Postman Won't Give Me My Parcel

mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 16:31
Last edited 09/05/2023 - 16:57 by 1 other user

I arrived home and found parcel delivery van in my driveway.

I said "hi, what do you have for me?". He said he rang door bell twice and was about to leave and he couldn't give me my parcel because he had already logged it in the system as a missed delivery. He then said I had to pick it up from the nearby post office. I said you got to be kidding, I'm right here. He said nope and tried to cancel it in the system but couldn't, and left. Looked in mailbox after he left and found a missed delivery collection card.

Wtf..is Auspost's system that inflexible or is this driver a noob that doesn't know what he's doing.

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Comments

  • Muzeeb on 09/05/2023 - 16:36
    +84

    Yes
    No

      • Muzeeb on 09/05/2023 - 16:43
        +51

        I will elaborate. The OP asked a two part question.

        is auspost's system that inflexible

        Yes

        is this driver a noob that doesn't know what he's doing.

        No

        • DashCam AKA Rolts on 09/05/2023 - 17:47
          +4

          That makes sense. Cheers.

          • HeWhoKnows on 10/05/2023 - 08:03
            +1

            @DashCam AKA Rolts: Doesnt make sense to me.
            Its like you answer the door whilst the postman is still there, but its been logged as a missed delivery.
            Seriously??????

            Id be complaining to AusPost

            • SlickMick on 10/05/2023 - 08:41
              +33

              @HeWhoKnows: Answering the door is different to driving into the driveway. Otherwise people would just follow delivery trucks collecting everyone's parcels.

              Also, these guys are paid peanuts. They try to work as efficiently as possible, and redoing paperwork is not in their business model. I don't think customer service is a priority.

              • Miss B on 10/05/2023 - 21:57
                -5

                @SlickMick: If they can get into the house you might as well give them the parcel, they can take everything else anyway.

                They could also check ID.

                • SlickMick on 10/05/2023 - 22:41
                  +5

                  @Miss B: If you were a delivery driver, and no-one was home to accept delivery so you went through the missed delivery process, then as your leaving, wait while the customer unlocks house and/ or identifies themself?

                  That's a great service you're offering, but you won't earn enough to feed your family.

                  • Miss B on 10/05/2023 - 23:09
                    +2

                    @SlickMick: I'd feel too shitty deliberately costing someone 30+mins to save myself 1-2mins. It's not so much a customer service thing as a human thing. It wouldn't happen all that often that someone arrives home right at the moment you're about to leave with a signature on delivery parcel.

                    • ceroau on 12/05/2023 - 08:59
                      +1

                      @Miss B: It likely a lot longer than 2 minutes if even doable. An end user like that would have (profanity) all access and knowledge of the system in place. I doubt it is easy let alone possible(atleast for the driver) to change the status of a parcel once it has been set to that.

                      Systems are designed in certain ways for reasons and “home owner running into driver after parcel been marked as missed deliver” would not be a common scenario that would have considered when designing the program. Software isn’t magic and everyone who uses that software some kind of all knowing wizards.

                      • Miss B on 12/05/2023 - 10:30
                        -1

                        @ceroau: As others have said, they can do it. It seems to be < 30 secs based on the couple of times it's happened for me. I didn't even need to ask them to change it, they just did it. They either couldn't be bothered or were not trained properly. Hopefully they just weren't trained and will now ask someone how to do it.

              • MrFrugalSpend on 10/05/2023 - 23:38
                +2

                @SlickMick: indeed, good point, it was probably a cover story to avoid an argument, but postie has no idea who is walking up asking for the parcel if you didn't come from inside

      • Lurk Hartog on 10/05/2023 - 08:02

        Press F to pay respects.

        • bigbadboogieman on 10/05/2023 - 12:42
          +5

          Zero Fs given by the post man. That is respectable enough.

    • Wiede on 11/05/2023 - 09:21

      Maybe, I don't know

      • odc on 11/05/2023 - 09:50

        Can you repeat the question?

