Australia Post Lost Parcel / Senders Problem?

Lpsyclone1982 on 22/01/2024 - 15:44
Last edited 22/01/2024 - 15:45

Looking for some advice is anyone has any experience in this issue.

I purchased an item from AliExpress back in December, delivery was attempted on Monday the 8th of January however no-one was home so it was taken to the post office for collection. I went to the post office to collect the parcel and it could not be found, I told them I’d come back in a couple of days to see if it had been found. 15th of January comes around and I go back to the post office and it still could not be located so they told me to fill out the form online which would open an investigation.

The result of this investigation came back on the 17th of January that the parcel had been lost.

“Our Delivery Centre team have tried to locate your parcel and have been unsuccessful we must now declare this parcel lost in transit.
I can appreciate that this is not the outcome you were after and I apologise that we have been unable to track this down for you

Please reach out to the merchant you purchased from as they should have a policy that covers customers such as yourself in situations like these.”

I contacted the seller on AliExpress who stated that the item is awaiting collection and I should go to the post office to collect the item and it was not lost.

Over the weekend I sent Australia Post a follow up email to the investigation asking them to please mark the parcel as lost so that it shows up in the tracking as the Merchant will not send another item as they believe it is awaiting collection.

Australia posts reply was to just forward them the email saying it was lost and that should be all they need. Needless to say this is not all that the AliExpress seller needed to send another item. I’ve sent Australia Post another email but expecting another generic response.

How can I get an item Australia Post has lost to be actually marked as lost in tracking? Does anyone have any ideas on what to try?

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Comments

  • skid on 22/01/2024 - 15:54
    +1

    The situation looks dire.

    Did Aust Post leave a card? How did you know that delivery was attempted? If a card was left, check that you are going to the post office indicated on the card as it might not be your nearest post office.

    Chances are you'll have to chalk this one up as a loss and order again.

    • AustriaBargain on 22/01/2024 - 16:37

      I think they are going to stop leaving cards if the delivery is automatically registered in the app.

      • sam-1966 on 22/01/2024 - 17:10

        Had a 'attempted' delivery this morning. No card left. Merchant had not sent me the tracking number until later in the day upon my request, with the advice that the attempted delivery had been made.

        Went to collect the parcel and mentioned that no card had been left and was told that they weren't leaving cards now when a phone number or email was 'attached' to the parcel. Told her that I hadn't received tracking etc., and that at the time my husband was just leaving for work… clearly they hadn't even walked up the stairs to try to deliver. She checked the QR code on the parcel a couple of times and just shrugged…

        • AustriaBargain on 22/01/2024 - 17:13

          I always just giver them my ID when collecting parcel, it has my name, they will ask to see my ID anyway.

  • psyclone1982 on 22/01/2024 - 16:06

    No card was left, Monday the 8th of January when it was first attempted delivery was the day Victoria had 2 months rainfall in a single day, my guess is that the driver didn't actually even get out of his car although I was not home so it's possible but no card was left.

    When you track the Con. note on the Australia Posts website it tells you which post office it is awaiting collection at which is how I knew which post office to go to.

  • Drakesy on 22/01/2024 - 16:41
    +1

    Here we go

  • Porker on 22/01/2024 - 16:44
    +1

    Double check the post office if you can - although a hassle to do. I have had experience where the staff at the store have said the parcel isn't there when I've come to pick up, and then I've explained what it will look like so they go have another look.

    "… Oh here it is, my colleague put it in the wrong spot…"

    It's happened a few times. Last one was, for example, a kids bike box which I guess was like looking for an elephant through a microscope.

    • psyclone1982 on 23/01/2024 - 13:03

      Thanks for the reply, I have been twice already 3 days apart, i'll give it another shot in the the next couple of days if I have no luck with Australia post on the phone or via email.

  • Jugganautx on 22/01/2024 - 16:52

    Call them instead of emailing and you must get a better out come from a human being instead of a robot.

    • psyclone1982 on 23/01/2024 - 13:05

      I have rung them this morning and they are going to investigate further and update me by phone or email.

      Long story short it was no more productive, I explained that the merchant will not send a new item or refund as they believe it is at the post office awaiting collection but I jsut get the same reply from the person as the email, just forward them this email saying it is lost.

      I just don't understand why it's so hard to update the tracking on the con. note to show lost instead of awaiting collection.

  • pyr0 on 22/01/2024 - 16:57

    It could very likely still be at the LPO. Do you feel like they had a thorough look? What size would the parcel be? They have different areas for different size items but sometimes a small or flat parcel may end up in the pigeonholes where letters for collection are stored.

