Australia Post Parcel Tracking

[Chris Parks]

Or do what an ever increasing number of people are doing which is having parcels sent to their place of work.

To the point where a lot of companies are stopping this as their mailroom people are having to handle all these parcels and they clutter up a mail room never designed for this sort of volume.

But AP are certainly not on the ball and creating openings for the likes of Lindsay Fox to set up in competition.

Lindsay Fox is already into it. My job was to manage out of Sydney sub-contract parcel transport to other states. Linfox are the prime contractors for most of it and even built special trucks to carry the wire cages. If needed they subby work out to other companies as the volumes are growing very fast. No company in Oz has got the capacity to handle the parcel volumes and they are all looking at how best to deliver to the end point. TOLL were (are?) looking at putting in 24 hour lockers at service stations to overcome the problem. AP have looked at special centralised facilities like shops where parcels would be carded back to for pick up.

Back in the old days when AP had there own staff delivering parcels I can recall sitting at the back of Maroubra PO and carding every parcel that was addressed to a unit or flat as there was never anyone at home. We never even attempted delivery as it was a 99% return rate to the PO and just handed the cards to the posties for delivery.

[Sir Stinkalot]

Whats worse is the receiver can complain all they like, and they will listen and seem like they are recording it all. BUT, AP do nothing unless the SENDER complains.

Well for those who are interested Australia Post replied to my comments/suggestions today. Not a bad effort to get a personal reply within 1 business day:

"Hi Sir Stinkalot [name changed to protect the innocent],

Thank you for taking the time to contact Australia Post about the concerns you have with receiving parcels in the mail. I can see that travelling so far to pick up your parcels would be quite frustrating. I would like to help you to resolve this ongoing issue today.

Our delivery drivers will take the parcels back to the closest outlet accepting parcels for collection at the end of their route. As the driver's take all parcels on their route back to the one location,it needs to be the most convenient location for all residence needing to collect their parcel. There may also be situations where post offices are unable to accept parcels due to space restrictions, and as such it would need to go to the next closest available outlet.

As you have advised, there are several other post offices you could collect your parcels from. Should this happen again, I would suggest that you call Australia Post on 13 13 18 and request an Inter-store Transfer. We can transfer your parcels to any post office.

You may wish to consider registering for a Parcel Locker. Registration is free and you are can collect your parcels 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can register by clicking on this link:
http://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/parcel-lockers.html

A list of our Parcel Locker locations is available here.
http://auspost.com.au/parcels-mail/flexible-delivery-options.html

I hope this information has been of assistance today. If I can help you with anything else, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Digital Sales and Service | Australia Post
Online Services Consultant"

Ok so in summary:

1. They would like to help me resolve this ongoing issue today - but will not do so.

2. The driver will take the parcels to the closest outlet at the end of their route - It would seem that AP contractors are now operating out of the Business Centre (10 outlets away) so this is where they will end their route and drop off any parcels - not particularly convenient to all residences at all. Heaven help us if they get to the business centre and it is full so they have to go to the next closest outlet.

If they wanted to make it convenient the contractor would attempt to deliver in a certain area surrounding the local post office, and any unsuccessful parcels would be dropped off at the local PO before moving onto the next area - much more convenient for residences.

3. Basically Sir Stinkalot - you are stuffed. If you want your parcel collected you can pay to have it transferred to your local post office, or pay for a parcel locker - with your most convenient locker location being 10 post offices away.

Now I am convinced we will shortly be paying for depot to depot delivery at the same cost (if not more) than what was previously depot to home delivery.

[Big Shed]

3. Basically Sir Stinkalot - you are stuffed. If you want your parcel collected you can pay to have it transferred to your local post office, or pay for a parcel locker - with your most convenient locker location being 10 post offices away.

Now I am convinced we will shortly be paying for depot to depot delivery at the same cost (if not more) than what was previously depot to home delivery.

The way I read that, and the link provided, is that the Parcel Locker service is free, but you need to collect it within 48hrs.

Fees and charges


While there are currently no fees and charges for use of the Parcel Lockers service, in the future this position may be revisited. However you will be given adequate notice if Australia Post decides to introduce any fees or charges for this service.

Please note: Australia Post will accept domestic and international parcels from other carriers to our Parcel Locker locations, if those parcels have been lodged by the carriers as Australia Post articles addressed to the recipient's Parcel Locker address. To lodge parcels into our network, carriers must pay Australia Post for the service. StarTrack is a subsidiary of Australia Post, and parcels carried by StarTrack will be accepted for delivery to Parcel Locker locations.

We have informed other carriers of our policy and it is up to the carrier to decide if they wish to pay to deliver to the Parcel Locker location.

Where possible, customers are advised to check which shipping partners or parcel delivery provider(s) are available on the website they're buying from.


