[Spock]

Have never heard of Oz Post leaving packages on doorsteps

I live in a country town with a mailbox [locked] & if there is a parcel/package that won't fit through the normal mail slot, a note is left for me to pick up from the local Post Office at my time & cost.

It sounds more like a private courier service has delivered this package ??????

Yes, that is my experience too (and I live in the City). Australia Post do a great job and are very reliable.

[lithos]

So what does the PO do in your country for a package?

Can't say I've ever had that happen with Australia Post. Then again, there was that postie who busted with 5000 undelivered letters because he couldn't be arsed delivering them after his shift was over. Some might dump it, most'll leave a claim form in your letter box.

I have had it happen with private courier companies, but then again, sometimes that's the sender's fault for saying it's ok to just dump it (after all, the receipt comes with the parcel, the sender's got you money, so everything can be blamed on the buyer, and anything else might cost more postage money.)

Rarely do people steal others' mail here in Australia.
I've not lived in any 'unsafe' areas in the country yet, but it's generally appreciated that peoples' mail can be left at the doorstep by courier services if they're not at home.

Is there another Toowoomba I don't know about?

It can also be quicker to order something from overseas (like the US) than it might be to get something delivered from the eastern states.
ie. I live on the west coast, delivery from the east (sydney, melbourne etc) takes a long time!

You do know what's between here and WA, right?

Nothing. Thousands of miles of nothing. And three missing hours.

[Peter Zack]

I confess I had no idea that this was the case for most people in Australia. That AP and many couriers would just leave it on the step. It now makes sense why signature confirmation was so expensive for this parcel. If I send the same thing to say the UK, it's about $5 more or the USA about the same. But to Au it's $40+ more. So I'm assuming that Canada Post has had more issues with a system like this and has raised rates to cover their butts on lost packages.

[wlachan]

To be fair, UPS & Canada Post did the same a few times to me as well, some even required signature. I cannot speak for other cities, but my impression is that the Post service (so to the overall city developments) in Melbourne was generally superior to Vancouver after living in both cities for a decade each. My opinion is that we speak lots of ideals in Canada, but rarely were they carried out nicely. It is like we are indulging ourselves in sweet dreams. The Australians were generally more down to earth, subjectively speaking.

And how about this? I am sure there are many more if you care to search.
YouTube - UPS "Special" Delivery

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Last edited by wlachan; 10-02-2009 at 12:14 PM.

[wwwmorrell]

I confess I had no idea that this was the case for most people in Australia. That AP and many couriers would just leave it on the step. It now makes sense why signature confirmation was so expensive for this parcel. If I send the same thing to say the UK, it's about $5 more or the USA about the same. But to Au it's $40+ more. So I'm assuming that Canada Post has had more issues with a system like this and has raised rates to cover their butts on lost packages.

I think if you read most of the replys to your question concerning Oz Post, its a little strange that the buyer claims that the package was left on his doorstep.

Not that I'm a little suspicious with his claim.

[Ash]

Is there another Toowoomba I don't know about?



You do know what's between here and WA, right?

Nothing. Thousands of miles of nothing. And three missing hours.

They also say in NSW that Qlders are 10 years and 1 hour behind...
Now that I'm a Qlder (from NSW) - I don't see that as a pay out anymore.

As for Toowoomba, just like anywhere else, there are good areas and not so good areas in terms of crime. Most of the little city is quite safe even in the dead of night - I could count the spots on one hand where I'd be weary about people stealing stuff that's not under lock and key...

In fact our neighbours here have on numerous occasions left their home unlocked when going out - even on short trips, just in case auntie May across the road needed something for the house (well, she was also feeding the Great Dane in the backyard, who'd scare the living crap out of any stranger who tried to come in...

[Barnster]

My two suggestions would be, if he knew that he wasn't going to home or at work,then maybe he could of had the parcel sent to a C/O work address or even better,invest in P.O.Box near where he lives.They cost around the $60 mark per year and that way you get a card in your P.O. Box letting you know that there is a parcel to be picked up.

[davef]

Peter,
I need to point out that CanPost regularly leaves parcels sitting on my doorstep including, at one time or another, a K20, a 31 Limited, a 43 Limited, etc. Luckily they were discovered by one of us before someone made off with them. Needless to say, the vendors were appalled to hear what had happened. On the other hand, I regularly have to trek to the local post office to pick up my $5.00 phone battery shipments! Go figure. Dave

[Peter Zack]

I went to the head Post office here to ask about this and the answer was they knew about the doorstep thing. They told me that it happens sometimes even if the parcel is requiring a signature and has full insurance. That paying the extra price does not guarantee that the parcel won't be left on the doorstep. So because of this and higher loss rates, they charge more to cover the lost items they see. They tell me it's a higher ratio than other countries.

So I guess there's really no totally secure solution. Couriers might be better but it's going to cost the buyer a small fortune compared to CP/AP. I really don't know which postal service is to blame. I guess we just have to live with this.

[Spock]

The best solution is to send to a PO Box address. No way that can go astray.

[Bramela]

Re WWWMorell's comment, I assure you, it is definitely and positively AP delivery contractors doing this.

Private Companies may as well, but I have experienced the problems with AP all too often.
And as I said, they put the bread on my table for 40 years

[Ash]

I can attest to that too.

And they usually have a rapport with the clients such that if they deliver parcels often to people, they'll ask them if it's OK to have them left on the doorstep when they're not home. (I've often done this when no-one's home during office hours to accept parcels by hand).

[RHN12]

Where I live, if a mail item won't fit in out letterbox at the top of the drive, the "posite" leaves a card telling me to pick it up from the local post office. Australian Air Express (a partnership between Australia Post and Qantas) does the same.

[jthommo]

My experience is that Australia Post frequently leaves parcels on my front deck. That includes expensive lenses, books, etc etc. Nothing has been flogged - so far...

[wwwmorrell]

If Oz Post is in the habit of leaving packages on your doorstep [doesn't happen in my area] then they must be paying out a fortune on lost claim's.

Any customer of Oz Post would be well entitled to full compensation with this kind or lack of service.