    • leeweesquee on 13/05/2023 - 05:13

      Yeah, nah

  • [Deactivated] on 09/05/2023 - 16:39
    +1

    Why didn't you elect to have the parcel left in a safe place?

    • Trance N Dance on 09/05/2023 - 16:51
      +28

      Not all parcels allow that. Ones that require signature on delivery won't let you do that.

      • JimmyF on 09/05/2023 - 16:53
        +14

        LOL I have many left in a safe place that have big 'signature on delivery' stickers slapped all over it.

        • plmko on 09/05/2023 - 17:12
          +3

          That's because over covid signature on delivery was no longer a thing.

        • Trance N Dance on 09/05/2023 - 17:26
          +5

          The stickers don't matter so much as to what the paid delivery product requires. The standard of obtaining signatures should be back now, but some drivers are still hiding behind the covid protocol where they removed the requirement/where the driver could sign for it. Had an issue almost go to the PIO last year where the driver signed for the parcel said left in safe space but delivered it to a completely wrong address. The last person at AP said protocols were broken and that the parcel should've gone to the local PO instead of driver signing it and leaving it.

          • JimmyF on 09/05/2023 - 17:54
            +4

            @Trance N Dance:

            The stickers don't matter so much as to what the paid delivery product requires. The standard of obtaining signatures should be back now, but some drivers are still hiding behind the covid protocol where they removed the requirement/where the driver could sign for it.

            I'm aware the sticker also needs a 'paid' service for it to be collected, but I've had many that required and PAID for a signature on delivery just dumped.

            Drivers don't want to have to 'deal' with knocking, waiting for people to answer or writing cards or going to the post office anymore, so just keep dumping parcels pretending its 2020 all over again!

      • [Deactivated] on 09/05/2023 - 16:59
        +2

        I know it depends on the seller.

        Also, I've yet to receive a parcel that requires signature on delivery since they resumed it last year

        • JumperC on 10/05/2023 - 20:50
          +1

          I’ve had a couple out of probably a hundred. Just the right/wrong combination of sender and delivery driver,

        • Cheap Gamer on 11/05/2023 - 20:57
          +1

          Signature on delivery can burn in hell. The only posties that do it now are newbies. They soon learn to skip it.
          Some posties are really cool. One would give me letters when he saw me out walking.
          I pity the guys who have to ride those dorky Kyburz trikes. They look like grandpa's mobility scooter.

          • [Deactivated] on 11/05/2023 - 21:27

            @Cheap Gamer: I didn't know posties can bypass signatures. Signature on delivery is becoming almost a must for small businesses though as there has been quite an increase in buyers scamming that they never received their order even when tracking shows as delivered. Another sign of the times.

            That's very kind of your postie. I wouldn't know our postie as they keep changing every month or so plus we have no interaction as it's easier for me to get stuff delivered to parcel locker just in case I need to go into the office for work.

            • Cheap Gamer on 11/05/2023 - 21:44

              @[Deactivated]: I doubt the system allows them, Kajke ;-) Anyway, it's impossible to prove who received a parcel without ID check or photo. But I guess they have to do it because of the insurance requirements. How long before posties are wearing body cams like the cops?

              • [Deactivated] on 11/05/2023 - 21:52
                +1

                @Cheap Gamer: We'll all be wearing body cams soon enough. It didn't happen unless it's caught on video, right? And then you have to contend with deep fakes so it'll all get very interesting.

            • Leadfoot6 on 12/05/2023 - 23:20

              @[Deactivated]: The postman forged mine.
              He had left it at a wrong address.
              I didn't receive delivery even though the email said that I had received it.
              Well, not until his employer told him to get the parcel from the wrong address and redeliver it to my door.
              He eventually vandalised my letter box as I had complained to AP about him forging my signature.

