What to do in a situation with a Parcel locker?

[dealuxe_store]

I sold an item to a customer and sent it to their address which was a parcel locker. I sent the item with my courier, and the parcel was subsequently rejected by the parcel locker as it is an Australia Post service and couriers need to pay an additional fee to lodge into the AP network. The parcel has been returned to me.

I had a look on the AP website and read that

"Other carriers / delivery providers can deliver items to a 24/7 Parcel Locker as long as they lodge the articles into our network and pay for this service.

StarTrack is a subsidiary of Australia Post, and parcels carried by StarTrack will be accepted for delivery into 24/7 Parcel Lockers.

Where possible, you should check with the sender or company you are buying from which delivery providers they use.

Delivery providers who do not wish to lodge your parcel into the Australia Post network for delivery to your parcel locker, should follow current standard procedure for carriers, which is to contact you or the sender to organise alternative delivery or pick-up options.".

After reading this, I believe it is up to the customer to check with the seller what service they use to ensure that the package will be accepted by their parcel locker. My listing had stated Courier delivery in the listing.

I sent the customer an invoice for redelivery fee but the customer now wants me to resend the package out of my own pocket to their home address.

Who would have thought that a "Parcel Locker" only accepts parcels from only AP?

Has anyone else had a similar experience and who is in the right here?

I feel like I am being held to ransom by the negative feedback system as even though I believe I am in the right, the customer will be able to leave me negative feedback and likely force a refund from my Paypal account.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance.

[digital*ghost]

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@*crikey*mate* wrote:

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@davewil1964 wrote:

I stand vindicated.

And all I used was commonsense, as opposed to semantics.

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well it does make sense - why would AP offer to handle anyone elses parcels for which they get no recompense?

I must share your sense (on this occasion) because it never occurred to me that AP would allow a different carrier to use a service they provide free of charge to another carrier without payment or prior arrangement.

It's kind of like Fedex expecting AP to deliver their parcels without paying any money to AP

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The buyer is paying for the service - it isn't that much of a stretch to think that part of the payment for that service could include compensating AP for the handling of other company's deliveries. 

Edit: scrap that, didn't realise it's currently free.

[*crikey*mate*]

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@amber-eyed-girl wrote:

but, it is in the interest of anyone thinking of the locker to read all they can before signing up.

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That is what anyone should do before entering into any kind of contract

a flyer is sinmply an invitation to treat, it is not the contract

[amber-eyed-girl]

According to Digi's post above, letters are not put in the locker.

It is free Digi, and convenient. At least it is free for now. But I do worry that it is designed to cut down on the delivery contractors.

[amber-eyed-girl]

Crikey, yes, totally agree.

The flyer is a way to get people interested in the positives. Of which there are some 🙂 ease of collection is a big plus.

[digital*ghost]

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@amber-eyed-girl wrote:

According to Digi's post above, letters are not put in the locker.

It is free Digi, and convenient. At least it is free for now. But I do worry that it is designed to cut down on the delivery contractors.

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Did my full research a little late, but here's the list of everything AP won't deliver to the lockers, just in case it's of interest or benefit to anyone:

• letters and standard mail that can be delivered to your letterbox
• Express Post letters
• parcels larger than 39cm x 36cm x 64cm
• parcels that are heavier than 16kg
• parcels that require proof of identity
• parcels that require the recipient's ID to be recorded at delivery
• parcels where there is a payment required on delivery
• parcels that are damaged or unsuitably packaged
• parcels delivered by a courier that has chosen not to deliver to our parcel lockers
• parcels containing alcohol
• parcels containing perishables

[amber-eyed-girl]

The third last line is interesting...couriers that have "chosen" not to deliver to the parcel boxes.

so AP is open to that. If I used a courier as a seller I would ask the courier if they did, and put it in the listing.

[cherry*135]

Crikey wrote: also, a PO box is pretty limited by size,

Any size parcel that meets AP size/weight requirements can be delivered to a PO box. The parcels that don't fit in the PO Box are kept on shelves in the back of the PO. Card left in PO Box.

[*crikey*mate*]

"Please note: Some of our online retail partners also feature Parcel Lockers as a delivery option when you're finalising your purchase and selecting a delivery address. Simply select your most convenient location and proceed to payment. There is no need to be registered for Parcel Lockers to use the service through an online retail partner."

[*crikey*mate*]

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@am*3 wrote:
Crikey wrote: also, a PO box is pretty limited by size,

Any size parcel that meets AP size/weight requirements can be delivered to a PO box. The parcels that don't fit in the PO Box are kept on shelves in the back of the PO. Card left in PO Box.

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uh huh. which means you don't have 24/7 access to collect the parcel - you have to do it in business hours

and the ones near me are pretty little, and I think the bigger they are the more expensive they are = whereas, the lockers - they will take the bigger boxes that fit within the sizes that Digi wrote up there

[digital*ghost]

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@*crikey*mate* wrote:

"Please note: Some of our online retail partners also feature Parcel Lockers as a delivery option when you're finalising your purchase and selecting a delivery address. Simply select your most convenient location and proceed to payment. There is no need to be registered for Parcel Lockers to use the service through an online retail partner."

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I read that, it just means you don't have to pre-register for the parcel locker service, the shop you're buying from organises it all for you after you select your location, then advises where you can collect it from.