Signature on Delivery, Click & Send Flat Rate Satchels. Replies greatly appreciated :)

[green-gifts-mkd]

Hi, this is a question that has been plaguing me for weeks. Everyone I ask, and every search I do, hasn't answered it.

On the back of my eBay 500g and 3kg Flat Rate Satchels (which I have had since early this year), it says:

"Option of obtaining signature on delivery (which provides automatic cover of up to $100 by Australia Post)"

Australia Post used to have the same statement in their online store, but it seems that this statement has been removed completely from their website/store/Terms & Conditions of late.

This 'up to $100 compensation' was available for $1.00 before. I have been operating under the assumption that it was still the case for $2.95 now. I am talking about the satchels, not the option of using your box with $2.95 and $1.50 added on for cover up to $100. Price-wise, Click & Send Flat Rate satchels are great for postage from NSW to WA, for example.

I have been happily sending $80 orders, for example, which take hours to make, thinking that I'm covered on the off chance that something bad happens to the parcel. Relying on PayPal seller protection is not really a consideration here. These are 'wedding' customers. They ultimately still want their personalised invitations, for example. I will have to make & post them again whether PayPal rule in my favour or their favour (in the case of 'Item Not Received').

Can someone who has received a recent shipment of these satchels please check the back and see if the statement above is still listed in the red 'Features' box? There seems to be so much misinformation about this. If anyone has a definitive answer, I would really appreciate your knowledge on this 🙂

[green-gifts-mkd]

Thanks heaps, Digital Ghost!

Hopefully, Cat's PJs will log on at some stage and share how her local PO does this (i.e. adds extra cover over $100 to an eBay Flat rate Satchel).

Phorum Junkie's PO seems to be able to as well? Mentioned above, and I remember her also mentioning it a long, long time ago:

"Signature on delivery at $2.95 gives cover up to $100 and you can still purchase extra cover for over that as you always could."

[phorum_junkie*]

Last time I used click and send which was of course back in April you purchased extra cover using the red reg post lodgement forms, there was a box to tick for buying c&s extra cover. I don't know if the same form is still in use as reg post is only available for letters or if there is a different form and I cannot ask at my local PO as it would be rather a long drive, walk, and swim, lol. I am sure somebody else will have a PO which is as clued up as mine, if not you will just have to wait until the end of Oct when it will be able to get to the PO in 5 mins 

[thecatspjs]

As DG outlined, for the moment anyway, on the AP website the terms & conditions for Click & Send (C&S) indicate that a C&S article with Signature on Delivery (SOD) will have up to $100 compensation for loss or damage.

This area does my head in a bit, so sorry for the long winded post, but there is a bit of information that is relevant - including some inconsistencies.

In relation to Extra Cover, IMO whilst unable to purchase when processing C&S eBay satchels online, according to APs terms & conditions AND the additional services that appear as available when processing a label, you should be able to purchase additional extra cover from PO for an eBay C&S parcel with SOD paid for online. 

I have had no issues being able to purchase additional extra cover for C&S eBay satchels at my PO using the relevant AP form, which is required under the terms and conditions of Extra Cover.

The AP form link is http://www.auspost.com.au/media/documents/registered-post-lodgement-receipt.pdf ( the pdf copy has draft printed on the bottom I do not know why, it is identical to the hard copy version available from POs).

This form is for single articles and includes a tick box for signature items prepared through C&S. There is a bulk lodgement form available as well.  The terms and conditions on the back of the form explicitly provide for extra cover purchase with C&S signature items for values over $100.  

If this is a problem for your post office then you may wish to point out that the product terms & conditions (as per AP website) eBay flat rate satchels & boxes come under the same Terms and Conditions as other C&S articles 

In addition, maybe print out a screen shot  for PO to show them that when you process the satchels even after the new upgrade- extra cover will appear each and every time as an optional extra for an eBay satchel or box.

I also note that if processing parcels via the regular on-line C&S service (not with eBay satchel) whilst you can select extra cover, the amount of Extra Cover payable is calculated on the entire value of goods being processed and includes charges for the first $100, which IMO is contrary to APs published terms & conditions .

Hope all that makes sense. 

[*crikey*mate*]

well you took your time getting here.

got a note?

[green-gifts-mkd]

Haha, better late than never! Well, that's very helpful pj. And catspjs, thank you so much for taking the time to write such a comprehensive reply. You really do know your stuff! Goodness knows how you found all of this out--thorough reading I suppose 🙂 I tried but wasn't very successful 😞

Yes, that does make sense, as 'Extra Cover' does in fact show on the screen as an option when processing a label for the eBay Flat Rate satchels. It always irratates me because I just want to see a check box for it! Grrr...

