Generally our trade partners use a range of shipping options that encompass the available courier and postal services.
Sometimes, we get a choice of courier and postal services to choose from. Other times, that service is restricted to the services our trade partner engages on a daily basis.
Deliveries are only an ESTIMATE
Either way, please be aware that your delivery may NOT always arrive as scheduled. After more than 31 years of dealing with couriers, we are very aware that deliveries have an ESTIMATED arrival time, and are not guaranteed.
This is especially true in recent times given the need to also deal with major supply chain impact events like Covid-19 issues.
This is unfortunately outside of our control and while we will endeavour to escalate or prioritise a late delivery, this again does not guarantee it will arrive any sooner.
Even this biggest, most reputable couriers can get things wrong. And sadly we can’t always help ensure otherwise.
ACT Deliveries
Please note: we have had significant issues with deliveries by both Australia Post (including Express Post services) and courier services in the ACT. If you wish to ship an item to the ACT, it will only be sent by a higher level courier service and will be quoted separately, unless very specifically agreed to services that are not guaranteed.
Interstate Deliveries
Please note: all courier and delivery options can be problematic. Where possible we will ensure our trade partner is located in the same state to minimise delivery headaches and inevitable delays.
Examples of Delivery Issues
For example, we had an issue where a courier refused to deliver a printing order. This was addressed to one of Australia’s most well-known landmarks — Old Parliament House in Canberra — a building that has been open for more than 95 years. This refusal was despite building signage making it obvious where the accessible entrance is located (eg for wheelchairs and prams) for easy delivery of a trolley-quantity of boxes. And also despite the driver not being resourceful enough to walk up a few steps at the entrance, if confused, and ask at the info desk where they should take the package (even before unloading it from the van). Or even phoning reception to ask for such information.
As soon as we knew there was an issue, we phoned Old Parliament House to check there was nothing tricky about courier deliveries to the building — and confirmed there wasn’t.
That unfortunately took us seven phone calls over 26 hours to resolve, as couriers deliberately make it difficult to reach local people on the ground. Plus we initiated two escalations and emails via our trade partner’s courier account manager. Plus we then fielded a call from the driver while outside the building! That also involved 15 urgent updates to our client during the process as they wanted to be kept informed of everything. So you can see we do all we can, but still we can’t provide you a delivery guarantee.
At the same time, another parcel was sent to a Hobart client to their street address via Australia Post’s express post parcel service. This service offers a next day guarantee. In their wisdom (!), Australia Post decided to place a card for the parcel in the client’s PO Box instead of delivering it as addressed. This wasn’t done until later in the morning. By then, the client had already been to the post office and emptied the box. So again, the parcel was delayed a full day past the guarantee, even though on the tracking site the parcel was showing as “delivered”.
Just to note: this example was in a pre-Covid world, where Australia Post actually had a guarantee — nowadays it’s just an “estimate” anyway for delivery times, even for express parcels, with estimated ranges for “most arrive within” and “some items may take” — and even then, from experience, this does not cover every delivery.
We have dozens more examples, but I’m sure you already get the picture. We’ll do what we can, but can’t provide any guarantees.
Tracking Links
Where possible, we will provide you with tracking links so that you can track the delivery yourself. But keep in mind our experiences above as to why — sometimes — delivery doesn’t go as planned.
Pick-Up / Collection
Alternatively, orders can be requested to be picked up from us in Indented Head, Victoria (or in some circumstances in Heathmont in Melbourne’s eastern suburbs). Please mention this during your order, as this service is strictly only available via prior arrangement and is not always available.
The all-important PS
PS: To reiterate, deliveries have an ESTIMATED arrival time, and are not guaranteed.