    • cookie2 on 09/05/2023 - 18:05
      +9

      Why does your initial reaction from that whole post seem to be to try and find the fault from the OP?

    • mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 18:14
      -1

      I dont even know what parcel is this. I just order stuff online.

      • [Deactivated] on 09/05/2023 - 18:15

        There you are! Just wondering what happened to you & if you got stuck in the queue @ AusPost?

    • HeWhoKnows on 10/05/2023 - 08:06
      +2

      "leave parcle in a safe place" is a good option but sometimes the person delivering doesnt do that for whatever reason
      Happened to me recently with a "ring-in" AP contracter.
      Had countless parcels left at my front door for years before that.
      Complained to AusPost and hasnt happened since

      The problem is that AusPost is losing all thier regular postmen and delivery drivers who know the residents and the post runs and replacing them with people that have no idea.
      These newbees also keep dropping letters into wrong mailboxes streets away.

      AusPost has gone down to the dumps

      • Tleyx on 11/05/2023 - 11:47

        Leave in safe place is difficult as it is subjective what a safe place is.

        • Gorby on 11/05/2023 - 16:20

          Living in an apartment and working from home, I've had numerous arguments with the postie who tells me our locked foyer isn't sufficiently safe and we have to race down to him to get our parcel before he marks it as undeliverable. Who cares what meetings I'm in that moment.

          • Tleyx on 11/05/2023 - 21:12

            @Gorby: We have had stuff stolen from our foyer i woulldnt trust it. People tailgate in and grab it and go

          • TightLikeThisx on 11/05/2023 - 22:13

            @Gorby: I asked my local postie about this. He said posties are instructed not to drop parcels in common property areas. This policy changed sometime after the lockdowns. Some of the drivers will still do it though.

        • HeWhoKnows on 13/05/2023 - 21:40

          Not really
          You can nominate where that safe place is in your AP online account

      • nikey2k27 on 11/05/2023 - 17:51

        i got lady passport few week ago two street over from o better drop this off i walk up her door gave too i am guy too street over. she was fly out at 6am next day that gave me 6 bottle of wine plant and after got back drop over another plant as thank you. she fly to see died mum. she pay for express post passport

      • Cheap Gamer on 11/05/2023 - 21:27

        We had a problem like that for a while. The postie said it was because the sorters put the letters in the wrong order. I thought he was shifting blame until another said it was true. Apparently, they don't check each letter because it takes too long.

    • TilacVIP on 10/05/2023 - 08:39
      +2

      my last parcel delivery that was meant to be left in a safe place, was left in the neighbours letter box, partially sticking out in full view and reach of anyone walking by to just remove and keep walking, that easy.

      Auspost are a ******** disgrace of a business

      • [Deactivated] on 10/05/2023 - 09:55

        That happened to me as well once although it was delivered in our letterbox. Just a lazy postie who couldn't be bothered walking it up to the front door.

    • nobro25 on 11/05/2023 - 06:23

      Depends on the product. I ordered a "X" from Amazon and they sent me a digit code to confirm with the delivery driver before they have the item to me. If I wasn't at home or even if there were someone at home , you needed the special pin to accept delivery. Not for all items though.

  • rambutann on 09/05/2023 - 16:41

    I would suggest that the driver is a newb.

    • Geryatric on 09/05/2023 - 17:08
      +10

      It's a loss prevention measure.

      • EightImmortals on 09/05/2023 - 17:13
        -2

        Will it prevent the loss of customers?

        I would lodge a formal complaint in this case, and that is something I would rarely do but that level of contempt needs calling out. Was talking to a friend today who is fighting with AP because all of sudden they decided they wont delivers stuff to her business because it 'doesn't have a mailbox'. It is always staffed and she is always there to sign for delivery so I suggested the posty was just too lazy to get off his bike.

        • Geryatric on 10/05/2023 - 09:14

          Letter delivery is to a mailbox only. They don't do door-to-door delivery for letters.
          Parcels is different.

