How to Approach Australia Post Not Delivering Parcels to Home Address?

May4th on 17/01/2023 - 19:57
Last edited 17/01/2023 - 20:18 by 1 other user

Here we go again, the age old Aus Postie conundrum-

So lately I've had issues with a few deliveries from AusPost not being delivered. For context I work full-time long hours and find it very difficult to make it to the post office during business hours, whereas my wife WFH most days.

We have had one parcel not delivered whilst my wife was home all day- no calling card left and the parcel was dropped off at collection centre not local to us about 4-5kms from my house leading me to suspect that no delivery was actually attempted.

A second parcel - a phone case was in an untracked envelope - the LPO actually called me and said "sorry we have a lazy postie here who just dropped it off, can you pick it up"

Apart from putting in a web complaint form which never seems to achieve anything is there anything else you can do to escalate these issues?

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Comments

  • Hybroid on 17/01/2023 - 20:00
    +9

    Use a free parcel locker and pickup at your convenience 24/7: https://auspost.com.au/receiving/collection-points/use-a-247…

    • Jimothy Wongingtons on 17/01/2023 - 20:04
      +1

      /thread

    • May4th on 17/01/2023 - 20:23
      +1

      thanks, didn't realise it's free. will definitely look into this. looks like the nearest one to me is 10-15min drive away which is a bit of a nuisance but at least it's accessible

      • Hybroid on 17/01/2023 - 20:29
        +4

        Yes you get a dedicated address basically for the parcel locker of your choice with a number that identifies your account.

        You can then either enter your home address or your personal parcel locker address when ordering online.

        You can track all your orders via your AusPost account and will get an e-mail and text message when item is in the locker. You then have 2 days to pickup at any hour of the day or night.

        You can also use the parcel locker to send parcels. Either pay postage online and print or use the 24/7 point of sale machine (if your branch has one) to weight and pay for postage. Then scan the code and pop it in the parcel locker. Shop staff pick it up first thing in the morning.

        • jjjaar on 17/01/2023 - 22:24
          +11

          I do not accept that Parcel Locker is a solution here.

          Yes you get a dedicated address basically for the parcel locker of your choice with a number that identifies your account.

          OP already has a dedicated address - their house. And someone is home to accept delivery.

          Why should people not be able to expect their deliveries to actually go to their house if that’s where they want them?

          Why should they have to go out of their way to collect things from a Parcel Locker? For many people/purchases it’s easier to go to the actual store than to use a Parcel Locker, which just completely defeats the purpose of delivery, especially if they’ve paid extra for delivery.

          • Hybroid on 17/01/2023 - 22:28
            +6

            @jjjaar: You're not wrong, but you can expect all you want and shout into the customer service void as much as you like but, if the delivery person isn't doing their job properly, you can only control things within your power. Plan B.

      • djkelly69 on 17/01/2023 - 20:59
        +1

        You can have more than one, so can have one close to work and one close to home, etc, and send to whichever one suits for each parcel.

      • Twix on 17/01/2023 - 21:05
        +2

        Install the AusPost app and use notifications instead of SMS. There are always AusPost delivery scam SMS going around.

    • WookieMonster on 17/01/2023 - 21:09
      +5

      An excellent suggestion… but it should be highlighted that not all senders will actually send items to Parcel Lockers.

      The Good Guys, Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks are some examples of senders that do not send to Parcel Lockers.

      I've also had a couple of eBay sellers in the past refuse to send items to a Parcel Locker. One of those sellers told me it was "not a secure method of delivering items". Rightio…

      • Sleeqb7 on 18/01/2023 - 11:38
        +1

        It depends on the freight method.

        Some couriers aren't able to deliver to parcel lockers, and if a company doesn't use AusPost for deliveries, then they may not have a suitable option.

  • mskeggs on 17/01/2023 - 20:49
    +2

    Parcel post is contracted to the lowest bidder for your route, and it changes every couple of years. If you call and complain that delivery is not being attempted, this should improve.
    I don’t know if two parcels, and one might have been a letter, is really worth a complaint. When we had a series of no attempts at delivery a complaint fixed it.
    In that case, I think the contractor had bid too low, and we’re reaching the end of their contract, so they were over it.

    We now have a great parcel postie, up for a quick chat and very friendly and reliable.

