Tracking says delivered but customer didn't receive it

Kia Ora Ashton,

Yes! it is best to leave the dispute with TM to play out here if negotiation is exhausted. - I would request a further feedback review on the grounds you are taking the blame from your Buyer for a 3rd Party being in possible fault - Not yourself - All the Best with outcomes - Cheers.

I had a package from Aramex do the same thing. The tracking said the package had been delivered, but there was no sign of it. I waited a couple of days and then it appeared. Don't know if they just delivered it to the wrong address, whose residents then dropped it off, or if they are playing games with the tracking and marking them off as delivered before they actually do it.

That's a very impatient and unreasonable user you have there though.

If you ring or contact Aramex they will be able to give you a photo of the letterbox where the parcel was left. If it was left at the wrong address it is possible that they will able to retrieve it.

Just to add I find it much easier to ring Aramex rather than email it saves a lot of time.

Believe it or not the best advice for these situations is "Refund the buyer, then sort out the delivery issue afterwards." When you think about it should the buyer have to sit there for days or weeks while the courier gets their act together and looks into it? Yes, it sounds like they are being unreasonable and impatient, but they just want the item they paid for after all.

I know it's a hard pill to swallow. But that's just how it is these days in a buyer weighted environment. The Buyer Protection policy stipulates that a signature is required for Trade Me to side with the seller that the item has been delivered. However they do look at standard tracking as well and make a judgement call.

Personally if it's a low value item I just do the refund then follow the process with the courier. For higher value stuff, or where I think the buyer is suspect I might dig my toes in and make them wait for the outcome before I refund/replace.

Where Aramex show a scanned parcel has been delivered in their system they do not take ownership of claims - the parcel has to be signature required and missing before a claim is accepted and paid out by them - Cheers.

If the parcel has been delivered to the wrong address though...

I had a non signature required parcel delivered to the wrong address by Aramex. I phoned them and was put through to their call centre in the Phillipines. The lady I spoke to just kept telling me it had been delivered and wouldn’t put me through to the Chch depot. In the end I insisted on holding for a supervisor, spoke to them and asked for further proof of delivery in the form of photo evidence or GPS coordinates. Within 5 minutes they had tracked the parcel down (delivered to the wrong University hostel), put in a request for retrieval and redelivery. Parcel was redelivered the same evening. 
S - I am not sure if Aramex has changed their policy but in the past they have twice paid out on lost parcels that were not signature required. One was delivery to the wrong address and unable to be retrieved, the other was just plain lost.

Callum - I’m not sure if I would refund such a difficult buyer immediately. What happens if Aramex locates the parcel and redelivers it? Would the buyer then repay the seller? Or change their feedback?

If Aramex comes back with proof that the parcel was delivered correctly and stolen from the letterbox after delivery, they won’t pay out. My understanding is that in those circumstances the seller does not have an obligation to refund. Not sure if it makes a difference whether Ashton is In Trade or not.
Anyone else have any thoughts on this one?

Andrea. Yes. The buyer would be liable to repay for the item, or return it if they no longer require it if it was later found and delivered. But instead what the seller can do if it is found by the courier is request that it be returned directly to them. Not to the buyer.

In these situations it's always good to imagine you are the other person. Imagine buying something, not receiving it even though tracking says delivered. If it is a time sensitive item are you happy for the courier or seller to drag out a claim for weeks? Or do you just want a refund or replacement so you can move on? If it turns out to stolen after delivery or hiding under the BBQ down the back, that can be resolved later.

Kia Ora Michael,

Yes! Aramex scanning will show delivered even though the delivery scan may be just passing the parcel to a second courier company for final delivery, which the Buyer & Seller are Not informed of by Aramex - this may have been what took place with your parcel turning up 2 days later - Cheers.

Callum- maybe you’re a kinder person than me.