Not sure how my P.O. will cope. They do have the ability upon scanning to add extra cover (i.e. to all the other postal products out there--which means always being charged $1.50 for the first $100). Just not sure how they'll manage with the eBay satchels. Technically, the 1st $100 is covered if SoD is prepaid for. And you're absolutely right, catspj! I have lodged hundreds of registered post items and never really looked at the side of that red & orange form. It says 'Extra Cover (over $100 up to $5000)'! But I have a feeling they'll be wanting $3.00 because that's what they have been doing lately for everything over the $100 mark. I am not sure if they will allow for payment of only $1.50 for the 2nd hundred on the satchels.

You are absolutley spot-on again--when using my own box, via C&S processing, with SoD and extra cover to $200 selected, the first hundred is charged at $1.50, in contradiction to the form with the tick box. I have been paying for this 1st $100 of cover, so when I come in with a satchel and point out the 'Extra Cover (over $100 up to $5000)' on the left-hand side, they are going to be so confused and will think I'm trying to pull a swift one on them!

Any ideas of how I could go about this with them?

[thecatspjs]

LOL re note crikey .....

Its tricky with some PO staff ... but if you have the form completed ready for them to stamp - it will hopefully make a difference to their "attitude" in providing the services in accordance with the T&C of their products.

The good thing about the lodgement form is that unlike the online calculation - if you look at the form you will see that is where you fill in the additional extra cover - and you only have to pop in the actual amount required over $100 to $5000 and the calculation is from the figure in the box, which is the value of goods, less the first $100.  So there is no need to raise or debate this with PO staff, as the value of goods sent only comes into play if required for missing or damaged parcel compensation claims.

In relation to the situation of the PO staff indicating that they cannot process extra cover separately from a package that has its post prepaid, IMO it is likely they just don't know how to. 

My suggestion is maybe very, very nicely suggest that maybe they have process the seperate transaction for extra cover, in a similar way as they would when someone required extra cover on an article that was lodged with a pre-paid registered post label ? ?

[phorum_junkie*]

Green gifts if they are still using the reg post forms just ask for some at your PO, mine always gives me heaps of pages, then you can just fill it in at home ticking the extra cover box and pay the extra over the counter when you lodge the parcel.

[green-gifts-mkd]

Thanks so much everyone! I know this has been a very specific question which doesn't apply to many sellers. It's just that I'm not prepared to spend hours on a handmade order just for some random Australia Post person to lose it the parcel etc. I really do think Australia Post has to be accountable, rather than PayPal footing the bill. In the two instances where registered post articles were misplaced for weeks, they were both found after a thorough search.

Yes, my PO just pass over a whole book of the red & orange forms to me now! I use them everyday for registered large letters, the value of which is usually less that $100, so I have never filled out the side bit.

But I get you, just prefill out that bit, as they can't really argue with what's written there. Tick the 'Signature Item prepared through Click & Send' box. See what happens! They will have never come across it before I don't think. Although my PO in the Blue Mountains is very busy, with heaps of online sellers, not many seem to use the Click & Send service. Even, the owner of the PO has an online store and she posts using the regular satchels with, when it was the case, a registered label stuck on it. She doesn't have a C&S account.

I can always show them them back of the satchel which points out that the first $100 is automatically covered when SoD is purchased.

Thanks so much everyone! Last year I was posting these satchels, with a value of over $100, without the extra cover. I was taking huge risks with my time. Now I know what to do 🙂

[thecatspjs]

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@green-gifts-mkd wrote:

I can always show them them back of the satchel which points out that the first $100 is automatically covered when SoD is purchased.

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Absolutely - and the current batches they are sending out continues to reflect the T&C and highlight in a red box the features the service provides including getting a SoD which provides the automatic $100 cover.

Aust Post reps absence on this thread should also be noted - again I see they have made comments on another thread this am, but not come to post to this one to "assist". 

[green-gifts-mkd]

They probably don't really have any clear answers, catspj! You should read all of the misinformation on their facebook page and on other sales threads about this very same question--buying extra cover on the eBay satchels. There are some very frustrated people out there still searching for an answer, and just being told they have to use their own box/packaging, and pay $2.95 as well as $1.50 for first $100 of cover etc.

AusPost should be employing you as a phone rep, or similar, as you are willing to share your knowledge and take the time to explain it properly 🙂