AddressPal & Lockers - An Post's Parcel Service SEE MOD WARNING FIRST POST

MOH

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

They are unbelievable....

Got the following email this morning even though I have already sent them the screenshot of proof of delivery that they asked for last week.




I despair. Will have to phone them again now.

The whole service seems to be bizarrely unreliable.
Obviously works fine for many people, but the whole thing with packages regularly not getting scanned so no notification, no tracking, and the apparent lack of any kind of concern when stuff goes missing in St Alban's is the kind of stuff you'd expect from a dodgy private operator.

Outlaw Pete

MOH wrote: »

The whole service seems to be bizarrely unreliable.
Obviously works fine for many people, but the whole thing with packages regularly not getting scanned so no notification, no tracking, and the apparent lack of any kind of concern when stuff goes missing in St Alban's is the kind of stuff you'd expect from a dodgy private operator.

They're totally inept. I just got another email saying "Sorry, we cannot confirm".

What the hell does that mean.

I have Royal Mail proof they signed for the item, including the exact time, but they seemingly can't use that to track the item. Not saying it was stolen but they seem to have the ideal set up to facilitate would be thieves. At least with Parcel Motel there is a constant tracking of your item.

Just flicking through their T&Cs and it would appear their max payout with regards to liability for lost items, is just €40.

Bought a few items on Amazon earlier and went back to PM for them. Enough with this crowd.

harr

MOH wrote: »

The whole service seems to be bizarrely unreliable.
Obviously works fine for many people, but the whole thing with packages regularly not getting scanned so no notification, no tracking, and the apparent lack of any kind of concern when stuff goes missing in St Alban's is the kind of stuff you'd expect from a dodgy private operator.

The problem is half the time the items are not signed for as no one available or signed by receptionist or just dropped into mail room... signatures are illegible most of the time so that means nothing..I have had one company in the uk who I deal with a lot now refuse to deliver anything I order to St Albans because of the lack of traceability of orders they have previously delivered for me..
For smaller items under 50 quid it works but anything desirable that costs a bit seems to go missing...not all the time but it's so easy for a courier just to say he has delivered it and squiggle down a signature it could be happening at any stage between St Albans and your PO...

Dan Jaman

harr wrote: »

The problem is half the time the items are not signed for as no one available or signed by receptionist or just dropped into mail room... signatures are illegible most of the time so that means nothing..I have had one company in the uk who I deal with a lot now refuse to deliver anything I order to St Albans because of the lack of traceability of orders they have previously delivered for me..
For smaller items under 50 quid it works but anything desirable that costs a bit seems to go missing...not all the time but it's so easy for a courier just to say he has delivered it and squiggle down a signature it could be happening at any stage between St Albans and your PO...

Bingo.
They're leaving themselves wide open to the thieves and it's not taken long for the thieves to cop on, it seems.
Really, who the hell dreamed this up without any safeguards in place? It's just another example of the faulty thinking that went into the absurdly long ID number.

pleasant Co.

Trying this for the 4th time, wouldn't if I could avoid it but the seller I was buying from wouldn't ship to the north

brocky1970

Does anyone know of alternatives parcel motel let me down big time at Christmas looked at DPD wizard but they have poor reviews

nsa0bupkd3948x

There is Parcel Motel, Parcel Connect, Parcel Wizard and AddressPal. You can see a comparison here. Bear in mind AddressPal is now more expensive €3.75 v €3.50

Outlaw Pete

harr wrote: »

For smaller items under 50 quid it works but anything desirable that costs a bit seems to go missing...not all the time but it's so easy for a courier just to say he has delivered it and squiggle down a signature it could be happening at any stage between St Albans and your PO...

Exactly, I've had seven or eight items arrive in the post office (even though sellers haven't included my AP number) but the one time a parcel never turned up, it was an almost brand new S6 Edge :cool:

And as you say, the signatures are mostly illegible.

blade1

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

Exactly, I've had seven or eight items arrive in the post office (even though sellers haven't included my AP number) but the one time a parcel never turned up, it was an almost brand new S6 Edge :cool:

And as you say, the signatures are mostly illegible.

It matters not if you can read the signature or not.
The name should be shown where it says printed name.
Up to whoever delivered to St.Albans to get the name of the person who signed for it,if indeed someone actually did sign for it.
Couriers have signed my name at times before without my permission.

FanadMan

blade1 wrote:

Couriers have signed my name at times before without my permission.

Have had that done numerous times with different couriers - signed and left outside house, parcels left in shops and parcels sent with bread delivery guy!!

