Covid-19 ... The stuff I ordered hasn't been delivered yet!!!!

[old man emu]

The lock-down as a response to Covid-19 has drastically changed the way we purchase things and get them home. 6 months ago we either went to a shop to purchase stuff and took it home ourselves, or had the store deliver it. We might have bought stuff using the Internet and had the seller arrange delivery. Both systems worked efficiently. But since the lock-down, E-commerce has grown by about 1200%, in a month to six weeks. The logistics system has not been able to expand so rapidly to meet demand.

 

Here's how E-commerce works. You purchase a wigwam for a goose's bridle from an E-retailer. Payment is made and you see the money go out of your bank account. The E-retailer boxes up your purchase and calls up a delivery service to convey it from the retailer to your door. The delivery service picks up the goods from the retailer. You get an email from the retailer informing you that the goods have been dispatched and providing you with a tracking number. It is now up to the delivery service to get the goods to your front door.

 

Back in the day, the delivery service had enough trucks and drivers to get your goods to you within the estimated delivery time. However, with the 1200% increase in parcels being picked up by the services, the available trucks and cargo volumes have been well and truly exceeded. As a result, goods bank up in the delivery services' depots, and the time for the goods to get from retailer to you blows out.

 

Can the retailer do anything about slow delivery? NO. Once the goods have been handed over to the delivery service, the retailer loses all control over them.

 

Does it do any good to contact the retailer to complain about slow delivery? NO. Speed of delivery is out of the retailer's hands. Don't forget, you are not the only one whose goods haven't been delivered on time. The retailer is probably spending a lot of time responding to complaints from lots of customers. The retailer is the victim of the logistics collapse just like his customers.

 

Does it do any good to contact the delivery service? NO. Your goods are in the system, somewhere amongst a million other items. The best that the delivery service can tell you is if the gods are on a truck or still waiting to be put on a delivery truck at the depot.

 

Can the delivery service speed up your delivery? NO. It's a case of "first in, best dressed". Your goods will be delivered when they reach the top of the pile. The delivery service couldn't find your goods amongst all the others anyway. Think needles and haystacks.

 

What can you do? Chill, Bill. The goods will turn up eventually. Provided some minimum wage earning drop kick hasn't thrown your package out on the side of the road and claimed to have delivered it.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Although we naturally worryi about what is going to happen to aviation, I fear the decline of bricks and mortar retailers is accelerating and exponential speed.

[Marty_d]

It has been for a while.

 

I sit next to a couple of women at work (well, I used to, we're all working from home now) and their conversations about clothes shopping were all about online purchases. One would even order dozens of things she didn't really intend buying, because she could try them on, then return to the seller for a complete refund. Talk about overloading the mail system!

 

I think the future is going to look a bit different. Cities and retail centres may actually downsize slightly with more emphasis on local "village high street" type stores which stock essentials.

 

There's a place called Swansea in Tasmania where the Morris General Store (built in 1838 and once owned by an ancestor of mine), is a true "general store" selling everything from groceries to wool to fishing gear to hardware to basic clothes and everything in between. Wouldn't surprise me if we see more of that - diversifying and stocking only the stuff that people want immediately, with things like shoes, fashion, jewellery, homewares etc all moved online.

[ClintonB]

Although we naturally worryi about what is going to happen to aviation, I fear the decline of bricks and mortar retailers is accelerating and exponential speed.

Coming back from that is going to be hard. It is hard enough as is to compete with online business with no "real" overheads that a brick and mortar business has. We cop it all the time. A lot of inferior copy parts or incomplete sets sold with "upgrades" required to install. sometimes they sell customers goods they don't have in their possession and place on back order. You have paid straight away and the wholesaler has no stock for up to 3 months or worse obsolete but still in older catalogues. At least when ordering for someone I make sure it is available and can be supplied before taking any money. I'm just hoping to survive this period with limited travellers on the road. Maybe every one will holiday in Australia more afterwards and need servicing and repairs to caravans.

[Jerry_Atrick]

@ClintonB - Hope things pick up quickly after the lockdown, and for all of us, hope the lockdown lifts sooner rather than later, though, today, they have extended it to end of May at the earliest in the UK. I guess there's not much mobile work you could do for people who are statically living in their caravans?

