was_a Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 I buy (and sell) CDs regularly and recently have had several expensive discs go 'missing' - discs $50 and more. That includes sending stuff domestically as well as international parcels not received from the UK and Germany. I also notice several Discogs sellers have recently stopped posting to Australia, citing 'too many issues' etc. In a couple of cases, Australia is one of two counties 'blacklisted' in this way, alongside Russia! I'm convinced that within the postal services, or the contracted couriers, there are mail thieves. Would like to hear anyone's feedback. 1
Quark Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 The only discs I've had go missing have all been shipped with DHL. Several have turned up months later after having been replaced by Amazon. At least part of the problem seems to be the intellectual giants in DHL's US operations can't work out the difference between Australia and Austria. Mrs Q has had a lot of cheap jewellery go missing - all from the one supplier - not sure if Auspost or someone in the supplier's business.
Krispy Audio Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 If you're concerned, one thing that is worth doing is sending by Express Post if posting domestically. If the package arrives late or not at all, you can claim back the postage cost. Little consolation on expensive items, but they also offer insurance.
Heifetz Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 Don't mean to be 'off-topic' but I recently sold an item to a buyer in The Netherlands and it arrived broken. I have filled out forms and submitted photos etc. It is currently under investigation by Aus Post. It was normal Airmail - no insurance. I don't know what will happen. The package was a hard carbon Boston Mat ina plastic bag, sandwiched between two cardboards inside a good vinyl record cardboard mailer. Anyone had a similar experience? What was your outcome? Bob
MusicOne Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 I had an expensive SACD set from Presto Classical UK, go missing. Presto sent a replacement set with no delay....but I am a regular customer. I usually don't have to sign for my Presto CDs, but I had to for the replacement set. Fair enough I guess.
eman Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 I think it's got a lot more variable since they changed everything to contractors and then paid them less so they could afford the six million collar man to bend us over. No problems here, but it's going to be very regional now. Complain to the PO 'Head' of wherever you are (in writing) if you want to get serious. 2
LogicprObe Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 They have had 'contractors' on 457 visas. Whatever you don't deliver..................you keep!
Addicted to music Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 If your sending a package via Aussie post and it's expensive you do have the option to have it fully insured at a cost. I've send 2 packages this way and also asked an SNAer in Perth to send via Aust Post to pay for insurance so if it doesn't get there you lodge a claim to get the amount you insured fully refunded.
Cafad Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 If I buy things then I may not have much of a choice but when I sell things I always send fully insured, and I have yet to have anything go missing. 1
LogicprObe Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 1 minute ago, Cafad said: If I buy things then I may not have much of a choice but when I sell things I always send fully insured, and I have yet to have anything go missing. They do a rigorous investigation if something insured goes missing. The deliverer can plainly see it is so. On uninsured items..............there 'investigation' amounts to very little...........if any. 1
LogicprObe Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 I'll say more on this......................I've had a PO box for over 30 years................not one thing has gone missing. Something inadvertently gets sent to the street address? Very hit and miss.
Addicted to music Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 (edited) 12 minutes ago, LogicprObe said: They do a rigorous investigation if something insured goes missing. The deliverer can plainly see it is so. On uninsured items..............there 'investigation' amounts to very little...........if any. Yes they do LP, with insured items someone has to sign for it. If it doesn't get signed it goes back to the Post Office and a Red card is left. I would say that most things go missing is when there isn't a care in the world and they dump the package plain to see. I've had a Massdrop item just dumped in the front door that was visable from the street. They don't care as they get paid per delivery. When inquiry Aust Post there policy is to place it so it isn't visible from the street. However in saying that if the front looks like there's no one home they just issue a red card. My daughter has full view and watched her delivery that didn't get to knock on the door to see if someone's home and just issued a card. She was furious when she went out to discovered that the package wasn't delivered and she was home, but I suppose that's better than it getting dumped in front of the front door in plain view where any Tom Dick or Harriet can run in and take it. with private deliveries I've had them go to the electrical switchboard, at least that's away from street view. Edited May 4, 2017 by Addicted to music 1
Addicted to music Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 8 minutes ago, LogicprObe said: I'll say more on this......................I've had a PO box for over 30 years................not one thing has gone missing. Something inadvertently gets sent to the street address? Very hit and miss. Whats the cost on that LP, I'm thinking of getting one.
LogicprObe Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 (edited) LOL! When I first got it..............it was $15 a year, by memory..............now it's close to $200! edit - link - https://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/manage-your-mail/post-office-boxes-bags#pricing Edited May 4, 2017 by LogicprObe 1
betty boop Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 i only ever had one item not turn up... and curiously it said it had been signed for.... but certainly not by me or anyone in the house hold. i contacted auspost and they investigated... sheepishly it turned up the following week on our door step. as it happens it had been delivered by accident to our neighbours house... and lady there had signed for it... thinking for the husband who was travelling. when he came back he realised not for him and parked it on our doorstep.... it was actually the posties mistake as well taking to the wrong house... he was very apologetic... he is a contractor... when you see the sheer number of parcels these guys deliver its sort of understandable the odd mistake that does happen...