I think the key element in dealing with such matters is good communication - from both sides. I certainly wouldn’t be bending over backwards to immediately refund a buyer who hasn’t given me the opportunity to sort matters before pushing the nuclear button.

In the past, I’ve never had a problem with buyers jumping the gun and placing negative feedback & opening a dispute with Trade Me over a lost item. I always open an enquiry as soon as the buyer informs me of the problem and send them the reference number. Any communication from the courier company is forwarded to them. As long as they know I am taking steps to resolve the issue, the buyers have been happy to wait until the courier company has completed their enquiry - which usually happens pretty quickly. If a parcel is declared lost, I refund the buyer at that point and then submit my claim to the courier company.

Human psychology is interesting. In my experience, the buyers who treat the whole scenario as being your fault from the get go, are the least likely to keep you informed or provide any further information that you might need. Ignoring requests for cell phone numbers, not confirming when a parcel has eventually turned up etc. Those are the sorts of people who are least likely to repay you if their parcel does turn up.

I’ve never had to deal with a parcel that has been stolen after delivery so I haven’t had to consider whether I would issue a refund when not required to. If the buyer was pleasant and lovely to deal with and I felt sorry for them, I probably would. But if they had been unreasonable from the start and tried to bully their way into a refund, I probably wouldn’t. 

S - interesting correspondence from Aramex. Their correspondence implies that the seller may be required to issue a refund or replacement. I did a quick google search and the law around the Carriage of Goods can be a bit murky. However Consumer NZ a does say that if your parcel was stolen after delivery you may not be able to claim. Other articles talk about whether it’s reasonable for a courier to leave a parcel in a letterbox in full view of the street, rather than delivering it to the front door. 

Fingers crossed that Ashton’s parcel has been delivered to the wrong letterbox and not stolen from the buyers. That would make things so much easier for all parties!

Yes Andrea, - I really thought given their wording a refund was coming my way - to my dismay this is the excerpt the Seller sent me of their reply from Aramex & their email correspondence back to me with this one ...

I'm with you on crossing fingers for Ashton here - Cheers 😊🤞 

Thanks everyone! I have just told Trade Me my side of the dispute so hopefully I will have an outcome soon. From this point on, I definitely would not recommend using Aramex for shipping and I will not be doing so in the future. Their inability to respond to enquiries is frustrating for buyers and sellers, putting both parties in difficult positions. The rules around refunds and who is responsible for what is too unclear and has limited protection for sellers who simply want a cheaper shipping option for their buyers. Aramex's delivery service is simply not good enough, especially from what I have experienced and seen from others who have had parcels disappear.

S - that seems a bit strange and incorrect of your seller. I understand denying liability for parcels that have been stolen after delivery to the correct address when the parcel was sent non signature.
However, they cannot escape liability for non signature parcels that are lost or damaged prior to delivery. This would also include delivery to the wrong address, if you were able to prove this. I have definitely had Aramex pay out on parcels that were sent non signature and never delivered to the correct address.

I would question that response. I have made claims in the past for items sent non-signature.

Just had a quick look at their terms and conditions and can not see a 'contracting out' for non-signature required items. NZ Post will not cover any items sent at letter rate.

Cheers for the update Ashton, I sincerely hope your parcel turns up for your Buyer & you. 😊

Cheers ladies, I eventually was refunded, minus shipping, upon proceeding to Disputes Tribunal - unfortunately though this is what throws skepticism between Buyers & Sellers - one never knows what the Buyer here may have experienced in the past. - I appreciate your advice and discussion here Thank you 😊

Just clarifying - we didn't make it to the tribunal, the Seller refunded on hearing this was the 'Next Step' I was proceeding with - I wanted to let you know the Value of your advice for me here on this one - Thank you very much 😊

9mm has

It possibly depends on the local driver, but in my area Aramex drop off signature-required packages without getting a signature or even knocking on the door. I challenged one delivery that went missing and the driver had forged a signature. Their response was it didn't matter the gps showed the driver had delivered it (I'm sure that was just BS to fob me off), but they refunded it in the end.

i stopped using aramex and asked trader i dealt with not to use aramex for my items. lost a couple of items thru their courier in my area. courier will actually take a photo of item on his hand (as evidence or intention to disprove my claim of not delivered) beside my mailbox but never got the item. think they are checking if it came from trade me, if it is a high value item, then you will never see it IN your mailbox but only a photo on their hand beside your mailbox.