[old man emu]

Drive through any of the older, pre-WWll suburbs of our major cities (with the exception of Canberra) and you will find a host of corner stores. My mother called them "Mum forgot shops", because t a kid would be sent down there to get the thing that "Mum forgot" to get when she went shopping. These shops provided a resource for the local population, and a living for the retailers. From 1960 onward, we had the growth of the supermarkets which could use economies of scale to get better deals from the wholesalers, which in turned allowed them to undercut the prices of the mum forgots.

 

Urban design has gone too far now to allow for a return to corner shops, and supermarket chains have killed the little shops' viability.

 

I sit next to a couple of women at work and their conversations about clothes shopping were all about online purchases.

 

I went to my local major shopping centre last week. So many of the shops were closed. The majority of the closed shops were women's clothing and accessory shops. I always ask myself "Why so many dress shops?" Nowadays you have to go on safari into the industrial areas to find the stuff a bloke really wants.

[ClintonB]

Drive through any of the older, pre-WWll suburbs of our major cities (with the exception of Canberra) and you will find a host of corner stores. My mother called them "Mum forgot shops", because t a kid would be sent down there to get the thing that "Mum forgot" to get when she went shopping. These shops provided a resource for the local population, and a living for the retailers. From 1960 onward, we had the growth of the supermarkets which could use economies of scale to get better deals from the wholesalers, which in turned allowed them to undercut the prices of the mum forgots.

 

Urban design has gone too far now to allow for a return to corner shops, and supermarket chains have killed the little shops' viability.

 

 

 

I went to my local major shopping centre last week. So many of the shops were closed. The majority of the closed shops were women's clothing and accessory shops. I always ask myself "Why so many dress shops?" Nowadays you have to go on safari into the industrial areas to find the stuff a bloke really wants.

Round Tamworth there are lots of houses that had shops built into the front of them, when looking for them they are only a handful of blocks between them, the same with little service stations-the type that had a mechanic on duty and fuel/oils. Progress is not always great for us, the big guys may start cheap by comparison but once they have the monopoly UP goes everything, usually with tags stating "down from this in 2016" etc.

[Yenn]

When Bunnings came to town, it was less than a year before all the small hardware shops shut. Now if you want an item of hardware you go to Bunnings and have a choice of maybe two. One of those is dirt cheap and will fall apart soon after you first use it. The other is more expensive and will fall apart about six months after you first use it. Even buying a brand of tool that you have used or years and which always worked well, does not ensure you have a good product. It seems manufacturers produce down to a price for Bunnings. Even well respected names turn out rubbish for Bunnings.

I want a new battery for my camper, which I can't use, so it is not urgent. Do I buy on line now, or wait and possibly have to pay more or wait longer in the future? At least I know to buy on line as the locals have about 100% mark up and none are made in Australia.

[red750]

I am having a problem with the delivery systems right now. Fortunately it is not desperately urgent but soon will be.I require medical supplies for my urostomy. They are only available from one place in Melbourne, the Ostomy Association. Chemists don't carry these items. Normally I email an order and get a text message when it is ready to collect. The association is located about 12 km away. I usually order once every two months. I placed an orders before Easter and got an email to say that due to Covid-19, collections were no longer available and orders would be sent by Australia Post at my expense - $13-00. I got an email from AusPost quoting my tracking no., and saying the package should arrive 15/4. Nothing. A text this morning saying delivery today - still waiting. Just as well I order a little bit in advance, but there is one item I am out of, and will have to do without till the package arrives.

 

My daughter went to the Mall yesterday and said it was like a ghost town.

[Jerry_Atrick]

This thread reminds me of the old general stores. I recall being on an Air League camp in Lyonville in the 70s I guess.. there was a general store there filled with all sorts of treats younger lads want. But I have a particular memory of the daughter of those who ran the store. She ended up joining in on a lot of activities and film nights we had.. she was my age (about 11, I would guess), was pretty as they come and a really nice girl.. It was the first time I fell in love and felt the awkwardness of not knowing what to do. Lucky fella that landed her...

 

I wonder if the store is still there?

 

I used to go regulary to a camp at Baraamunga as well, basically a general store and a few hoses dotted around the Upper Gelibrand from memory. That was also a sight for sore eyes when we were allowed to cross the road and spend our pocket money. Sadly, that closed down before I first returned there as a young adult in the early 80's.

[pmccarthy]

LYON ville is near me. I will check if she is still there. 11 you say?

[Jerry_Atrick]

I figured it was near you, @pmccarthy - 11 at the time (unless she holds her age very well).. about early to mid 50's now.. Is the store still there was probably more my question.. but I'm a naturally curious guy..