They also say they can transfer a parcel to a PO of your choice, but the way it is worded also seems to suggest there is no charge for this?

Yes, I think we are heading to depot to depot deliveries, just look at NZ, they have reduced home delivery to 3 days a week there.

Just for laughs I put my address in the search for the nearest Parcel Locker to my place - Sunbury 95 kms away, all the others were in suburban Melbourne 100+ km away.

I think I may stick to my PO Box at my LPO, at least I get service with a smile there

[Sir Stinkalot]

The way I read that, and the link provided, is that the Parcel Locker service is free, but you need to collect it within 48hrs.
They also say they can transfer a parcel to a PO of your choice, but the way it is worded also seems to suggest there is no charge for this?

Parcel Locker fine print:
While there are currently no fees and charges for use of the Parcel Lockers service, in the future this position may be revisited. Code for - get them to try it and then make them buy it!

Also the problem is with the limitations of what the Parcel Locker can accept (a few of many):

• parcels that require proof of identity
• parcels that require a signature on delivery
• parcels that require the recipient's ID to be recorded at delivery

Generally if the package doesn't need to be signed for a good contractor will leave it somewhere safe at home so no point taking it to the lockers.

I would think the transfer parcel to a PO of your choice would fall under:
Same State Redirection - $5.70.

The business centre where packages seem to be delivered now seems to have fairly good operating hours at least - with early pickups available. The only problem is the distance required to get there - especially when there are 10 outlets closer (with many open on Saturdays).

[Big Shed]

Yes, probably, but the fact of the matter is that it is free as of now.

As I have said in an earlier post, I and many thousands of other people already pay to get ALL our mail (not just parcels), it is called a Post Office Box and we have to have that because Australia Post refuses to deliver to our street address or even provide a roadside deilvery service.

[Sir Stinkalot]

As I have said in an earlier post, I and many thousands of other people already pay to get ALL our mail (not just parcels), it is called a Post Office Box and we have to have that because Australia Post refuses to deliver to our street address or even provide a roadside deilvery service.

I do understand that this is an issue for many and it boils down to the practicality of delivering mail over large areas. Given that the sender (or you as receiver) has paid the same cost that Australia Post charges all other users for to the door delivery you would think that could at least offer the PO box free for users who cannot receive home delivery mail (do they? I know you need to pay for a box if you can have deliveries).

Perhaps AP should have offered once a week drop off for remote locations, but I am sure there are many that would like to check for mail more regularly. I cant see them ever offering this service now.

[Big Shed]

No, with a few exceptions (Community Post Office Boxes in some areas) people living in the country need to pay for a PO Box.

In our case, there is roadside delivery in most of the areas surrounding us, even areas further out from Bendigo, but AP refuses to supply that servcie here (without explanation).

Our situation is not unique.

So, AP providing Parcel Boxes free of charge sounds to me like a good service (which may or may not have to be paid for in the future).

As you said above, the delivery of mail and in particular parcel post, will change rapidly in the next few years and the daily deliveries will go the way of twice daily deliveries and Saturday deliveries of times past.

If AP gets privatised, as seems likely, this process will accelerate. Bear in mind that a lot of AP's work is already done by private companies and contractors, as alluded to by Chris Parks earlier.

[Sir Stinkalot]

Just another interesting Australia Post tracking experience.

Two small items were purchased from the same Ebay seller on Monday 22/12/14. The seller wouldn't combine to postage as they claimed they has sold the good below cost (If you want the market to decide perhaps raise your opening bid a little higher next time). No problem I was happy to pay for postage on both items, but just to be petty I did request that they be sent as two packages to avoid the seller charging two postage costs only to pocket one to boost their margins.

So here is the summary direct from AP for one of the items. I have added travel distances as well just to see how far this puppy is running:

Mon 22/12/14	13:46	Received by AP @	North Ryde NSW
Tue 23/12/14	00:49	Processed through AP facility @	Chullora NSW	(15km)
Tue 23/12/14	05:41	In transit @	Villawood NSW	(23.6km)
Tue 23/12/14	12:35	Processed through AP facility @	Chullora NSW	(32.2km)
Mon 29/12/14	06:20	Processed through AP facility @	Inverell NSW	(605.2km)
Mon 29/12/14	07:01	In transit @	Inverell NSW
Mon 29/12/14	19:15	Processed through AP facility @	Tamworth NSW	(812km)
Tue 30/12/14	10:37	Processed through AP facility @	Chullora NSW	(1219.2km)
Wed 31/12/14	12:30	Processed through AP facility @	Chullora NSW

Adelaide ????? (2607.2km if it goes direct!)


I'm not quite sure why the package has taken a short holiday to northern NSW for a week only to end up again where it started - so much for two day delivery. I am starting to get a little concerned that the seller may have replaced my toilet roll holder with a tourist magnet from the picturesque suburb of Chullora NSW which is why it keeps gravitating back there.

