Sender Has Underpaid Postage - Australia Post Is Charging Me

LJamieNZ1980 on 08/01/2021 - 14:05
Last edited 08/01/2021 - 16:14 by 1 other user

Hi

First time poster, but I’ve been browsing for a few months and have picked up some great deals, so thanks for all the efforts.

I’ve had a couple of deliveries recently where Australia Post has determined the sender has underpaid postage, and so I’ve been slugged the difference on collection.

They have been EBay “deals”, that were good at the time (some on this site), but when you factor in the extra postal charge, the deal is nowhere near as good.

Does anyone know any course of actions I can take here?

The only options I assume are:

  • Pay up and take the goods, and try to claim the difference back from the sender. Are they legally required to make good on the deal as advertised if I have the collection card and receipts?
    Or
  • Not pay, not take receipt of goods, and then dispute the delivery with the sender?

I have messaged both sellers about the issue, but wondering if anyone has any knowledge / prior history that may help my cause.

Appreciate the thoughts

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Comments

  • stirlo on 08/01/2021 - 14:12
    +11

    I'm very surprised that an established seller like Bing Lee would underpay postage. Have you got a receipt/proof of what postage paid was and why the extra amount was due. This sounds more like an overzealous Australia Post employee or shop improperly charging people than an established ecommerce merchant underpaying.

    As for other packages from random ebay sellers this is unfortunately a known issue/scam to sell their products cheaper. I normally pay the postage and then lodge a dispute with the seller to get a refund (of full amount) and leave negative feedback explaining that they tried to scam Australia Post (and therefore our tax dollars).

  • rambutann on 08/01/2021 - 14:18
    +4

    I'm surprised they don't just charge Bing Lee.. they would be on an account.. they send it with a weight, Auspost audit, debit for any incorrect declarations.. makes no sense to pass it onto the consumer.. If they aren't on an account it should just be returned to sender if its significantly out.

  • JMosk on 08/01/2021 - 14:24
    +2

    Have had this before, but not with an established seller like Bing Lee.
    My suggestion is to request more information from Australia Post, pass that information to the seller and confirm that they will pay the additional amount.
    It's a PITA but if you pay the amount upfront then you can get messed around by the seller

  • JennyLong on 08/01/2021 - 14:27
    +1

    Yeah, I've had this happen to me a few times where an invisibly franked stamp was put onto the envelope. It's very obvious under UV light if a stamp has been used already even if it doesn't have a black stamp on it.

    Ironically, I have kept this stamp on my table for a few years to remind myself that people are evil. The post office who was involved wanted to keep the evidence intact, and therefore they did not use a black stamp it when they presented it to me. I now have it as a souvenir of the time some dodo ripped me off.

  • garetz on 08/01/2021 - 14:33
    +6

    Refuse delivery and get a refund.

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 09/01/2021 - 02:13

      Refuse delivery and get a refund.

      Yes, this. Your time is money, and if everyone does this it will simply stop happening.

  • JamieNZ1980 on 08/01/2021 - 14:36

    Appreciate the responses.

    I've edited the post, as I am not yet certain the Bing Lee delivery is subject to this. I had included them initially, as I have had a notification of an attempted delivery today with a parcel from them, and a collection card in my letterbox saying underpayment, but no sender information is on the card, so I don't know for certain this is the delivery.

    So, it could just be the smaller ebay sellers who have done this. I have never had issues before with this though, so I'm wondering whether it's a case of an overzealous AP employee. I guess if that's the case, my beef is with Australia Post.

    I'll chase the sellers again with receipts / collection cards etc to see how I go, but sounds like it's almost just a risk you take buying from these guys.

  • trex on 08/01/2021 - 14:44
    +2

    Happened to me once when the seller posted it as a letter instead of parcel. I paid the difference and contacted the seller who then refunded me. If they don't do a Paypal dispute and leave a bad rating on the seller.

  • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2021 - 14:47
    +1

    I've only had it happen with an overseas sender and when I raised it with them they were very apologetic - apparently, postage rates increased due to COVID-19 and whoever maintains their website missed the memo re: updating the international shipping rates. They offered a credit for the difference + 20% on my next purchase or a credit for the difference to my c/c.

    • JamieNZ1980 on 08/01/2021 - 14:50

      I was wondering whether there was maybe a relationship to the post being swamped with freight post Covid's emergence (and so increased costs not yet reflected in shipper's rates), as it's been 2 deliveries in 2 weeks (and now another one pending collection) and never any prior.

      • [Deactivated] on 08/01/2021 - 15:33
        +1

        That may well be the case.

        I would be surprised if you have issues in recovering the difference in postage costs (from Bing Lee, at least) as you have all the evidence to show the original deal details and the collection receipts.

        ps. Interestingly, Aus Post includes general procedures for dealing with underpaid articles within their General products and services guide

  • jayboi on 08/01/2021 - 15:50

    This happened to me with a eBay seller with stamped postage, the seller was very scummy and didn’t put a RTS address so they wouldn’t get sent the extra bill. Auspost left a card in my letterbox to collect and pay extra but when I got to the post office the guy working there was really nice and just let me take it without paying as it was not my fault but he told me to let the seller know for future reference.
    Maybe try and tell the post office that it is not your fault and they probs will let you have it without paying.

    EDIT: also this happened pre COVID in 2019 and the eBay seller had a couple of negative feedback for this exact issue so they know they are trying to game the system to get cheaper postage rates

    Also opened an eBay case and got a full refund from the scummy seller and never bought from them again

  • solidussnake on 08/01/2021 - 16:51

    It will be the small ebay sellers as they try to get away doing this method so they make more money. Had this happen to me twice, both times I paid the charge and they refunded me when I replied back to them.

  • bajirao on 08/01/2021 - 23:49

    Similar thing happened to me - with an ebay seller but the postman delivered (was left in letter box with insufficient postage marked). I was planning a trip to post office the same day for something else so took that letter and volunteered to pay at the post office counter. The post office clerk did not know what to do (she checked with her colleague too!) and told me no need to pay!

  • OzBrogains on 03/02/2021 - 23:31

    I’m surprised the receiver has any obligation in paying the difference. Surely AP should either return the parcel to the sender or refuse to deliver it?

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