Tinker. How do you know that the courier didn't put the item in your mailbox, then someone else stole it after that?

This does happen. There has even been cases of people following courier vans around to do it.

To me it seems pretty unlikely that a courier driver will risk her/his job, and a criminal charge, by stealing packages. Especially when they would have no idea what was in them or if someone has CCTV on their property. 

I had a buyer that got pretty nasty about non delivery of a parcel until I sent them the courier photo's of the parcel on their doorstep AND a letterbox photo.

Suddenly went silent 

Well Done David, That's all the Proof Buyer's are Looking for and Great to hear you were able to respond with that info' - Not all courier companies supply that level of evidence so you're onto a good one there that does - Awesome! - Cheers.

Hi S,
That was a few years ago.
On the other hand, I recently had a parcel delivered & the courier supplied 6 photo's  .......  of other peoples parcels for the same building, but not my parcel.
Following up on that now

Cheers David, as you have a rally of photo's which are Not your parcel that's good evidence of a No show thus far - Let's hope the next photo's do confirm! - All the Best there! 😊

I hope you have a patient Buyer this time around too - It makes All the difference! - Cheers 😊

My wife brought a item and it was supposedly delivered by aramex they said it was signed for and delivered. But checking their tracking it said it was in the van on the way to delivery address at 1123 am then said it was delivered at 1123 am and signed for. The looking back at the tracking it said the parcel was at their premises at 1157 am . I really think this is a scam .and im to call them tomorrow and ask where the parcel is . If no success i will be ringing consumer affairs and the back to cancel payment.

Aramex dumped my parcels twice at the back of the flats which can be accessible by the public. Delivery instructions had been written on the parcel "Leave at the Green Front Door" but Aramex driver choses to dumped my parcel. The 3rd time Aramex left it in the wrong mail box and it went missing. Seller was unreasonable and refused to refund to me blamed me for not indicating "Leave at the Front Door". I had done it before but the driver choses to dumped my parcels into the wild plants and on public pavement. Reported to Aramex and for 3 months no action taken and all of a sudden Aramex said case closed. I emailed Aramex with pictures showed proof but they ignored my email and they closed the case. Obviously I was fuming. What happened if the parcels contained important documents like passport. It will be left out there soaking in the rain. Aramex doesnt bother and the driver chose to do his own thing. From December 2022 onwards I paid more to used NZ Post and re directed to Countdown to collect parcels. Except for one or two sellers who only used Aramex I asked them to write clearly on the parcel to leave at the green front door. Do Not Leave in the letter box as it faces the main road cannot be locked and there are postal thieves. So far Aramex did placed at the Green Front Door. The hassle is every purchase I have to mentioned these problem and showed sellers pictures of my Green Front Door. And that seller in November 2022 where Aramex sent to wrong mail box blamed me for everything and gave me red face the second one since 2009. The first red face was a give away couch for free but that person didnt made contact so I said the couch was going to the dump as I have a new couch came in and needed space. That woman had taken other buyers for a ride before. She gave me a red face when I offered a free couch and waited didnt make contact and it became my fault. I dont deserved those 2 red face at all.🥺😭 Of course I have mentioned to TM but said cant be removed because it was the buyers expressing their opinion but it was not true opinion at all. Very unfair to be given 2 red faces and it really affects me very badly as though I am a criminal in every way.

If the parcel is sent as 'signature not required' the courier is only obligated to place the parcel in the letterbox. They do not have to follow delivery instructions.