AusFarce or AusFantastic?

[MrPeanut]

I don't think I can get away with blaming AusPost for this one...

Mrs Gargravarr and I left home for a sojourn on the East Coast on Friday morning, early enough to miss the mail-lady. A neighbour let me know that she had dropped off something in our mailbox that lunchtime, and that there was a "white parcel" also waiting in the mailbox. It turns out that shortly after, we had one of those extreme whirlwind gales that the Liffey Valley notoriously gets blasted with from time to time, this one lasting over 17 hours and gusting off the scale at 250km/h. We're pretty used to the elements randomly Marie-Kondoing our lives by now, but this one was a doozy.

Whatever was in my mailbox I'll never know, because it's simply gone, including its contents. The four 10mm bolts that secured it to its steel and concrete pipe mounting have snapped.

We got off lightly though, a lot of trees uprooted and tossed around, a couple of panels missing from the greenhouse and a 70lb Canadian canoe translocated 500m down the hill, but undamaged. One neighbour has had their home totally obliterated, and there are scattered remains of lots of roofs and sheds lying around everywhere.

Actually, maybe I should blame AusPost for my missing mail. Random freaky storms make a lot more sense than some of their operations...

Sorry to hear that mate hopefully there wasnt a huge amount of damage, it wasnt as bad in the tamar but i hear it took out alot of power poles heading out past your way.
At least you dont depend on electricity to shave, that coulda been a major issue

 

[Mark1966]

I don't think I can get away with blaming AusPost for this one...

Mrs Gargravarr and I left home for a sojourn on the East Coast on Friday morning, early enough to miss the mail-lady. A neighbour let me know that she had dropped off something in our mailbox that lunchtime, and that there was a "white parcel" also waiting in the mailbox. It turns out that shortly after, we had one of those extreme whirlwind gales that the Liffey Valley notoriously gets blasted with from time to time, this one lasting over 17 hours and gusting off the scale at 250km/h. We're pretty used to the elements randomly Marie-Kondoing our lives by now, but this one was a doozy.

Whatever was in my mailbox I'll never know, because it's simply gone, including its contents. The four 10mm bolts that secured it to its steel and concrete pipe mounting have snapped.

We got off lightly though, a lot of trees uprooted and tossed around, a couple of panels missing from the greenhouse and a 70lb Canadian canoe translocated 500m down the hill, but undamaged. One neighbour has had their home totally obliterated, and there are scattered remains of lots of roofs and sheds lying around everywhere.

Actually, maybe I should blame AusPost for my missing mail. Random freaky storms make a lot more sense than some of their operations...

Well clearly they did not leave it in a safe location!

That sounds like a pretty ferocious storm that came through, glad you and Mrs Gargravarr are safe.

 

[Gargravarr]

Sorry to hear that mate hopefully there wasnt a huge amount of damage, it wasnt as bad in the tamar but i hear it took out alot of power poles heading out past your way.
At least you dont depend on electricity to shave, that coulda been a major issue

Yeah, most of my neighbours (the ones that still have homes) are going to be without power for at least the rest of the week. Luckily, we're off-grid and our batteries are nicely charged after our weekend away.

 

[Nanook]

I don't think I can get away with blaming AusPost for this one...

Mrs Gargravarr and I left home for a sojourn on the East Coast on Friday morning, early enough to miss the mail-lady. A neighbour let me know that she had dropped off something in our mailbox that lunchtime, and that there was a "white parcel" also waiting in the mailbox. It turns out that shortly after, we had one of those extreme whirlwind gales that the Liffey Valley notoriously gets blasted with from time to time, this one lasting over 17 hours and gusting off the scale at 250km/h. We're pretty used to the elements randomly Marie-Kondoing our lives by now, but this one was a doozy.

Whatever was in my mailbox I'll never know, because it's simply gone, including its contents. The four 10mm bolts that secured it to its steel and concrete pipe mounting have snapped.

We got off lightly though, a lot of trees uprooted and tossed around, a couple of panels missing from the greenhouse and a 70lb Canadian canoe translocated 500m down the hill, but undamaged. One neighbour has had their home totally obliterated, and there are scattered remains of lots of roofs and sheds lying around everywhere.

Actually, maybe I should blame AusPost for my missing mail. Random freaky storms make a lot more sense than some of their operations...

My ex wife and I had a place on top of the hill above Sulphur Creek. I know all about how windy Tassie can get, though I can't say that I've ever lost a mail box.

