Standard postage - where do you stand?

[dunndog]

I'm sure there are a few of you out there who have ordered something through the post (domestically, within Oz and thru australia post, not via courier) only for it to not show up. This is the case with me atm. I spoke to a woman from aus post yesterday, she said to allow 15 business days incase of errors, re routing etc. Although it has been only 11 business days, the item wasn't even ordered from interstate so really it should have taken 3 days, 4 tops.
So just wondering, should an item just simply not show up, where do you stand? From their point of view, they sent it, end of story. From mine, I paid for something that I haven't received, end of story. Am I at fault for not opting for registered post? Or are the senders up for compensating me? They are a well known and reputable store, but after a few e mails (always instigated by me, no follow ups from them)with, lets say 'less than inspiring' answers i'm beginning to think that if it doesn't show up they aren't putting their hand up to re send or reimburse.. Any thoughts?

 

[Joel O]

I'm sure there are a few of you out there who have ordered something through the post (domestically, within Oz and thru australia post, not via courier) only for it to not show up. This is the case with me atm. I spoke to a woman from aus post yesterday, she said to allow 15 business days incase of errors, re routing etc. Although it has been only 11 business days, the item wasn't even ordered from interstate so really it should have taken 3 days, 4 tops.
So just wondering, should an item just simply not show up, where do you stand? From their point of view, they sent it, end of story. From mine, I paid for something that I haven't received, end of story. Am I at fault for not opting for registered post? Or are the senders up for compensating me? They are a well known and reputable store, but after a few e mails (always instigated by me, no follow ups from them)with, lets say 'less than inspiring' answers i'm beginning to think that if it doesn't show up they aren't putting their hand up to re send or reimburse.. Any thoughts?

I've never had any issues myself and I'd say i'd be pushing 100 online orders/trades by now but my housemate recently had something never show up which auspost had flagged as delivered, presumably stolen from the letterbox.

I remember DHD mentioning a few years back that he had only ever had one item go missing and it ended up RTS a few weeks later.

 

[kathiemt]

Anything could have happened to it - delivered to the wrong address in error, sitting in Austpost somewhere as 'lost' because it hasn't been addressed sufficiently, or it's been stolen. I would push for the senders to send a new one, with registered mail (you may have to pay for that part). I've had the occasional item go missing in the mail that I was sending to clients and have had to cop the loss and send a second one. Thankfully not often but it has happened a couple of times over the years.

 

[Steve-0]

2 weeks for standard postage is abit ridiculous.

I've sent/received close to a thousand packages through Auspost and only 1 has not shown up at all. I contacted the seller and he sent out the order but with double the quantity and express postage ($50 item).

If it doesn't show up I'd be expecting at least something from the shop. If they give you the cold shoulder then I wouldn't shop there again.

 

[SuperSix]

Happened to me once and Gunzee twice.

Here's how it Kru blew his top with AuPost... paid for Shimano Saint cranks, arrived at post office box for collection. Upon receiving the parcel, he noticed the packaging was damaged. Opened the box and viola! Cranks with missing parts... filled up a complaint letter, rang australia post, waited 18 minutes while on hold (cursing and lots of cursing)... finally, line got picked up... only to get disconnected. MORE CURSING. Called again... after 8 minutes... was speaking to a customer rep and he copped the abuse. Not satisfied with cust rep's answers, escalated to postal ombudsman...

Australia post pays up $100 for a $320 crank. Gunzee not happy.

My electric bill from Energy Australia hasn't showed up for about 6 months and I started investigating. Went on over to Energy Australia at Town Hall (Sydney) and found out that address was correct and now I have to pay a $28 fine for late payment. This six went SUPER and flamed people at Australia Post in Queen Victoria Building only to find out that the culprits are in the depot at Strathfield. I saw them toss around mail as if they were dung.

Lesson: Mark your parcels with "DO NOT DROP; FRAGILE; FRANGIBLE; PRECISION INSTRUMENTS INSIDE"

Further if buying from ebay, tell sender that transaction isn't complete until it shows up complete and in order. They'll be forced to send with insurance which will scare AuPost. More expensive, but hey, it's the risk everyone has to put up with using AusPost.

 

[Ivan]

I think Auspost are struggling a bit at the mo'.

An overnight express envelope took 4 days to get to me...

 

[Shredden]

Threaten to fuq them up with bad feedback?

 

[wombat]

Am I at fault for not opting for registered post?

So you had the option for it to be sent registered?
If you did, and simply opted to save the money and go without, then I think you've gotta accept some responsibility.

I can't remember having any real problems with AusPost, but I tend to go with the idea that if I can't afford to lose it, I'll register and insure it. Rarely costs too much more anyway.

 

[dunndog]

Threaten to fuq them up with bad feedback?

It's not ebay, it's a bike shop. They have a strong and growing internet presence.

