So a few months ago I got a package from Japan, perfectly packed boxed and bubble wrapped (it was a boxed plastic model kit, simple square box inside bubble wrap, inside a cardboard box).
Anyway, for some reason customs decide to open it. They open it with a box cutter, they slice through the cardboard box, bubble wrap, and my model kit box as well.
They then re-pack my model kit box just in thin paper wrapping, throwing away the bubble wrap and cardboard.
I get my item to my parcel locker, and it's crushed, obviously. I'm not too happy about that, but then when I take off the shitty paper wrapping and sticky tape I find it's got a huge bloody blade slice through the box.
Unhappy at this point, I contact the seller to check how they packed it (as I didn't know initially). I find out about the extra box and bubble wrap, and now I'm pissed at customs. I understand it's not the sellers fault.
Anyway, write to customs, add photos, add notes from seller, etc. All my evidence given.
They write back about a month later, admitting it was cut by a box cutter due to carelessness, but say "not our problem, talk to Australia post because they do all our parcel opening for us"
Fine. I call aus post. Get a dope who tells me no, not aus posts problem, they don't open anything, customs does.
I think ok fine whatever, I call back aus post and get someone else who's a little bit better informed. They direct me to the website and run me through the process.
Apparently. the only process you have in such a situation is:
- Go to an aus post office with your damaged item, packaging, and all paper copies of records. Nothing digital is accepted.
- Give them everything you have including your damaged item
- Wait for their assessment.
- Best case scenario, they issue you a compensation amount of a maximum of $50.
- Except it doesn't go to you, it goes to the original seller/poster back in japan, so I have to negotiate with them to pay me my own compensation.
- Oh, and they said they'd probably keep the damaged item as well on top of it and destroy it. Because that's their process.
Seriously, that is such a bullshit process from a where customs can destroy your property and face pretty much no repercussions because it's simply too big of a hassle for the little guy like me to follow up.
Yep, this is a rant, but I can't believe customs and auspost processes are so terrible.
I think its Customs who opened it, not aus post, based on watching Border Security.