      • deme on 09/05/2023 - 18:54

        How

        • EmployeeIronic fear @ Australia Post on 11/05/2023 - 16:44
          +4

          Because people following pacrel vans/posties happens fairly regularly by people attempting to steal others packages, so I'd hazard a guess its not outside the realms of possibility that they coild also just pull up next the AP driver and say im home give it to me please.

          • simplerick on 12/05/2023 - 08:41

            @Ironic fear: Imagine seeing a delivery van rock up along with an unknown driver pretending to be you in your driveway.

            Walks outside, confronts person pretending to be you, tells them they have 5 secs to get off their property before they tear their balls off.

            Chases person off their driveway while noting their number plate and reporting it to the police.

            All caught on camera, pure gold.

  • CrowReally on 09/05/2023 - 16:49
    +43

    Wtf..is auspost's system that inflexible or is this driver a noob that doesn't know what he's doing.

    I feel like no matter what we answer, nothing is going to change and you'll still need to go to the post office to collect your parcel.

  • Ryanek on 09/05/2023 - 17:07
    +21

    tried to cancel it in the system but couldn't

    So what more did you want him to do? He has to follow protocol.

    • EightImmortals on 09/05/2023 - 17:14
      +4

      He could mark it as 'collected'?
      We allegedly put people on the moon 50 years ago, surely it can't be that difficult?

      • Ryanek on 09/05/2023 - 17:18
        +3

        You'd be surprised. There is Government software still running on Fortran.

    • mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 18:15
      +2

      I find it absurd that he is standing right in front of me holding my parcel but won't let me sign for it. Maybe i should have just grabbed it out of his hands lol

      • resisting the urge on 12/05/2023 - 14:21

        You're correct.

        I'd contact AusPost and find out of their system is this inflexible. If it is, request they fix it and let you know when, as it impacts customer experience, efficiency, and morale amongst our poor posties who are just trying to do their job but have to put up with Bone-headed Bureaucracy more and more.

        Soon they'll put AI between the BhB and them, which will likely compound the problems by introducing its own idiosyncrasies.

        It's bad enough they collect everyone's mobiles, addresses, names and flog the data to world+dog in the absence of any law or effective direction.

    • mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 22:02
      +1

      What protocol? To actually deliver parcels in the hands of their rightful owners that are standing in front of them??

      • EmployeeIronic fear @ Australia Post on 11/05/2023 - 16:48
        +2

        Because he doesnt know you personally and doesnt personally know you reside at that address.

        Anyone could pull up next to the driver and say i live here, they unfortunately dont get paid all that much so the driver probably also didnt want to spend lots of time proving uou live there when theyve already done their attempt at delivering it.

        • Igaf on 11/05/2023 - 17:25

          True, but……. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/13727887/redir

          • EmployeeIronic fear @ Australia Post on 11/05/2023 - 17:46

            @Igaf: Ahhh probably just didnt want to (or know how to) change its delivery status on his scanner then to give it to OP

            • resisting the urge on 12/05/2023 - 14:26

              @Ironic fear: It can be done?

              Far better than Amazon, then.

              Recently one such deliverer waltzed up to my door, surveillance device tracking his every step and interaction. Pulls it out and demands part of my mobile number before giving me the parcel. Naturally I declined to tell a corporation and a person I didn't know, and he said he would not be able to leave it. Checked with his 'controllers' too- this was their only way of getting the job done it seems.

              They useabuse our IDs for any purpose they like, when in most cases it is just to save time and money, when they could easily use a more appropriate method.

  • Wiadro on 09/05/2023 - 17:10
    +2

    ohh well

  • HardQuiz on 09/05/2023 - 17:11
    -1

    tried to cancel it in the system but couldn't

    Did he try to scan the parcel and see what prompts come up?

    • mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 18:16
      -1

      He was fiddling around with his scanner thing for approx 15 seconds before he gave up.

