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@stevej5436 wrote:

 

Anyhow, the major issue in this case is why it is now well over a week since it was marked as sent and it still hasn't arrived - the distance involved is about 20km. Other, more customer-conscious, courier companies I have dealt with in the past have notified the sender basically straight away if there is a problem related to refusing to deliver to the address I choose, the sender has contacted me and we have agreed upon another method of delivery, usually within a day or two. Problem solved, minimal wastage of time.

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About a year or so ago, I bought from a seller who had "Australia Post Parcel" listed as the postage method, so I checked out and supplied my PO box address.

24 hours later, it's marked as shipped with a Fastway courier number. I was actually really annoyed by this, because unlike other delivery limitations, couriers not delivering to PO boxes should be common knowledge to a seller using couriers, and yet they sent it anyway. (

I went back to the listing to double-check I read the shipping method correctly, and it still said Aus Post Parcel, but they had a tabbed box in the description, so I clicked to open the "shipping tab" and they detailed there that they used couriers to post, and couldn't send to PO boxes (further indication the seller was well aware a PO box wouldn't result in successful delivery). Despite the info being there in the listing, I was even more annoyed because they didn't select courier services as the postage method, and you had to go hunting for the "real" postage information. 

Despite that, the second I knew they were using couriers, I checked the Fastway website to see if I could get the package redirected, when there was no way for me to do that myself, I contacted the seller, explained the situation, and asked what could be done, and they arranged for the package to go to my home address.

If you know that a delivery is going to be problematic, I would advise not taking a passive "wait and see" approach, no matter how much you think it shouldn't be your responsibility.

Now, as a seller who has a PO box, and sends to them no problems, I have to disagree with this statement:  If they want my business, then they should be able to offer delivery to ANY address. After all, they are (supposed to be) providing a service to the customer.

The operative word is "If", I suppose - all businesses have not only the right, but in some cases the responsibility, of making decisions that is best for them, and usually they are the ones that best serve the majority of their customers. They have no obligation to cater to all people in all circumstances. 

As stated, I do send to PO boxes, but refuse to send to Parcel Locker / Collect addresses (highly problematic for me, despite them being Aus Post services and using Aus Post for my mail). This TOS is the first thing people should see when they look at my description. I charge around $3 for postage, because the shipping method (and cost of it), suits 99% of my customers. I'm not taking $3 for postage and then shipping to a parcel locker at a cost of $8.30 just because some buyer thinks I should, and despite the fact that I outlined such addresses can't be posted to as one of my terms of sale.