    • psyclone1982 on 23/01/2024 - 13:08

      I think they are searching thoroughly the two times I have gone down they have searched for about 10 minutes each time.

      The item is awaiting collection at "PAKENHAM PARCEL DELIVERY" which is not a standard post office, it is like a distribution centre where all the parcels leave from to be delivered, the package in question will be very small and this place is huge which I'd imagine is not helping.

  • Cluster on 22/01/2024 - 16:59
    +1

    This is an unusual situation as the parcel was lost while waiting to be picked up. When I had lost letters/parcels they were always lost in transit.

    As a seller on eBay, I know it's my responsibility to chase down lost items and pester AP for compensation. The buyer just requests a refund from eBay, which eBay is more than happy to give (at my expense). Unfortunately it's on the seller on AliExpress to ask (presumably) China Post for compensation and for AliExpress to give a refund, but obviously they aren't going to be keen to do that. The package may have had no insurance and the seller is thinking 'what the heck, just pick up the package already'

    It's an interesting limbo case. I would go to the AP branch where the package was lost and ask them for a phone number to contact AP directly on the matter. Speak to a real human, and quote your case number (or get one if you don't have one).

    In my experience, getting compensation from AP can be like pulling teeth. They demand to know the wholesale price of an item, won't compensate any fees or taxes you paid, and they look for reasons not to pay. They're also a little well…. thick… when it comes to reading invoices. You really have to point out important data explicitly as often whoever is reading forms makes mistakes.

    • psyclone1982 on 23/01/2024 - 13:24

      Thanks Cluster!

      I've rung them this morning on the 13 POST generic number.

      I'm going to go to the post office to attempt to collect again this week and if I get nowhere I'll ask for a number to escalate the case to.

      As i mentioned in another reply, I don't blame AliExpress or the seller in this case not sending a replacement, I would not post a replacement item either it the tracking showed the item as awaiting collection. Anyone can fake an email from Australia Post saying the item is lost.

  • Some Human on 22/01/2024 - 17:36

    Seller should refund you and chase it up with auspost themselves to get compensation.
    That's how it works on ebay anyway.

  • PissLUR on 22/01/2024 - 18:22

    I have a Myer parcel that was lost in 2022. it is still showing In Transit.

    AP will not change the status.

    • psyclone1982 on 23/01/2024 - 13:20

      It's ridiculous.

      As i mentioned in another reply, I don't blame AliExpress or the seller in this case not sending a replacement, I would not post a replacement item either it the tracking showed the item as awaiting collection. Anyone can fake an email from Australia Post saying the item is lost.

  • Transient on 23/01/2024 - 11:28

    Same thing happened to me about a year ago. Package was tracked and I think said waiting for collection at post office. However, I never received pickup instructions. I contacted Aust Post and they said they lost it. I reported to AliExpress seller and they said tracking shows not lost but awaiting collection. I called AustPost and they said they could not change the tracking to lost. They sent me an email saying it was lost so I can use as proof. I sent it to AliExpress but they would not accept it. I went back to AustPost and they said because the sender could not assist, under Aust Consumer Law they could give me a refund. I sent them a copy of the invoice and they were ready to pay.

    By this time two weeks had passed. I then received a notification saying I could collect it from my local post office, so picked up the item. Apparently they found the item.

    Good luck!

    • psyclone1982 on 23/01/2024 - 13:10

      Thanks for sharing, I'm not getting anywhere with the AliExpress seller so it's good to know that eventually I might get some compensation from Australia post!

  • Transient on 23/01/2024 - 11:32

    Refer my comments in a previous post: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/751358

    • psyclone1982 on 23/01/2024 - 13:19

      Yeah, I don't even blame AliExpress or the seller in this case.

      I would not post a replacement item either it the tracking showed the item as awaiting collection. Anyone can fake an email from Australia Post saying the item is lost.

  • sneijder on 23/01/2024 - 13:40

    sorry to hear that. I hope AP finally find the parcel.

    On a not so related note, I had similar situation with Auspost lost an Amazon parcel. Amazon refunded me straight away without the need to ask. It even refunded the price difference for the item has risen price.

  • psyclone1982 on 25/01/2024 - 12:33
    +2

    Hi Everyone!

    A good update for a change for you all.

    Australia Post still cannot change the tracking to lost however as the seller refused to send a new item until the tracking showed up as lost Australia Post have refunded me for the purchase amount, in full including all shipping etc.

    I've filled out the form on their website and I should supposedly have my money back in 5 working days.

    Thanks for all of your replies!

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