  • jv on 09/05/2023 - 17:13
    +4

    I said you got to be kidding, I'm right here.

    https://media.tenor.com/Q5p-BZMwOI0AAAAC/little-britain-comp…

  • tallkid123 on 09/05/2023 - 17:21
    +9

    Wtf..is Auspost's system that inflexible or is this driver a noob that doesn't know what he's doing.

    Are you aware that the average Auspost driver would either ignore you completely or just tell you to pick it up from the PO without even checking his system.

    • [Deactivated] on 09/05/2023 - 17:27
      +3

      I feel bad for them - we have 3 different drivers throughout the day - & they're so run off their feet that the late arvo driver was making deliveries after 5:30pm the other day. Their KPIs must be horrendous

    • mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 18:18
      +1

      Nope, this is the first time its happened to me. Usually i would catch them writing a please pick up note and they would just hand the parcel it to me.

      • Tommyaka on 10/05/2023 - 08:18
        +1

        Sounds like you need to have your deliveries sent to a parcel locker, or somebody needs to be home when you're expecting parcels?

  • bdl on 09/05/2023 - 18:14
    -1

    Postman Pat and his black and white rule crap

  • GordonD on 09/05/2023 - 18:18
    +8

    There are plenty of situations like the OP describes.

    Like if you arrive just after you've been issued with a parking ticket, even if you've got a reasonable exuse, the parking officer isn't able to be generous and unissue it. Once its issued, its issued. And if you've got a problem with that, take it up with the next person along in the process.

    Once the Auspost delivery person has recorded that he couldn't deliver it, he can't give it to you. He has to take it to the post office so they'll give it to you.

    • mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 18:19
      +1

      Auspost and council fines are totally different. I didnt infringe on anything. I am the rightful owner of that parcel, why cant just pass it to me.

      • askbargain on 09/05/2023 - 18:24
        -4

        Was the parcel from Entitlement? If you’re the rightful owner, then man up and snatch it out of his hands like you said above. Post here after telling us big of a man you are. Fact is you’re always late to opening the door, so start blaming yourself first.

      • GordonD on 09/05/2023 - 18:26
        +9

        Because his computer system that records what he's delivered, and what he hasn't delivered that he has to hand to the post office, doesn't let him. Its a system that makes him account for every parcel, one way or another, to protect you against him nicking things. Sorry its very very very occasionally inconvenient, like when people turn up when the process is finished and he's about to drive away.

        • Igaf on 11/05/2023 - 13:31

          And no doubt to protect him and the sender from dishonest people who might subsequently take advantage and claim the parcel wasn't delivered.

          Agree (and sympathise) with the OP that it's a ridiculous situation but in this case the blame shouldn't fall on the lowly paid, overworked deliverer. Using his initiative would probably have wasted quite a bit of his time and a dressing down back at the depot.

          A few years back I had an expensive Amazon item delivered to the wrong house number. I was home, expecting the delivery and got a 'delivered' message on my phone. Had a look, and … nothing. Had just opened an Amazon dispute when the neighbour knocked on the door asking 'is this yours?' The courier company FASTWAY was well known for its bad service. Since changed their name to ARAMEX - and hopefully their systems and pay rates although reviews suggest otherwise. At least the driver got the street right, unlike AP who regularly delivered mail which belonged to another street entirely until I told them what was going on. Possibly dyslexia at the sorting room?

          Most of the time I have no problems with AP or couriers.

    • bmerigan on 09/05/2023 - 21:39
      -1

      Reminds me of the time I paid a parking ticket in person at the council offices 15 minutes after it was written. The girl behind the counter was surprised and a little uncomfortable.

  • Empharand on 09/05/2023 - 18:25
    +4

    Yeah OP's delivery man is a noob….. Either very new or just lazy.