The_Conductor

FanadMan wrote: »

Have had that done numerous times with different couriers - signed and left outside house, parcels left in shops and parcels sent with bread delivery guy!!

I've had DPD leave packages with the local Jehovahs Witnesses- on the basis that if they couldn't trust them, who could they trust.........

They kindly delivered them (they being a group of 3) and I felt compelled to offer them a pot of tea- however, I told them, with regret, that they were wasting their time trying to evangalise me. I also rang up DPD and gave them a bollicking.

charlietheminxx

I'm never using this service again. My package was delivered to St Albans last Tuesday morning. I rang An Post yesterday after checking my local post office just in case - they said I'd have to give it until next week and if there's no sign of it then I could get onto St Albans and give them my details. It's something for a holiday I'm going on at the end of next week so after that it isn't much use to me, something I explained to An Post but they really don't give a damn.

Outlaw Pete

My phone has still not surfaced, be two weeks tomorrow.

Today though a cheap modem I ordered on Ebay arrived and as you can see the package was ripped open on top just enough to reveal it's contents .... now wonder why anyone would do that.

FanadMan

Outlaw Pete wrote: »

My phone has still not surfaced, be two weeks tomorrow.

Today though a cheap modem I ordered on Ebay arrived and as you can see the package was ripped open on top just enough to reveal it's contents .... now wonder why anyone would do that.

Things like that need to be brought to the attention of An Post. They have to get some sort of order over there. Maybe if these things were more widely publicised, An Post would be shamed into doing something.

brocky1970

Ive stopped using them now you cant track,if its lost there is no come back,delivery is slow and there expensive.

Outlaw Pete

FanadMan wrote: »

Things like that need to be brought to the attention of An Post. They have to get some sort of order over there. Maybe if these things were more widely publicised, An Post would be shamed into doing something.

Way ahead of you....:)

Guy in An Post pushes the parcel out to me and I immediately see the that it's been torn open so I explained that I have had a parcel go missing in St Alan's two weeks back and that the new one looks tampered with and would he mind making note of it and reporting the matter on my behalf.....he says he can't as it's not his job and that I need to go to the information desk. I said that if I take possession of it and then go elsewhere to complain then the argument would NO doubt made by St Albans that the customer could have ripped it open after he received it... he just shrugged his shoulders and said it was not his problem. I said can you at least give me your name so I can reference the fact that you witnessed that it was ripped open before I received it.... he said (I kid you not) "We're not allowed to give out our names cause of Tiger kidnappings".

So I went to the Information Desk and the girl there was sound and rolled her eyes at the what her colleague had said and said "Sure he has complaint forms over there for this kind of thing". She told me to take photo of it then are there which she would witness (that's the above photo there) and she said she would make a complaint on my behalf but also told me to do the same and agreed the rip was suspicious looking rather than had the look of something that might occur in transit.

Whether it does any good or not, God knows. Would love to know the level of goods going missing. We're just a small subsection here after all.

Fiskar

In regard to a previous poster who indicated the lack of controls and sign-in of packages I did raise a complaint with An Post. It was kindly acknowledged and was to forwarded onto the relevant division. So far all my packages have arrived but I would not spend over €50 just in case.
It is great to have a UK mainland address but why they have to have a shoddy service element is beyond me.

Dan Jaman

It's because they had to give Daft Jimmy something to do, in the planning office.
Bright Pat came up with the idea but DJ felt left out.

charlietheminxx

I finally got my package today. Still though, never again. 10 days from England to Dublin with no tracking or security just doesn't work for me.

Fiskar

charlietheminxx wrote: »

I finally got my package today. Still though, never again. 10 days from England to Dublin with no tracking or security just doesn't work for me.

To be honest what do you expect? You are getting a UK address. Allowing for delivery time to that address, shipping time from address and distribution to your local post office does take a few days. If you want something tomorrow pay the premium.

brocky1970

you are paying a premium,10 days is a joke,and by the way first class post in the uk is next day,if not you can claim your money back

charlietheminxx

Fiskar wrote: »

To be honest what do you expect? You are getting a UK address. Allowing for delivery time to that address, shipping time from address and distribution to your local post office does take a few days. If you want something tomorrow pay the premium.

Pretty much what Brocky said to be honest. The signature for my parcel on delivery to St Albans didn't even have anyone's name on it. I use Parcel Wizard a lot and used Parcel Motel in the past when I worked close to a locker collection point. It normally takes 1-3 days max for either of them and they know where your parcel is at all times.... it costs roughly the same price.

