Recently I started a thread where FedEx lost a new brass radiator. Another shipment from the same vendor, of various parts and of similar value has now also gone missing.
Both shipments have made it into Australia. Both shipments have made it through customs and all the necessary taxes and tariffs were paid. But both shipments disappeared at that same point.
Over the years I have imported scores and scores of shipments from the UK the USofA, New Zealand, Japan and Europe, all without a single item being lost. Now suddenly I loose two.
Both were vintage car parts, both were from the same vendor and both were lost at the same stage of the shipment. The only difference is that FedEx were in control of the first article and Australia Post, the second.
After reading this, do you smell the same rat that I do?
Rob

Decades ago I had some wood kits disappear three times--turned out some UPS guy was swiping them. The Supplier finally drove them to me! (he was in S. Calif, I was in N. Calif. Great wood kits too, but the guy got out of the biz right afterwards.
Yes, I smell a rat and I hope you've gone to the Customs folks about this, as it smells like it might be related there.

I feel for you Rob, OUCH!

As my old man would say, Australia if full of descendants of convicts and run by the black sheep of English aristocrats!

Surely there's some way to figure out where exactly the packages are "disappearing" along with getting reimbursed. I would be LIVID with this whole situation. I hope you get it sorted out.

Sounds like there's a thief in the supply chain. Maybe have someone send you some exploding dye packages and see if that flushes them out of the darkness. Sorry for your hardship Rob.

I have had firsthand experience that local radio talk shows can cause the lazy asses in corporate life to have to actually listen up and do something. I've caused our local government hardship when I pointed out the lack of due diligence and got very fast action from people who were happy to let things slide. This all came to happen due to a local talk show. Mebbe some wisely crafted, sharp words aimed at the courier by name will get action. At the same time you have to further tighten the noose by including comments directed at whomever your government of the day is. If goods are not secure thru customs, then what is?? Be wise, and cause verbal wounds, but make sure you're not going down the path of slander.

Regards,
Garnet

Yea, if the forms are marked "old car parts" or something along that line, someone is swiping them. I would check Ebay for similar items in a month or 2 and see anything shows up.

Shipping is getting to be a pain. I sold a Harley air cleaner to a lady in Delaware. I mailed it monday 2 day priority with the exact address written on the box. It makes it into her mail mans vehicle but from there he suddenly decided he can't deliver it as addressed. Now i have her money, the postal service is playing football with the air filter and I can't get any results.

FedEx have accepted that the Radiator went missing on their watch and have agreed to pay ALL expenses. (whether they do or not.....well?)
That just leaves the other parcel which Aust Post is still investigating. I'll know in a few days if they admit fault and agree to pay up.
Meanwhile I've reported my suspicions to both NSW Police Crime Stoppers and Australian Border Watch.
I've done about all I can do, but I think my wife will agree if anyone says I'm not good company at the moment.
Rob

Mack, I use this when I mail packages so I don't have to deal with the dreaded mistyped address or other folly from the USPS.

http://www.melissadata.com/lookups/personator.asp

Rob, I hate to hear of things like this. Good luck with resolving this issue.

Rob, you can make things easier in future. If you keep parcels under the AU$1000 threshold, they will not attract customs attention and you will save the 10%GST. The postal service is the better way to go for this.It may also make the parcel less attractive to potential thieves. There will be extra post charges, but these are more than offset by the duty exemptions.

Hope this helps.
Allan from down under.

Gents,
Thanks for all the advice.
There is a development though....
I've just had a phone call from Australia Post saying they've located the parcel containing the parts.
This morning it was scanned out of the Chullora (Sydney) warehouse and its now on its way to me. Should be here in a couple of days. It's been in transit since 30th AUG. I hope its not TOO knocked about.
I just have to get back in touch with the Police and the Border Watch bunch and notify them.
I feel a little better now.......just one Radiator short.
Cheers,
Rob

Fed-Ex have a "Lost Prevention" section. Might be worth a call to involve them. Unfortunately internal theft appears to be on the rise in all sectors of the economy.

I've had a REALLY good day, today.
I managed to fit new tyres to 5 newly powder-coated wheels and then fit the wheels to the speedster project.
Then, as I mentioned above, I had a phone call from AusPost saying they'd found my shipment and its now on its way to me.
This afternoon I noticed a small anomaly in the FedEx tracking site tracking my package which had been deemed by FedEx as lost (and a claim is now underway). It suddenly had a "blip". So I waited and when I didn't receive an email FROM fEDeX, I called them and asked about the blip. The Trace Agent asked me to confirm my address and when I did, he confirmed that the blip was indeed my missing radiator.
I find it strange that both these parcels, that have been missing for weeks, both suddenly appear the day following a report I made to both the Police and the Border Watch people.
Anyway, I'm just glad that I don't have to worry anymore.....or do I? .....they're not here yet.
Cheers,
Rob

Don't hold your breath! You would look silly as a Smurf!
But I do have my fingers crossed!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe it can turn out like my lamps? (Several years ago.) Bought two lamps (lots of fragile glass). They were shipped in two boxes. Both got lost in shipping. After the searches, the claims, an appropriate amount of time, they were declared lost, refunds were made. We did not reorder.
A couple months later, guess what showed up at our door, and in perfect condition. We called the shipper, we called the seller, they all said for us to keep them. It was too much trouble to undo all the refunds and paperwork.
At least it hurt a little less when the cat knocked one of them down and shattered it.
Drive carefully, and enjoy, W2

Watching from afar, it seems to me very unlikely that these 2 issues are even remotely related. FEDEX and AusPost are very unlikely to have any sort of crossover in logistics. Plus different items from different suppliers on different dates don't likely have anything in common. The only common thread is the delivery address. This isn't likely the issue since to date, nothing has been delivered. Chalk it up to either a coincidental twist of fate or just maybe the same root cause as water spinning the other way down the drain...

As someone who's address was GPO / Sydney 2000 for a year I developed a sense of "whatever" when it came to mail delivery.

Mostly really happy that there's a light at the end of the tunnel with the radiator.