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@countessalmirena wrote:

I have had a food/meat slicer delivered today.

 

It wasn't through eBay, as the particular model that I wanted wasn't listed there. (Ausonia, red, gorgeous red, steel base and lacquered cast aluminum, tempered steel blade. Did I mention that it is red?)

 

I was going to purchase this from in-store last Friday; with the store being in West Melbourne, it wouldn't take me more than 40 minutes to drive there. However, events intervened (including an unexpected hospital conference) and I decided instead to buy it over the phone and have it delivered.

 

In light of AP's slowness over the last month, I opted to have it delivered by the courier used by the shop from which I purchased, rather than by AP. (Purchases sent through AP have taken much longer lately. Every "express post" item has taken about 2 weeks. I'm certainly not putting the blame on sellers; this is an Australia Post problem.)

 

I'm so glad that I accepted the courier option! The courier was Toll.

 

 

I note that a lot of online websites for Australian businesses are displaying a banner about delivery delays. Buyers should be cognisant of these delays and factor that into their purchasing, adjusting their expectations with regard to those unavoidable isssues. It seems ironic, though, that buyer behaviour driven by concern over venturing forth to shop in a time of social distancing is clearly glutting the domestic postage system. It seems somewhat shortsighted of AP not to have anticipated the volumes of parcels in these circumstances.

 

 

For sellers on eBay, perhaps it's worth having a similar prominent piece of text advising buyers of delivery delays.

 

It may also be worth the while of sellers normally sending by Australia Post to add a courier option.

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Couriers? Not on your sweet life