It was the attitude of the customer service people that put me off the most really - that you have to wait until 2 weeks have passed until you can follow up with the centre at St Albans to see where your stuff is.... just seems ludicrous. They don't take ownership of delivering the level of service that they supposedly offer and it seems like a poorly cobbled together system where one side doesn't communicate with the other.

If I ever need something from mainland UK again, I'll just get it delivered to my cousin or a friend and have them send it on.

Edited to add: Also I meant 10 days from the delivery of my item to the centre in St Albans. I purchased the item on the Monday with next day signed for delivery. It arrived at the centre on Tuesday. Then no update until yesterday.

Moreilly

Bought a Google Home and Chromecast, delivered to st albans 10 days ago....... still waiting...........

honda boi

Wish I had seen this thread of horror stories before I ordered to them!
Ordered €300+ worth from amazon that amazon said arrived to st Albans on monday and heard nothing from an post.
And going by the size of boxes from amazon and the strictness of an post from here will probaly be overcharged!
Hoping it,ll be at the post office next week and not 'missing' .!!!!!

Fiskar

honda boi wrote: »

Wish I had seen this thread of horror stories before I ordered to them!
Ordered €300+ worth from amazon that amazon said arrived to st Albans on monday and heard nothing from an post.
And going by the size of boxes from amazon and the strictness of an post from here will probaly be overcharged!
Hoping it,ll be at the post office next week and not 'missing' .!!!!!

Have a little faith. firstly, you will get an email by tomorrow or Friday (that is what I find with Monday deliveries. Second, if lost Amazon will reimburse. Never had an Amazon order lost yet, would say An Post would not want that publicity either regardless of the 40 euro liability.

my3cents

Fiskar wrote: »

Have a little faith. firstly, you will get an email by tomorrow or Friday (that is what I find with Monday deliveries. Second, if lost Amazon will reimburse. Never had an Amazon order lost yet, would say An Post would not want that publicity either regardless of the 40 euro liability.

But has anyone had Amazon replace an item lost/stolen after its been signed for b AddessPal?

honda boi

Fiskar wrote: »

Have a little faith. firstly, you will get an email by tomorrow or Friday (that is what I find with Monday deliveries. Second, if lost Amazon will reimburse. Never had an Amazon order lost yet, would say An Post would not want that publicity either regardless of the 40 euro liability.

Ye probably being a little paranoid at the minute:p
I would have thought once albans accept it,amazon wipe their hands with it and its no longer there problem if it goes missing.?

FanadMan

Think if the package is that big it'll be harder for it to "go missing" in St Albans. Hope you'll get your package OK

grimeire

Hey,

i had a package arrive at addresspal st albans address last monday the 5th of june and i am still yet to recieve any more info on it.

I emailed addresspalsupport@anpost.ie on friday the 9th. I was yet to get a response at of Tuesday the 13th so i rang anpost. An post told me that i have to contact addresspalsupport at the email address that i already messaged and it had nothing to do with them.

Does it usually take this long to get a response from addressPal and if they lost the item what can i do? the item was over €400.
will i ever see the money or item again?

thanks for any help.

---

just seen in another post it is 10 working days before they even go looking for the item.

---update---
AddressPal finally responsed to my emails and said my item is oversized and that it is ready for collection at my postal depot. I wonder would they of ever contacted me if i had not sent them 3 emails.

for anyone one else looking to contact addressPal here is the email they contacted me on
AddressPalFromAnPost@airbusonline.com
they responsed to an email from me within 10 minutes of contacting them through that email address so i suggest everyone having troubles use that email instead

Spocker

Looks like Address Pal is becoming a problem for Amazon, just got this mail:

Hello,

We’ve noticed you use the An Post Address Pal service for some of your Amazon orders. To avoid delays in receiving your parcel, please make sure you include the following address details-

1) Full name- This should match the name on your An Post Address Pal account.

2) Unique Address Pal ID- Entered in the first line of your address, this will allow An Post to locate you on their system and forward your parcel to your final destination as efficiently as possible.

3) Full UK address as below-

Air Business AP,
4 The Merlin Centre,
Acrewood Way,
St Albans Herts
AL4 0JY

4) Phone number to allow An Post to contact you if necessary.

If all of the above is up to date on your account, please disregard this email. If you need to make changes to your address, please go to https://www.amazon.co.uk/your-account and click on "Addresses". You'll then be asked to enter in your e-mail address and password for security purposes. Once you've done this, our system will then prompt you with information on how to change, delete, or enter a new address.

Regards,

Customer Service Department