 

One of my dreaming sites, realestate.com.au, has it listed as lyonville - one word - apols... Always take a look at Kyneton and surrounds as partner really liked the area (although she was not quite so impressed with Bendigo).

Edited April 16, 2020 by Jerry_Atrick

[pmccarthy]

It is one word, something happened in the typing.

[red750]

I was at Forest Hill Chase Shopping Centre at 5 pm this afternoon. Could have fired a cannon down the main mall without hitting anyone. Practically all the shops were shut. Thursday is usually late shopping night. The supermarkets, butcher, Asian $2 shop and Optus were open. Telstra and Vodaphone closed.

Edited April 16, 2020 by Guest

[onetrack]

The major problem I am running into here on the Left Coast, is very slow service on parts from the Eastern States.

This is because there are very few aircraft in the sky, so we can no longer expect to get an "overnight airbag" with our urgent part in it.

 

I want a couple of forklift gas bottles reconditioned urgently, as both have leaking tap spindles. The repairers do not repair the spindles, they simply install new taps, install new seals, pressure test, then stamp them (good for 10 more years).

I dropped them off today and hoped to get them returned to me rapidly, but the LPG bloke said he had no idea when he'd be able to get new taps for the bottles. He was hopeful it would be sometime early next week, sent by road express.

Edited April 16, 2020 by Guest

[red750]

Re my post #9. The package APO texted us was being delivered on 15/4 was finally received 16/4 at 2.47 pm according to the APO notification. We did not hear a knock or doorbell, found it on the doorstep at 3.10 when my daughter was going to work.They sent an email asking for a report on their service. I said I was less than happy and why. Received a text saying the remainder was being delivered 17/4. Three people and a dog in the house. No delivery. Text 9 am 18/4 advising the package would be delivered today, would someone be home to receive it?. Again, three people and a dog in the house. Nothing at the door at 1 pm. Noticed a box on the porch at 2.30. No-one heard a knock or ring. Box marked in large computer printed letters "Urgent Medical Supplies". I know they are busy because of the increase in online orders to deliver, but not happy, Jan!

[old man emu]

Package from Canberra to Sydney with an extra $24 Express Post fee. Posted Tuesday arrived Saturday morning. No knock on the door.

[onetrack]

The delivery people are under such pressure, they don't knock any more. They usually just call out and drop the parcel and go.

The reason is, they can lose up to 2 to 3 minutes at every drop, waiting for people to answer their door from the backyard, not hearing the bell the first two times, being on the phone or in the shower - or getting dressed.

Add up 2 to 3 minutes on 40 drops a day, and you can see a lot of lost time. Time is money to these people.

[old man emu]

My wife sits three metres from the front door all day. Her hearing is so acute that she can hear me grumbling from the garage. A simple call out would have alerted her to the delivery.

 

Then I think that perhaps the delivery guy pressed the button for the doorbell that doesn't work.

[spacesailor]

Put a new battery in that doorbell.

And in your hearing-aid. LoL

spacesailor

[red750]

I know what you mean O.M.E. My wife is couch bound in the lounge room due to a degenerative hip condition for which she needs an operation,but we can't afford it. Her head is less than two metres from the door, and the cordless chimes for the doorbell are closer to her. The dog nestles on the couch near her feet. If a door to door sales person rings the bell, the dog runs to the door and barks. Did not happen. Courier must have put the parcel down gently and snuck away like a thief in the night. Incidentally, my wife's hearing is also acute. I can be having a discussion with my daughter in the laundry, and my wife will interject, despite having the TV going in the lounge.

[Yenn]

I ordered a pair of boots from Rivers, the very next morning there is a news item about some companies refusing to pay their suppliers in Bangladesh. Rivers was one mentioned. Now they advise me they are having problems with their wharehouse and it will take extra time. If I had known they would try to rip off a third world country I would not have ordered. May still give them a few days and tell them I consider they are dishonest and cancel.

[onetrack]

I've rarely bought any footwear from Rivers that fits properly - and most of their footwear is buggered within 6 mths.

Add to that, that the Chinese seem to build shoes and sneakers and boots to fit feet that are a vastly different shape from Australians feet, and it ends up, the only thing Rivers have in their favour, is their dirt-cheap pricing on footwear.

[pmccarthy]

I think Rivers used to be made in Ballarat.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Yes they were.. There were never expensive, but good value for money. It looks like, as with RM Williams apparel, they have gone the cheap and shoddy route. Just went onto Rivers website - at least it is all priced accordingly.