LogicprObe Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 When they first went to contractors, the going rate was about $3 a parcel (you had to tender for it). Since then, they have just cut the rates year by year. I think it's something like 40 or 50 cents these days.
comfortablynumb Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 I was washing the car on the front lawn one day when a delivery contractor pulled up out the front. I was actually expecting a delivery, so I wasn't surprised. Except the three long packages didn't resemble the one box like package I was expecting. So I checked. "Hey mate. This package is for number 25. That's the house on the corner. Not this one" "Ah, ****" he says." Bloody impossible to know which house number is which". Wordlessly I point to two, 3 inch high brass numbers saying 21 within 2 feet of where he was placing the packages! Plainly visible from the street too. Sigh....... 2
GregWormald Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 As I have mentioned previously--I once had a $1000 registered, insured package from Poland signed for by the driver(!!) and marked delivered. It was later "discovered" on a shelf in the local post office. AusPost was OK with all that. Greg 1
Addicted to music Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 2 hours ago, LogicprObe said: When they first went to contractors, the going rate was about $3 a parcel (you had to tender for it). Since then, they have just cut the rates year by year. I think it's something like 40 or 50 cents these days. Thats infuriating when you hear the CEO of Aust Post is on $5.6M annually. How do you live on $0.5 per delivery when petrol is around the $1.40-1.60 ltr. No wonder these contractors don't give a rats.... Then there making a loss??? And want to charge 2X the rate and reduce services so you Mail is no longer delivered in 48hrs but will take 5 working day??? If anyone operates like this they'd be out done by the opposition. 1
betty boop Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 21 minutes ago, Addicted to music said: Thats infuriating when you hear the CEO of Aust Post is on $5.6M annually. How do you live on $0.5 per delivery when petrol is around the $1.40-1.60 ltr. No wonder these contractors don't give a rats.... Then there making a loss??? And want to charge 2X the rate and reduce services so you Mail is no longer delivered in 48hrs but will take 5 working day??? If anyone operates like this they'd be out done by the opposition. just as a heads up, the contractor who delivers my place regularly fronts with a leave card in hand wiht parcel in other. tends to give us the parcel and the card ... what waste of paper and time filling out the card for every parcel before hand... do they expect to not deliver any from the outset ? its no bloody wonder the cost of parcels has gone up and letters to point of ridiculous. 1
Addicted to music Posted May 4, 2017 Posted May 4, 2017 21 minutes ago, al said: just as a heads up, the contractor who delivers my place regularly fronts with a leave card in hand wiht parcel in other. tends to give us the parcel and the card ... what waste of paper and time filling out the card for every parcel before hand... do they expect to not deliver any from the outset ? its no bloody wonder the cost of parcels has gone up and letters to point of ridiculous. yes, and the CEO is still receiving his $5.6M package....
eman Posted May 5, 2017 Posted May 5, 2017 17 hours ago, LogicprObe said: I'll say more on this......................I've had a PO box for over 30 years................not one thing has gone missing. Something inadvertently gets sent to the street address? Very hit and miss. I'd say that's why mine is pretty much spot on the whole time. Since we don't get a home delivery we get to have a subsidised PO Box. Everything stays at the PO. Doesn't go off wandering around. Thus the system works pretty well for me. It's this 'cut the legs off the bloke at the bottom to stuff it up the jacksy of the bloke at the top' that's caused the problem. Over excited Capitalism. (Point me to the angry old sick man thread). 1
t_mike Posted May 5, 2017 Posted May 5, 2017 I'm currently waiting on a parcel from the UK. A month so far, the Royal Mail online tracking is a joke. It's a signed delivery, and I have a PO box. Time will tell...
Kaynin Posted May 5, 2017 Posted May 5, 2017 And don't bother walking in to an AusPost office - long queues with minimal staff all day long...
was_a Posted May 5, 2017 Author Posted May 5, 2017 (edited) Thanks for all the feedback. I've noticed a couple more Discogs sellers attaching conditions to posting CDs and LPs to Australia - no more regular 'air mail' postage, registered only. Apart from my suspicions about stealing, I've also noticed massive delays for receiving post in the past six months. Two examples: I ordered a headphone jack on eBay from a seller in Lakemba, who posted it immediately. It took 7 days to reach me in Maroubra! (That's a speed of under 3 km a day...). And earlier this year a relative in Holland posted two parcels simultaneously - one to family in NZ and one to me. The one to NZ arrived within 6 days. It took 6 WEEKS for the parcel posted to me. Last vestiges of a ....relaxed...government system within Aussie Post? New cost-cutting measures (snail mail etc)? It really is pathetic IMO. Edited May 5, 2017 by was_a 1
Recommended Posts