eBay

kiralicious · ‎02-13-2015

Has anyone else had issues with Canada Post Tracked Packet International? I sent an item to Australia Tracked Packet (at the cost of $44 or so) and there has been NO tracking what so ever on it....doesn't even show the tracking number exists on the website. I called Canada Post because the customer got an email update saying the parcel had been successfully delivered to another country and sure enough when I call Canada Post.....the package had been routed to HONG KONG. Rep said the system showed that the package had been rerouted to Australia and was in Customs. The tracking number shows nothing on the Australian Postal site either. She had no explanation about why I paid $44 for tracked packet which has one of it's features being track your package online...and I show NOTHING...not even accepted at the post office or left the country (her excuse was once it leave the country it's track able on the host countries postal service website). What a waste of money.....my customer is furious and so am I. Is this normal for international tracked packet?

maggiebvintage2010 · ‎02-13-2015

You're an experienced seller.  Have you never had something go wrong somewhere on a transaction?  Like anyone, CP employees sometimes make mistakes.  Did you take the package to the Post Office and wait while they scanned it into their system?  I take everything into the Post Office and watch while the initial processing is done -  I like to ensure everything at least gets started correctly in the system.
 
It seems the parcel is being tracked, you know it went to Hong Kong - which is normal routing - and then went onward to Australian Customs.  There won't be a tracking number on Aussie Post until it is in their hands. It probably won't stay long in Customs if the declarations seem normal to the officer processing it.  Why is your customer furious?  S/he is being updated about the movements of her purchase.  It seems to be successfully on its way.  It's a positive thing that your customer is communicating with you.  Don't feed her anxiety by fanning the flames.  I would be attempting to reassure her.  At least Canada Post seems to have the ability to follow it in their system.  You can continue to request updates from the CS rep - did you take down her contact information?
 
No, it's not normal for Tracked Packet not to have been scanned into the CP system.  However, things don't always work the way they are supposed to work.  Read the posts by "cumos" about packages with tracking that started off normally, but then disappeared from the radar - no scan to show they left Canada, lost from that point on.   happens, we can choose to deal with it calmly and professionally or have a meltdown - take your choice.

rose-dee · ‎02-13-2015

Well, I don't know. The previous post notwithstanding, I think I'd be rather furious with Canada Post too, after having spent $44 to get tracking and seeing nothing on the website system. I wouldn't be inclined to let Canada Post off the hook completely on that score.

It does seem that the parcel is getting (eventually) to its destination, and that the customer is receiving updates, although I'm surprised it would go through Hong Kong. I would try to use all your efforts to reassure and calm the buyer, and save the fury for CP. They deserve it, in my opinion. They've touted this service as tracked and reliable, and that's what it should be. They are in the business of shipping parcels, aren't they?

I'm surprised that parcels to Australia with tracking would go to a communist regime first (which Hong Kong still is a part of, after all), before before routed to Australia. Perhaps someone who has used Tracked Packet frequently and very recently to Australia could check their own online tracking information to see what it says, and you could use that information to go forward in your follow-up with Canada Post.

Personally I've avoided using Tracked Packet to Australia because of the longer stated delivery standard. I've never really trusted Tracked Packet to be anything but a glorified "registered mail", which was notoriously slow-boat service even if by air.

What was your item value? If I have an item under about $100, it goes by Light or Small Packet Air, and the more expensive ones by Expedited (in which case I usually absorb the difference in cost between Expedited and Tracked Packet as a courtesy). I've never had any issues with Light/Small Packet to AU.

pierrelebel · ‎02-13-2015

"I'm surprised that parcels to Australia with tracking would go to a communist regime first (which Hong Kong still is a part of, after all), before before routed to Australia. "

Canada -> Hong Kong -> Australia is a normal route. Australia is located immediately South of Hong Kong and there is a lot more traffic from Canada to Hong Kong than directly to Australia. The stopover makes sense.

The political party or regime ("communist") running a country has nothing to do with postal or cargo routes.

melissasminis · ‎02-13-2015

I partially agree with what you're saying, but you didn't have to be smug about it.

The buyer is not being updated, that is why they're furious. The seller had to call Canada Post to find out where the package is, should be visible online for the buyer to see. It should at least show online that it has been accepted at the post office with the date, and that it left the country. Should also show it is in customs, or has reached the destination country. It hasn't shown any of this as the OP said, which is not right. It is a "Tracked Packet", what's the point of tracked packet if it doesn't show online tracking info for the sender and recipient to see? Shouldn't have to call Canada Post to find out where the package is. Might as well of used a cheaper option without tracking.