    I worked for StarTrack / Australia Post for a very short period of time (They changed me from 8 hours days to 12 hour days abruptly, told me either do 12 hours or goodbye… and I wasn't a big fan of that), while it is annoying to change it and be able to release it to the receiver (It was a rigmarole if memory served), it's 100% possible. Also I can't say too much but I believe 'Attempted Delivery - Carded' and 'Redirect to local LPO' counts as 2 deliveries against their daily quota (if memory serves correctly - Could be wrong)

    • Hellcrusher3304 on 09/05/2023 - 21:18

      Interesting how the daily quota works.

      My local AusPost deliverymen have this habit of not bringing large parcels at all. I live in an apartment, there were times I literally saw the deliveryman walking to my lobby with other people's parcels. Minutes later, I get a notification from the app saying they "attempted delivery". But intercom was not rung and no collection card in my mailbox.

      Small parcels seem to get delivered tho.

      Could increasing the daily quota thing be the reason, or is the deliveryman just lazy?

  • jackary on 09/05/2023 - 18:42
    +1

    I might be an idiot… but could it be to prevent theft? Eg… who’s to say you’re not just some random, following the postie into the driveway to nick someone else’s parcel?

    • mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 22:00
      +4

      I opened the garage door and gate to the house. He could've also asked to see my ID which i would have happily showed him.

  • Master Bates on 09/05/2023 - 19:23
    +8

    There is a lie in this story:

    he rang door bell twice

    That is a very rare thing for a Postie to do.

    • mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 21:58

      To be fair to him, he actually did because i have a eufy doorbell but i didnt answer because i was driving and like 5 seconds away from my driveway.

    • Daabido on 09/05/2023 - 21:58

      This comment reminded me of;

      https://youtu.be/dpN21Hn77TY
      @7:24

      Better than reminding me of the hundreds of hours of Postman Pat I have enjoyed/endured over the years.

  • randombrick on 09/05/2023 - 19:31
    +4

    Similar thing happened to me yesterday: I didn't hear the door in time. The postie had carded me and left by the time I was out the door. Caught up to him next door and he happily handed the parcel to me.

    So, I guess the answer is "depends"?

    • mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 21:56

      Yeah, thats why i posted this experience because what you wrote is what I've always experienced and this is the first time that this has happened to me.

    • gth on 10/05/2023 - 08:08
      +1

      Driver puts himself at risk - the owner could claim they never received the parcel.

      Of course by lying, the owner is putting themselves at risk, since the driver knows where they live…

  • lostgoat on 09/05/2023 - 19:51

    Today I received a DHL parcel that was empty with only a Lego invoice from a Lego owned store .
    Thankfully it wasn't worth a fortune and my best guess is someone simply took the set and replaced the sticky tape.
    Welcome to the future of these harder economic times of plenty of thieves in the delivery chain .
    2 other events have happened in the last 3 mths in the chain as well with AP with tampering with parcels .

    • Motek Benzona on 09/05/2023 - 22:18
      +1

      There is an organised gang stealing medical marijuana packages sent from pharmacies to people

      Its happening to a lot of people. Aus post knows happening but do nothing

  • scotty on 09/05/2023 - 20:05
    +4

    Had something similar happened to me a few years ago. Heard the doorbell rang, opened the door and saw the postie leaving. Chased down to his van and would not give me the parcel because he has already left the card. Complained to the AusPost staff when I went to collect the parcel the next day and the staff just shrugged, "well, some posties are like that".

    So these days I just opt for the parcel locker for anything that won't fit into the mailbox.

    • mrvaluepack on 09/05/2023 - 21:55

      Wow. Did you follow up with a written formal complain as well?

    • AustriaBargain on 09/05/2023 - 22:25
      +1

      Should have just beamed the parcel out of his van.

  • Doyen on 09/05/2023 - 21:21
    +5

    Just hope it doesn't get taken to Sunshine West, Chullora, or Welshpool. Bermuda triangle for parcels.

    • Dreamcast on 10/05/2023 - 21:22

      So friken true 🤣🤣😢

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