 

[Holiday]

Sorry to hear of your misplaced parcel and neighbours woes @Gargravarr, glad you and Mrs Gargravarr are OK

 

[Gargravarr]

Sorry to hear of your misplaced parcel and neighbours woes @Gargravarr, glad you and Mrs Gargravarr are OK

Thanks for that. I've been going back through my emails, and unless someone has sent me a surprise, I believe it's just a pair of fingerless gloves. Icy Tasmanian weather and osteo-arthritis are not happy bedfellows, so I can never have too many gloves. So no matter, I'll just order another pair.

First world problems; in times gone by, ships carrying mail might sink and no-one might be any the wiser. I'm not going to whine about a $10 pair of gloves while donating my spare generator to one neighbour to keep his freezers working for the next few days. At least I still have a home.

 

[Mark1966]

https://www.facebook.com/watch?v=348773584038178

https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-...ery-wait/5c7c5142-8817-4a25-bde2-1af802fa6f9a

 

[Mark1966]

Just a heads up -

At Australia Post, we continually review our products and services to ensure we provide sustainable products and services for all Australians. We're writing to you today to advise of changes to the price of some of our retail products and services.

What's changing?

Effective from 5 September 2022, we will be applying the following weighted average increases to the price of the products and services set out below:

• 4.5% for Domestic Parcel services
• 4.8% for International Parcel services
• 3.5% for International Letter services
• 3.0% for Unaddressed Mail services and
• 2.5% - 2.9% for some Prepaid Letter products

These changes do not impact the rates payable under any contractual arrangements in place. You can find the new prices for specific services and products and further information about these changes at auspost.com.au/pricingupdate.

The pricing for all of our retail products and services is set out in our Post Charges guide which can be found at auspost.com.au/postcharges. The Post Charges guide will be updated on 5 September 2022.

Thank you for your continued business

 

[Nanook]

Their prices might go up but I bet their service doesn't....

 

[Razor Burn]

Well that's it I officially give up with Ausfarce as was expecting a recent package from SYD>CBR which was due on the 02 Aug yet the postie shows up apologetic as he had a super busy day and swears he saw my package but must've accidently left it in the depot and would look and attempt delivery next day...? Not to worry he said as "package is insured up to $100 AUD so all is sweet"

No sight of said package the next day with Ausfarce updating the tracking stating please wait until 19 Aug before contacting us to investigate!? Surely it isn't hard to deliver a single package a few hundred km's down the highway and the fact I can't get an answer as to why tracking stated it was scanned and with driver/postie for delivery yet poof the package disappears with my money on it was sent to the wrong place judging by the competency of the postie who frankly had no idea what he was doing when we briefly spoke!!!

 

[Mark1966]

... Not to worry he said as "package is insured up to $100 AUD so all is sweet"
...

WOW!

Doesn't THAT give you such confidence ...

I wonder if he realises that the aim of the business is to deliver packages, not pay out compensation?

 

[Razor Burn]

WOW!

Doesn't THAT give you such confidence ...

I wonder if he realises that the aim of the business is to deliver packages, not pay out compensation?

I rushed home from work to sign for the package knowing that they recently changed the close times at the local depot and having tracking update that it would be arriving late that day was concerning but once the postie pulled up I knew their was a problem as he searched and searched for the package with no success!

Then tracking updates that its on the way and another 2 days pass with update to wait another 2 weeks before raising a claim is frankly laughable as now I can't even raise a paypal dispute as they tend to take 30 days to investigate and the seller won't reply to my email seeking assistance as they can't do anything until Ausfarce notify me... First World charges for Third World service!

 

[Mark1966]

I rushed home from work to sign for the package knowing that they recently changed the close times at the local depot and having tracking update that it would be arriving late that day was concerning but once the postie pulled up I knew their was a problem as he searched and searched for the package with no success!

Then tracking updates that its on the way and another 2 days pass with update to wait another 2 weeks before raising a claim is frankly laughable as now I can't even raise a paypal dispute as they tend to take 30 days to investigate and the seller won't reply to my email seeking assistance as they can't do anything until Ausfarce notify me... First World charges for Third World service!

Yeah, I'd not be waiting on timelines that they create!

I've lodged a dispute as the receiver with AusPost and found packages suddenly found.

Commencing a PayPal dispute within the time limits they impose (45 days?) is essential and even with their timelines it is still potentially quicker than a credit card chargeback - a nightmare process even when you have all the information. I had to do one recently via Commbank and their processes to lodge the dispute where a real pain, highly repetitive and they didn't follow through at all unless chased.