 

[dunndog]

So you had the option for it to be sent registered?
If you did, and simply opted to save the money and go without, then I think you've gotta accept some responsibility.

I can't remember having any real problems with AusPost, but I tend to go with the idea that if I can't afford to lose it, I'll register and insure it. Rarely costs too much more anyway.

I did have the option, but the way the add read I thought it was going to be sent registered, I did select standard on the purchase page but thought it was going to be overridden as I used the supplied password..
Anyhow I'll give it till the end of this week, that'll be 13 business days (WAY longer than expected) and will see what happens Friday arvo when I call them.

 

[Mail Man]

Being in the Direct Mail business, both print and online in Australia and North America, the answer to your question is easy. The shop will have have some kind of policy for lost packages, usually 14 - 24 days from the shipped date. When you have still not received your package, they have the right to ask you to prove you have not received it. Usually this is in the form of a Statutory Decleration available at your local post office. Take it home fill it in, get a justice of the peace to sign it and send it back to the place of purchase.

When they receive this, they will resend your order. They use this paper as evidence when they write your order off as lost. Remember when it is lost in the post it is not the senders fault, they do have a customer focus though so they will want to help you out.

Shit happens, call the place of purchase before you start to rant(I am not saying you are ranting, just a general statement here). Bad internet publicity is hard to remove once it is said, if your issue is resolved place the resolution in the same section as the rant, so people who are googling said company don't just see the rant but the resolution also and do not need to troll through pages upon pages.

 

[floody]

I recently received a parcel quicker from Japan, than Sydney.

 

[Shredden]

I recently received a parcel quicker from Japan, than Sydney.

Got a D2 from america in 4 days, recently took 8 days for a crankset from canberra.

 

[steve24]

I have had 1 domestic item not show up (ebay). The seller claimed a whole batch of his stuff went missing and refunded my money without question.

I have also had 2 O/S parcels not show up. The 1st was returned to sender in US empty??
After a lot of discusion he re sent.

Only recently a parcel from Canada did not show up and the seller offered refund or resend. I chose to order more stuff from him so at least his post was payed for the resend.

I alway post stuff standard post and have never had anything not arrive.

 

[sam705]

It's not ebay, it's a bike shop. They have a strong and growing internet presence.

Ebay or not, i'd still do it.

I purchased a product from an online store, item was deemed faulty a couple of months later. I contacted the company and they weren't willing to warranty the product, so the person i as in regular contact with at the store, said to threaten to smack talk their product on forums/magazines, as this would light a fire under them.

I didn't have too, but i was willing to give it a go.

 

[steve24]

For all the sh!t people put on ebay i feel that people are so concerned about getting a bad rating that they will sort problems.

On a side note i just bought a park tool digital scale from CRC that does not work. I emailed them and they gave the corect answer of send it back and we will sort it. But as the post cost will be near the cost of the item i thought i would contact Park Tools directly. Their answer was it would have been better for me to buy local bla bla bla, but anyway we have sent you a new 1 via aimail.

 

[kathiemt]

Ebay or not, i'd still do it.

I purchased a product from an online store, item was deemed faulty a couple of months later. I contacted the company and they weren't willing to warranty the product, so the person i as in regular contact with at the store, said to threaten to smack talk their product on forums/magazines, as this would light a fire under them.

I didn't have too, but i was willing to give it a go.

Twitter works a treat too. I was having problems with Coles for delivery where I live and a quick tweet got the attention of the right people at Coles and they got it sorted for me pronto!:happy:

 

[Minlak]

If the site offerd no toher option than standard mail then they can be held responsible for non delivery. If the site had an option for reg'd post and it wasnt used then it will come down to their version of good customer service (bear in mind customers lie no not saying you do but they do so you get cynical about it) most cases i know of resulted in you lodging a form for a lost parcel they eventually pay you the maximum of $100 and all go on you way. There is an option for insurance as well but not every site offers this option.

Got me stuffed why everywhere doesnt use AAE tbh... Faster service cheaper option great tracking and easy insurance options (no i dont work for AAE)

 

[No Skid Marks]

Wow, I'm quite surprised to read all these comments.
I insist on sending and being sent via registered post. Seems totally insane not to as you have to trust the other party, and be at risk of loosing more than the $8 in most cases. After years of paying for registered post, I'm even slightly pissed off to read super6 got $100 for a missing product.
If you turned down the option for registered post, even by accident, I think the right thing to do would be to take it on the chin. It's not the companies fault.

 

[SuperSix]

Nah NSM... Gunzee got $100 back for a pair of damaged Saint cranks... he was cranky

I always recommend sending items bought from me via registered post. Scares the AusPost when they see "Handle with CARE" & "Do Not Drop"

There's also some industrial stickers that can be bought to measure how much shock an item has absorbed.