We all know Canada Post makes mistakes, plenty of them. It's usually the sender/seller who pays the price.

rose-dee · ‎02-13-2015

Well, that explains that part of the issue (the routing), thank you.

As for the lack of visible online tracking, I wouldn't hesitate to complain to CP, otherwise they'll never know there is an issue to be dealt with. It could be as simple as people not properly scanning parcels, or machinery not working properly, yet I wouldn't think that everything would be out of order all the way up to Hong Kong. I'd still take this up with CP for the $44 charge!

pjcdn2005 · ‎02-13-2015

I've never used tracked packet itn'l but it is odd that you don't see any online tracking. I am surprised that Canada Post can see where the parcel is since it isn't showing online.

pjcdn2005 · ‎02-13-2015

Personally I've avoided using Tracked Packet to Australia because of the longer stated delivery standard. I've never really trusted Tracked Packet to be anything but a glorified "registered mail", which was notoriously slow-boat service even if by air.

What was your item value? If I have an item under about $100, it goes by Light or Small Packet Air, and the more expensive ones by Expedited (in which case I usually absorb the difference in cost between Expedited and Tracked Packet as a courtesy). I've never had any issues with Light/Small Packet to AU.

There is no Expedited Parcel service outside of the U.S. and Canada.

You've mentioned your dislike of TP in other posts. I admit that I rarely use expedited to the U.S. but I do find that the average tracked packet parcel takes 6 - 8 days to be delivered with the odd one taking 10 -11 days. When I've used expedited I don't remember it taking less than 5 days although as I said, I don't use it very often.

femmefan1946 · ‎02-13-2015

Just for the record, is 'tracked packet' actually recorded at every stop or is it really a Confirmation of Delivery service with only the entry to the mailstream and delivery being recorded?

Even the Confirmation of Delivery services often show arrival at border points, so I am, as usual, confused.

Anonymous · ‎02-13-2015

I have one package sent by Tracked Packet to USA and there is NO tracking information from my home to wherever for 15 straight days! Of course I called Canada Post and complained about it and demanded for a full refund and they said they will "investigate" as if!

It seems to be a trend for 2015 not to scan anything lately.

treasure.hunter.d · ‎02-13-2015

@pjcdn2005 wrote:

What was your item value? If I have an item under about $100, it goes by Light or Small Packet Air, and the more expensive ones by Expedited (in which case I usually absorb the difference in cost between Expedited and Tracked Packet as a courtesy). I've never had any issues with Light/Small Packet to AU.

Good luck with that as after the latest round of Canada Post increases anything with any size in dimensions will cost you a boatload more to go Expedited as opposed to Tracked Packet. You don't even get a break for lighter packages anymore now that Canada Post is using the cube volume calc. Example, a 30cm x 30cm x 30cm box weighing 1kg which can be sent to California via Tracked Packet for roughly $17 CDN is now almost $34 CDN or, almost double in simpler terms.

You won't be absorbing many of those and stay in business!

rose-dee · ‎02-14-2015

@pjcdn2005 wrote:

There is no Expedited Parcel service outside of the U.S. and Canada.

You've mentioned your dislike of TP in other posts. I admit that I rarely use expedited to the U.S. but I do find that the average tracked packet parcel takes 6 - 8 days to be delivered with the odd one taking 10 -11 days. When I've used expedited I don't remember it taking less than 5 days although as I said, I don't use it very often.

Whoops, I meant Xpresspost outside of the U.S., although I admit I've only had to use it once in that context.

I absolutely love Expedited USA, and personally I find it lightening-fast, occasionally nearly beating Xpresspost USA. Most of my Expedited parcels get to their destinations in under 5 days. I had one item get to Boston in 3 days flat (but it may have something to do with where I'm located -- in Nova Scotia). Usually they take 4 to5 days to the midwest U.S., and California is almost always 5 days.

The shipping issues to Australia are a serious consideration these days, both from the cost point of view and from the standpoint of risk to seller status. I don't get many AU buyers anymore on eBay, perhaps because of the shipping costs. However, I sell on another site that allows digitally-delivered items, i.e. no shipping needed, so to Australia -- no worries. I wish eBay would fully permit such listings again, as it's the big thing in my categories.

kiralicious · ‎02-14-2015

Thanks Pierre for that information - that then makes sense why it would go through Hong Kong.

toff3 · ‎02-17-2015

I doubt very much that air mail from Canada to Australia normally goes via Hong Kong.

As far as I know, Canada Post uses FedEx to ship international air mail, so the mail is funneled through a FedEx hub such as Memphis. FedEx is highly likely to ship mail directly to Australia.

Tom