While you cannot threaten to raise a dispute, you can inform sellers that you will raise a dispute - and that often triggers actions.

 

[Zeke]

WOW!

Doesn't THAT give you such confidence ...

I wonder if he realises that the aim of the business is to deliver packages, not pay out compensation?

Now you're just being pedantic!

 

[Nanook]

Well that's it I officially give up with Ausfarce as was expecting a recent package from SYD>CBR which was due on the 02 Aug yet the postie shows up apologetic as he had a super busy day and swears he saw my package but must've accidently left it in the depot and would look and attempt delivery next day...?

My last postie lived at the end of my street, parcels were always late. I complained to the Post Office one day and they said that he was really busy due to the increase in home shopping because of Covid. I lost it at that, and told them the truth, it's because he does his own street and stops at his house for lunch for hours at a time. He retired not long after that thankfully.

 

[Razor Burn]

Yeah, I'd not be waiting on timelines that they create!

I've lodged a dispute as the receiver with AusPost and found packages suddenly found.

Commencing a PayPal dispute within the time limits they impose (45 days?) is essential and even with their timelines it is still potentially quicker than a credit card chargeback - a nightmare process even when you have all the information. I had to do one recently via Commbank and their processes to lodge the dispute where a real pain, highly repetitive and they didn't follow through at all unless chased.

While you cannot threaten to raise a dispute, you can inform sellers that you will raise a dispute - and that often triggers actions.

So after opening a few disputes Auspost informed me that the local depot are unable to locate the missing parcel so its "Lost" and to contact the seller for assistance.

After waiting half an hour on the phone I finally got through to a person who explained they still need to check things with Auspots but since its "Lost" I shouldn't have to wait too long for a new item or refund as not overly confident that anything they send me won't get "Lost" by Ausfarce a second time...? Cheers for the suggestions @Mark1966 as was looking at waiting weeks before any resolution.

 

[Mark1966]

So after opening a few disputes Auspost informed me that the local depot are unable to locate the missing parcel so its "Lost" and to contact the seller for assistance.

After waiting half an hour on the phone I finally got through to a person who explained they still need to check things with Auspots but since its "Lost" I shouldn't have to wait too long for a new item or refund as not overly confident that anything they send me won't get "Lost" by Ausfarce a second time...? Cheers for the suggestions @Mark1966 as was looking at waiting weeks before any resolution.

for what it is worth - I’ve never had a replacement lost as well (famous last words I know)

 

[Bucephalus]

Yesterday, 8 August 2022, two packages were delivered via their Courier's "drop method". A box was gift quality crockery with highly visible "Fragile" tape around it; a blind beggar couldn't have missed it - apologies to the blind and beggars! Despite this, it was dropped with a heavy thud which I heard from my recliner! The doorbell was not rung and despite "Signature Required" on the address label, the Courier galloped from the door before I gathered my cane and made my way there.
Thanks to excellent packaging by the retailer, each piece individually bubble-wrapped and each layer separated by PS peanuts, all pieces were intact with no chips. Extremely poor service. They don't give a s**t!

 

[Zeke]

Yesterday, 8 August 2022, two packages were delivered via their Courier's "drop method". A box was gift quality crockery with highly visible "Fragile" tape around it; a blind beggar couldn't have missed it - apologies to the blind and beggars! Despite this, it was dropped with a heavy thud which I heard from my recliner! The doorbell was not rung and despite "Signature Required" on the address label, the Courier galloped from the door before I gathered my cane and made my way there.
Thanks to excellent packaging by the retailer, each piece individually bubble-wrapped and each layer separated by PS peanuts, all pieces were intact with no chips. Extremely poor service. They don't give a s**t!

It goes beyond not caring. I worked in a parcel sorting centre for a while and saw long-term employees deliberately, violently throw packages labelled "fragile" against the side of a stillage, then comment, "that's what you do if it's got a fragile lable on it!"

I felt like treating him the same way, but what can you do?

 

[TroyTools]

Thank goodness it's a bit better than that nowadays. In some centres at least, there is occasional discipline for deliberate mistreatment of freight, if there is good leadership on the floor witnessing it.
It's the cage/stillage tipping machines where it's totally uncontrollable. In the big depots it's a fully mechanised process that just up-ends and tips out the cage, old school.
Pack your goods really well is my advice.