    • [Deactivated] on 17/01/2023 - 21:25

      We have 3 Aus Post parcel posties + the letter postie who also sometimes delivers smaller parcels.

      • mskeggs on 17/01/2023 - 22:49

        The prime contractor might employ others, so you might have a couple of good contractors and one slack one. Worth complaining if it is a persistent issue.
        But consider too, that sometimes stuff happens. A jokey comment about a “lazy postie” might mean someone had to go home sick and judged it was better to leave the parcel at the PO, in case they were sick the next day too.

        • [Deactivated] on 17/01/2023 - 23:07

          I'm not the OP so no issue with the posties/couriers. I was just commenting on the increase in parcel posties!

        • May4th on 18/01/2023 - 10:40

          that's fair enough I understand people get sick and contingencies occur, but if it happens consistently, especially an untracked parcel that does not require signature which you can literally stuff in the letterbox and be off with it if you actually were at the house, with the LPO telling you this postie is known for being lazy.. the odds are this is not an isolated occurence

  • bargaino on 17/01/2023 - 21:40
    +5

    Apart from putting in a web complaint form which never seems to achieve anything

    I had good results from a web complaint. The postie knocked on my door to apologise - well, not really, more to make excuses - but the important thing was I politely let him know I'm often home, especially when the carport is occupied. The carding stopped.

    • mskeggs on 17/01/2023 - 22:51
      +1

      Consider too that people have different preferences. Some on here want no parcels left unattended due to security issues. Others get upset if they get lodged at the PO.
      Always a good idea to chat to your postie and tell them what works best.

  • Savas on 17/01/2023 - 22:50
    +6

    The only solution is to become a postman yourself. Then you can have full control of how your mail gets delivered.

    • [Deactivated] on 17/01/2023 - 23:08
      +2

      lol

      Can you be your own postie?

      • djsweet on 18/01/2023 - 00:08
        +1

        Why not. I don’t think it would be a conflict of interest or anything. Might actually save a bit of money because no one would really have to deliver your parcels, you’d show up and pick them up yourself

    • May4th on 18/01/2023 - 10:27
      +1

      or you know, you can pay someone to do their job, like every other service on the planet

  • Kranbone on 18/01/2023 - 00:06
    +3

    I had the same issue with a contractor postie where they couldn't be bothered delivering to my house. I asked if they would offer the merchant a discount to only have the item delivered to the post office to which auspost said no, so I replied, in that case, ensure it's delivered to my house.

    Why should the merchant pay for a full delivery, only for me to do part of Auspost's job. I left a complaint and while it was a pain to follow up, it appears the contractor got the message (partly).

    He carded me the next time. The time after he tried to card me but I was home (I was home the first time but not quick enough) and asked, why didn't you bring my parcel. "Don't have it, not enough time".

    Complained. Now we get a different driver and items delivered. I figure if you don't raise the issue, they won't fix it. If you do raise the issue, there's a chance, albeit a small one they may try and resolve it.

  • djsweet on 18/01/2023 - 00:10

    Use DHL. I’ve found them to be a bit more reliable

  • YTW on 18/01/2023 - 01:44
    +5

    I filled out a complaint card at the post office, which they encouraged, after going in and pointing out how much extra work it was causing them for the local parcel guy to be lazy.

    That was when I caught him sneaking the card in my letterbox and yelled out to him and he just bolted and lied that the item was already at the post office - it wasn't, it was in his van and caused me two Christmas-chaos-time trips up to the shops in 35 degree heat, whilst heavily pregnant, with a toddler in tow. We'd had problems for months but that was the last straw. I was very direct on my complaint card and had a lovely new parcel delivery guy shortly afterwards, as well as an apology letter.

  • Chris Topher on 21/01/2023 - 17:42
    +1

    Couriers drop off all parcels at the local (local to the delivery address on the parcel) P.O. and the staff there have to sort, write a card for the postie to deliver for the recipient to then go to the P.O. to pick up a parcel meant to be delivered to the home.

    Couriers are simply being lazy, passing on their work to 2 or more people to do it. That's how they able to undercut all tenders for the role.

    I give specific details to senders, but they are ignored by the couriers. I am disabled and going to the local P.O. to pick up parcels causes me much unnecessary physical pain.

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