Brace yourselves. The recent and ongoing shipping delays that many people across the country have experienced may only be getting worse. Australia is not alone in facing this problem of course. Internationally, Covid-19 shutdowns and an increase in demand have combined to cause congestion and delays. Re international shipping lines: “One stevedore told the ACCC that only 10 per cent of vessels arrived in their designated berth windows in 2020-21, which is their lowest rate on record.” (news.com.au) Air freight has also had an impact, with the number of flights coming into Australia being drastically reduced during Covid-19.
Here are some of the headlines that popped up when I googled this issue:
Aussies told to buy Christmas presents now as shipping crisis threatens deliveries (news.com.au)
Christmas chaos: Australia facing ‘disastrous’ shipping crisis (SMH)
Yuletide logjam: how supply chain woes could ruin Christmas for Australian shoppers (The Guardian)
Retailers forced to buy shipping containers, charter vessels to have Christmas stock arrive in time (9news.com.au)
Closer to home, changes at Australia Post with an automated weight and measuring system have caused shipping costs for small businesses to increase sometimes dramatically. As well, a surge in demand due to increased online shopping during the Melbourne and Sydney lockdowns has meant Australia Post services have been struggling to keep up. Looking forward, AusPost has “...pledged $1 billion over three years to improve its services, with $400 million to go towards enhancing parcel facilities by mid next year.” (smartcompany.com.au)
Anecdotally, I have personally seen several questions in the groups that I am a member of on Facebook, where small business owners are asking each other for advice on what to do about customer complaints re shipping delays or missing packages. And as the busiest time of the year is upon us, things are only going to get worse.
My advice to small business owners at this time is to get ahead of the curve by perhaps adding a banner to your website, outlining how there will be delays in the coming weeks; whatever the circumstances may be for your business, letting customers know what to expect up front is always a good approach. Perhaps review your shipping and returns policies to make sure they are clear and cover the current circumstances.
But what are your rights if you do face issues with lost or delayed packages? This article by Choice may help clarify that for you. Best of luck going into the holiday season!!
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