COVID-19 SHIPPING DELAYS FAQS

We have been receiving a large number of enquiries from our customers experiencing shipping delays due to the extreme backlog that Australia Post is currently working through. We have also had enquiries from customers regarding tracking not being updated as expected, or not being updated at all.

Australia Post has confirmed the backlog has been caused by a significant reduction in flights and manpower, but an exponential increase in parcels. They are working through it all the best they can and have assured all parcels are safe and waiting in line to be processed.If you are expecting the delivery of an order and it is late, you are absolutely not alone. This delay is affecting all businesses and many customers.

Here are a few answers to questions we hope might provide some assurance as you await your deliveries:

Why is my order showing no tracking updates beyond being received by Australia Post?

We have found that almost all shipments since March only show tracking when they have been scanned in by Australia Post and/or delivered, nothing in between. These aren’t lost or stuck, they are currently still in transit. This has been the case for nearly all international orders and some domestic interstate orders.

For International orders:

Each country has an estimated timeframe for deliveries during the current global situation. You can check how your country is impacted and the length of any expected delays here.

To track your order please use the tracking number provided by Australia Post and this link here. Once it leaves Australia and is at your destination please follow the links below that correspond to your country.

• For all orders travelling to New Zealand use the NZ Post link here
  
• For all orders travelling to the U.S please use the USPS link here
  
• For orders travelling to the United Kingdom please use the ParcelForce link here
  
• For all other countries please use the link here. Via this link you be able to find out your postal service for your country.

For Australian orders, you can be expecting up to 1 - 2 weeks delay, including Express Post parcels and in particular with parcels travelling interstate (our warehouse is located in Sydney, Australia).

I've received other orders with no delays, why is this order so late?

Unfortunately, there appears to be no pattern with some more recent orders being received with no delays. However, there does appear to be a significant backlog with all orders shipped during our high sale periods and during the Easter break. We have been told that Express shipping (both domestically and internationally) are still being prioritised, so we would recommend upgrading to these services if you are able to, however please still expect a delay compared to normal service times.

I lodged an investigation with Australia Post and they have declared my parcel as 'Lost in Transit', what do I do now?

We have had Australia Post incorrectly tell a number of our customers (with orders placed in March and April) that their orders are ‘lost’ only for them to receive their orders as little as 24 hours later. We suggest to stay patient with our customer service team and we will work closely with you to ensure that we get the correct information and the best and fastest outcome for you.

The communication systems at Australia Post are being exhausted and managing the backlog has proven difficult. We have been told that their investigation system automatically defaults to a ‘lost in transit’ outcome 5 days past the expected delivery date of any parcel, without taking into consideration the current COVID19 delays.

A lost parcel through Australia Post is extremely rare. We have only ever had a handful since we started trading online. In those rare cases, we have a credit policy in place to take care of our lovely customers. However in this case, we are taking direction from Australia Post that there are extreme delays due to COVID19 and their systems are not updating tracking correctly. Therefore, If Australia Post or your third party postal service claims lost delivery, unfortunately, we will need to lodge an investigation and await confirmation from the carrier. At this point in time all we can do is be patient and hope that the backlog is cleared as soon as possible and your order will be in your hands soon.

Please be advised we will reassess any orders that haven't been delivered after 30 business days past the estimated delivery date (domestic orders) or 60 business days (international orders) and look at replacement or credit options for those customers at that time only.

Can't you just get compensation through Australia Post and then refund my order?

We ship using EParcel and unfortunately are not compensated in any way for lost or missing parcels by Australia Post. This is why we are only able to offer a credit note to our customers and not a refund. We thank you for your patience while we navigate these incredibly trying times. We are doing our absolute best to keep our customers informed and supported. If we can help with any further questions, please do not hesitate to call or email us at info@shonajoy.com.au.

We hope you are all safe and well
Lots of Love, team SJ xo