in Caboolture, QLD and delivered Wed at 9:00am in Glenelg, Adelaide.

So it would appear to have been delivered just the web site was not updating or something.

Anyway I have the screenshot now so will approach them for a free satchel as was suggested. Thanks one and all.

[clarry100]

Went to my local PO this afternoon to enquire about this express item taking an extra day to deliver.

They conceded that this should not have happened and could see from more comprehensive internal data that it had gotten hung up in some Adelaide distribution centre for 24-hours. So it was actually in Adelaide but just never got delivered until a day later.

I did not have my origianl receipts with me but they said to bring them in and they will hand over a free 500-gram express satchel as compensation.

[lizzy6107]

Well on Tuesday, when I went to post some letters up the street in my red box, I was unable to open the hatch due to being over full, so went on to the next one...

The next day, I still couldnt put anything in, noticed an ebay satchel jamming in lid, tried to shift it, no luck, went on to next box...

Today, when I went to post, strangely happened again, but when I looked through the hole, noticed same items were still jammed in the lid shovel bit.. having been there since Tuesday or possibly Monday

This time, I determined to move them, went to town on the swinging flap till they finally moved.

I dont use ebay satchels any more, so thankfully wasn't mine, but I do hope it just means the lid wasn't emptied, not the whole box!

[clarry100]

Means someone's order was delayed a couple of days. Means the red truck guy has not checked up inside to see if anything is stuck up there.

The red street box we use is often quite full. I have to jiggle it on its stand to shake the mail around until it settles in to allow mine in. I always check to make sure it has all fallen down inside. Its one of those smaller ones on a short round pole. Only once I've had to move on to find another one to fit the rest of ours in.