There is also quite a big difference in the information between the online tracking via AP website and using their phone app. The app shows, Villawood, Chullora, Chullora, Inverell, Chullora, Chullora, Inverell, North Ryde, Tamworth


Timless Timber stated earlier in the tread: "In essence you can't believe anything on the tracking websites its all porkie pies - BUT - it makes it look good for the customers." I would agree that you cannot believe anything shown on their tracking website however I cant see how this makes it look good for customers - I, like most customers, welcome the opportunity to keep track of a package but with the current system it more often than not makes AP look incompetent and they would be better off showing nothing. If the tacking for this package is correct it has travelled 1200+km (in 9 days) to end up 15km from where it started - no wonder AP is loosing money.


For the record, the other of the two packages, posted the same day, same location, same time, same size - arrived in Adelaide at my door on Monday 29/12/14 @ 11:00. perhaps it is just karma biting me in the bum for being so petty asking the seller to send as two packages

[Bushmiller]

The frustrations of the postal system! I am waiting on a parcel that was posted from Minnesota in the US on 15 December 2015. It arrived in Brisbane 5 days later where it apparently "departed" over a period of 11 days until it was processed through the sort facility on 31 Dec. What the hell is going on?

I am hoping to receive my parcel sometime this year !



Processed Through Sort Facility
2014-12-31, 07:31:00
Departed
2014-12-20, 15:26:00, Brisbane
Departed
2014-12-19, 19:35:00, Tokyo
Departed
2014-12-18, 10:55:00, Chicago
Arrived
2014-12-18, 03:55:00, Chicago
Arrived at Sort Facility
2014-12-17, 10:55:00, ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
Processed Through Sort Facility
2014-12-17, 10:55:00, ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
Departed USPS Facility
2014-12-16, 02:42:00, KINGSFORD, MI 49802
Arrived at USPS Origin Facility
2014-12-15, 20:51:00, KINGSFORD, MI 49802
Picked Up
2014-12-15, 15:41:00, MARQUETTE, MI 49855


Regards
Paul

[Chris Parks]

Oh and a rapidly increasing number of Ebay sellers (especially in China) are refusing to ship to PO Boxes

I have the same issue and my address line contains both the PO box and the street address.

[Chris Parks]

The frustrations of the postal system! I am waiting on a parcel that was posted from Minnesota in the US on 15 December 2015. It arrived in Brisbane 5 days later where it apparently "departed" over a period of 11 days until it was processed through the sort facility on 31 Dec. What the hell is going on?

I am hoping to receive my parcel sometime this year !



Processed Through Sort Facility
2014-12-31, 07:31:00
Departed
2014-12-20, 15:26:00, Brisbane
Departed
2014-12-19, 19:35:00, Tokyo
Departed
2014-12-18, 10:55:00, Chicago
Arrived
2014-12-18, 03:55:00, Chicago
Arrived at Sort Facility
2014-12-17, 10:55:00, ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
Processed Through Sort Facility
2014-12-17, 10:55:00, ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS)
Departed USPS Facility
2014-12-16, 02:42:00, KINGSFORD, MI 49802
Arrived at USPS Origin Facility
2014-12-15, 20:51:00, KINGSFORD, MI 49802
Picked Up
2014-12-15, 15:41:00, MARQUETTE, MI 49855


Regards
Paul

I reckon it got held for customs inspection which due to Mr Abbott's cost saving measures and pulling personnel out of the system takes a lot of time these days.

[Simplicity]

I'm seeing a whole new racing industry
Think about it for a bit
Two parties buy same item posted same day and time
Via a mobile app we can place bets on arrival distance traveled
Then you get to watch it in real or unreal time via a tracking app
The winer could be either first to arrive or longest traveled
I think I'm on a winner here any financial backers

[62woollybugger]

Seems AP was sending lots of parcels on free Christmas holidays. I ordered some items from Seaforth, on the North side of Sydney, a week or so before Christmas. The tracking showed it went from Seaforth - Chullora - East Wagga - Chullora & then finally to my place in Holsworthy, SW Sydney.

[Sir Stinkalot]

I'm thinking of buying a little post box in Chullora as it seems like the place to be.

[skot]

AP aren't the only ones.

Several years ago I purchased a parcel from a Melbourne supplier....was told it was on it's way to Bris. After a week there was no show so I contacted the supplier and he was able to track it.

Apparently it got to Sydney ...took a left and headed for Perth. The freight mob tracked it down in Perth and directed it back....to Sydney and then on to Brisbane, only to arrive crushed & damaged.

Good news is that the supplier is one of our forum sponsors and he replaced the item at his cost. I sent back the damaged one & hopefully he got some refund from the freight company.