I got a letter delivered from ebay, it has a typed page in it from Auspost that says they damaged the contents because of a machinery malfunction. The item is indeed damaged and missing parts.
There is no mention of compensation though? Wouldnt I be eligible for a refund from them?
I know I can get one from the ebay seller, but this is Ausposts fault.
Long winded, but:
the item was damaged / delayed as a result of malfunction by our machinery.
blah blah blah
caused by irregular or bulky items like coins, paper, clips etc can result in your mail being damaged.
accept our apologies.
you are not supposed to post those items via regular post. They will put it back on you.
https://auspost.com.au/business/shipping/satchels-and-packag…
4. Sending keys, pens, USBs or CDs
Never put rigid or inflexible items in a regular paper envelope - even if you think they're small enough. They could easily be damaged by our machines or torn from the envelope and lost.
I don't think standard Australia post includes insurance. Was insurance added by the sender/seller?
nah its such a low value thing. I think the seller just has to take the loss.
Also the seller didnt pack it in bubble wrap, so..
Letter post I'm not sure of but parcel Post comes with $50 compo standard. You do need to prove you packed things well though. Even if you did like 5 layers of bubble wrap, auspost likes to reject unless you used a cardboard box lol.
Unless you have purchased additional tracking option. It's not applicable for compensation.
Your best bet is to get back to the seller and have them sort this out.
https://auspost.com.au/receiving/missing-damaged-or-delayed-…
yeah looks like the seller is going to have to take responsibility
The seller is their employer you are noone hit seller up.
paç fat
You can claim up to $50 from Aust Post for damaged or lost parcels even if they weren't insured for some of their services. https://auspost.com.au/receiving/missing-damaged-or-delayed-…
Alternatively if the seller didn't correctly package the item then you have that option as well.
It sounds like it was sent as an unregistered letter so wouldn't include any compensation for loss or damage.
But yes, you can claim upto $50 if no insurance was taken out for parcels and $100 for registered letters.
Isn't the seller supposed to make the claim anyway?
This sounds like the seller was trying to send an item using a standard $1 letter enevlope (which subsequently jammed the machines). You are not supposed to put anything other than documents in a standard letter, you're supposed to use parcel post. Sender or Receiver has no case.
I semi-regularly send items as letters due to the cost of $2.30-3 versus $17-23 for parcels. The Post Office workers ask what it is, I tell them and they are always OK with it, even though they are usually random metal bits and pieces. I've never had anything rejected, despite only sending objects and not letters. They do police the 2cm thickness though.
Articles up to 20mm thickness (regardless of content) qualify to be classed as a "letter" and sent at letter rates.
You can actually send anything in a letter as long as its flexible and meets the other conditions- need not be a letter. Examples can be folded thin clothing, silicone phone case etc.
I'm pretty sure they added the first condition only within the last 3 years though. Though I find only three corporate post offices enforce this- corporate post offices also in my experience give the worst misinformation on anything I ask them. They've told me I can't send clothing even if it fit the size/weight. They told me things posted in the box never get scanned till delivery. Derp.
Source: auspost
"To be considered a letter, your item must:
weigh less than 500g
contain flexible items only (if being sent within Australia)
have a rectangular shape
be no larger than a B4 envelope (260mm x 360mm x 20mm)
be no thicker than 20mm"
Can confirm. We have a seperate tray where we put 'letters' that could get caught in the machines. These are then handsorted at the facilities. Source: Work at Post office.
Ah thanks, I feel like such a bother now lol. What are you confirming? That you can't send anything non-paper/letter as a letter? Or only things that aren't flexible sent as letters?
Is it true that the non flexible rule only started a few years ago? I don't remember that being one of the conditions before (I think I checked the website after an auspost worker told me I couldn't).
@Bargainbeth: My apologies I meant to reply to Ocker. We don't care what it is at the PO I work at, as long as it fits in the 20mm gauge and is under 500 grams. If something looks iffy, like it could get torn -but still fits those parameters- we have the other tray as mentioned. Other post offices might be more strict, so YMMV. I know that certain overseas and prepaid letter envelops that say documents only will not accept anything but documents even if it's something super thin.
@nodeahs: Ahh fair enough, because those envelopes are marked that way to be put in the usual tray I guess. But I don't understand why strictness need be a thing, just either stick to the rules or be more lenient.
Some post office employees act like they run the store and that making it stricter or giving wrong info so that I don't potentially break the rules. They then give a smug look until I pull up the rules on the site, or take my things and post elsewhere. I always post things in a bubble wrap or thick envelope had never happened to me.
@Bargainbeth: Sorry to hear you've had a bad experience, it's not the first story I've heard for sure. Maybe it's because I'm in a semi-regional area all of the post offices I've dealt with in the district have been very friendly and flexible. Where I work, there's one supervisor who is very kind and lets people send things if they're just over the limit or just over the size for letters. But if you have any issues give 13 13 18 a call because they will generally be most accommodating if they get a valid complaint.
What were the contents & valUe that were damaged?
Had this a month or two back so I just contacted the seller with pictures of the damaged package the AP enclosed note. They were happy to send out the missing parts.
Solid item posted in a regular envelope?
If so it has nothing to do with AP it is the seller's responsibility for not choosing an appropriate packaging.
I had an envelope that was delivered to my Po Box, the only issue was that it didn't fit and they folded it in half which damaged the contents, surely they could have carded the PO box or placed it into an oversize locker and place the key in the PO Box, luckily the value was only a few dollars and no big deal, just very disappointing.
It was easy to tell that it was not just written paper inside and that bending it was not a good idea.
What did Auspost say when you asked them?