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Amazon decision 'unexpected'

Jun 18 2008 15:53

Johannesburg - The SA Post Office is trying to contact internet retailer Amazon.com for further details on why it offers limited shipping facilities to South Africa after a report that this was due to theft.

"It was a surprise...unexpected," said Post Office spokesperson Lungile Lose on a report in Business Day that theft had made the retailer decide that deliveries to South Africa would have to be done by private courier costing around R400.

"We will still want to speak to them so that we can pick up where the root is and we will take it up with the Universal Postal Union," he said.

Items from Amazon passed through other international postal service providers from their depots around the world so they would like to talk to Amazon.com about which part of the route was problematic.

"This is an important customer," said Lose.

He said that for the period 2007/2008 there had been 1&nbbsp;699 reports of mail theft and that there was a 99% success rate when pursuing these cases.

The Post Office had installed specialist technology, including cameras at sorting centres, and had established a crime and ethics line for postal workers to report any suspicious behaviour.

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Gerhard
Nov 21 2009 07:42 Report this comment

Had i parcel from the UK stolen and one from the US. It is shocking that the post office recogns that they have a 99% success rate. How many cases are actually reported, because they do not have a proper theft reporting system. The SA post office is full of BS! So happy that I bought some idiotic postal worker a lovely Christmas present.

Salim Ismail
Jun 19 2008 22:32 Report this comment

Stopped using Amazon international posting a long time ago. I have my stuff sent to mail forwarding company who dhl it to me. better than Amazon Expidited and cheaper too.

quidditas
Jun 19 2008 17:22 Report this comment

Amazon is definitely targeted. I 've had 1 parcel stolen out of 2. Changed to Alibris and in over 30 parcels not a single one went missing. If you are posting something overseas, call it literature.. tends to get there.

Lev
Jun 19 2008 16:49 Report this comment

Agreed on all above, I have also lost at least 3 parcels (fairly expensive) and all 3 mysteriously vanished during months of June and August around the years 2005-2006. Naturally, all calls ended in dead-end and received the cliché "it got lost overseas" excuse. To be completely frank, though it was a rough decision - I believe it was a very good kick in the backside for SAPO about their "rampant" theft problem. They turn a blind eye, because it would be inconvenient and reflect poorly on them to try tackle it or admit to it - well, now it DOES reflect poorly, well played SAPO, epic fail.

Tony
Jun 19 2008 16:08 Report this comment

Maybe it's a good thing that the post office is brought to everyones attention regarding wholesale theft within their ranks. November 2007 I sent 2 small parcels from the UK to family in SA to avoid the Christmas rush and todate (June 2008), they have never reached their destination. Why bother with seeking clarification, because as usual, they will deny this ever arrived in the country. Corruption at its best. Good on Amazon.

Erik
Jun 19 2008 14:42 Report this comment

Unfortunately as a foreigner living in SA I have to confirm that private post from over seas getting lost is a rule, not an exception. Anything that looks like it might contain money, e.g. a B-day card, gets "lost" If you complain to the SAn post office about a personal letter getting lost you may expect a comment like "maybe it got lost in the country of origin Sir" Yeah right!

DonC
Jun 19 2008 13:54 Report this comment

I've had countless of letters and cards from both Japan and the UK be either delayed or lost in the post, usually around the festive season. On a few occasions I've received a card months after it was sent with the envelope cellotaped down. I've told all family abroad not to send large parcels. It's a wonder how the SAPO doesn't see they have serious theft problems.

HateGauteng
Jun 19 2008 12:54 Report this comment

I receive postage from overseas regularly. In my case, it is only the packages with a value on it (for tax purposes) that get delayed and lost. The contents of the packages are of no value to general society except for a few collectors. These items still go missing. Tracking numbers reveal that it goes missing soon after landing in SA. I understand Amazons position. It's no use talking to the SAPO or customs. Just cut your losses and move on. You can't negotiate with criminals. The greater implication of this is the mistrust can cause a complete breakdown of communication infrastructure in SA, a major step backwards in any civilised society. Thanks goodness for email but that's largely at the mercy of Telkom.


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