So I ordered some stuff off Catch of the Day last week and today received a delivery slip from Australia Post advising me that instead of picking up my packages from Artarmon Post Office, a mere 250m away (closer than the train station, which is 550m away), I am to go to the North Side Centralised Collection Point at St Leonards, more than a kilometre away, as they are trialling a collection point.
This makes sense on many levels. It cuts down on distributing undelivered parcels to each of the suburb's post offices as the driver has to return to the distro centre anyway. The Collection Point is also open 24 hours a day on weekdays and quite generous hours on weekends so it's convenient for parcel recipients too.
Sort of. For you see, I don't own a car.
When I worked full-time I had parcels delivered to work because my local post office (North Sydney at the time) wasn't open on weekends. And that was because I had an understanding workplace that tolerated that kind of thing.
Now, the reason I get my parcels delivered to me at home is because I work part-time and am more likely to be home than not when it is delivered. If I am not, then it's just a 5-min round trip to the local post office to collect it. Even I can handle big parcels for just 250m.
This Collection Point trial means I'm going to have to either walk or get on a train to St Leonards and then, package/s in arms, somehow get back home. It may not seem like much, but it's either 550m to Artarmon Station and then 500m from St Leonards Station to the Collection Point or a 1.1km direct walk and then back again. Either way I have to walk a kilometre carrying a package.
Mostly this is okay. I don't tend to order heavy and/or bulky items. But damned if I'm ordering wine again. And then there are those mysterious birthday packages which could be any size...
Australia Post, if you had been SMART, you would have asked customers what they wanted from your package delivery service to move uncollected parcels. I would have told you 'open the post office outside office hours one day a week'. It only takes opening until 6pm on a weekday or a few hours on a weekend to be more convenient.
*sigh*
I'll let you know how long it takes to collect my two parcels.
*** UPDATE HERE ***
2 comments:
I got the same thing too, I live in Chatswood and I have to all the way to St Leonards to pick up my parcel. Even it is open 24hours from Mon to Friday, it's kind of a long walk from St Leonards station...
I spoke to the person at the post office, she ask me to lodge a complaint via phone (make sure you photo copy front and back of your collection card first) to opt out.
I also got this in the mail and it makes me so annoyed! I have to catch the train and walk to st leonards just to receive a parcel that i could have picked up with just a 50m walk
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