I sent an item using Australia Post 3KG Express Satchel. It was going from 2000 to 2194 and the item is stuck in "In Transit" state for last 5 days but the item has been lost by Australia Post when you speak with them. The call centre has no idea of its location.
The item worths $700 and buyer is now screaming at me and demanding full refund of money.
Can I claim the whole value from Australia Post including shipment fees as a compensation of lost item?
I have posted similar items in the past with no issues. When I posted this item, I had sent another item to VIC and it reached there the next day.
I believe it is responsibility of Australia Post to make sure they deliver items. If they lose the items then they have to pay value to the sender. Why I am supposed to suffer for their incompetency?
While I agree 100% with your comment re paying for their incompetency, but the fee charged was to post the item from A to B, if it does not get posted you probably can claim back the cost of the postage. But Auspost offers insurance upto $5000 in value as extra service. As Geewhizz state above you could purchase insurance at cheap rate "$1.50 per $100 of your item's value (or part thereof)". I guess people will just make random possibly exaggerated claims of value of lost items if there is not some kind of limitations.
Good luck trying to negotiate with AP though, maybe they could find it somewhere in the office?
"I believe it is responsibility of Australia Post to make sure they deliver items."
100% correct here no questions asked, you paid for a service you should get it.
"If they lose the items then they have to pay value to the sender. Why I am supposed to suffer for their incompetency?"
wrong. you did not sufficiently insure your item, insurance is not free, they should not have to suffer for your mistake.
they have the responsibility to delivery the item , you have the responsibility to sufficiently insure the item.
two people can be wrong, they should only be responsible to the extent that you both mutually agreed the items max value was for the service you requested.
if you add > before a comment you paste it will come up more distinctive like this
I believe it is responsibility of Australia Post to make sure they deliver items.
100% correct here no questions asked, you paid for a service you should get it.If they lose the items then they have to pay value to the sender. Why I am supposed to suffer for their incompetency?
Good luck. Let us know after contacting ap.
Doesn't work like that unfortunately. Have you filled in a missing mail form as per Australia Post's website? Here I would think that this would be the department that specialises in finding lost items. This is the same reason why it's not recommended to send money over the post as it can go missing. Not sure why the mail processing staff can get away with this.
I have already lodged my complaint with Australia Post and they have advised they are looking into my item and it could take 10 business days before they provide outcome to me.
As mentioned previously, I sent by Express Post and tracking number is already showing the events however it is stuck in Transit for last 2 days.
Update: I spoke with customer service this morning and they advised it was sorted incorrectly by machine however the item is still sitting at Chullora facility for last 2 days with no further events and the customer service team is not sure the reason. It seems I will have to wait for few days to see if my item gets delivered and then have to fight with AP if item is lost to get refund of $700 (good luck to me)!
I have lost several items through auspost, parcels with tracking numbers. Their lost item enquiries are pretty much useless, all they do is check the tracking number anyway. They do not investigate any further. If your item is lost all they do is refund your postage costs. If you have insurance you need to somehow prove the value of the package using a receipt or similar. This again is useless if you have lost your receipt.
All the while AUSPOST increases their postage charges…
It sounds like the op may be lucky this time?? but he is a sitting duck for any buyer to claim non receipt if he sends an expensive item with no insurance and no signed delivery.
Buyer gets the item and claims refund for no receipt… gotcha!! :-)
If he has done it before and it all went ok then that was pure luck.
Take the risk and YOU take the blame.
The tracking says the item got delivered "sigh of relief"
I learned my lesson with tension so would be careful next time and I will go for insurance.
Good news. $700 ls no chum change.
I seriously don't believe you posted a $700 item without some sort of insurance. That's just plain crazy, especially with all the media coverage around lost and stolen parcels.
I have a feeling you're only covered for something like $50, but can't find the info on their site. You might have to have a better look for yourself.