As online shopping continues to break records in Australia, with consumers spending an astonishing $69 billion on digital purchases last year, delivery problems have become an increasingly frustrating reality for many shoppers.
The retailer's legal responsibility
According to Australian consumer law experts, when your package goes missing or arrives late, your first port of call should always be the retailer who sold you the item. Under Australian Consumer Law, retailers bear primary responsibility for ensuring your goods arrive as promised.
Kat George, a policy specialist, explains that this legal framework exists because retailers make specific representations about delivery times during the sales process. "The retailer is not allowed to mislead or deceive you," she states. "That means they cannot sell products if they know, or should reasonably know, that items cannot be supplied within the timeframe they've specified."
Even in drop-shipping arrangements where retailers source products from third-party suppliers, the original seller remains accountable for delivery fulfilment.
When couriers fail their duties
Common complaints from online shoppers include couriers falsely claiming delivery attempts, failing to leave notification cards, losing packages, and providing conflicting information about import duties that delay time-sensitive deliveries.
One New South Wales resident, Alex, described the frustration of multiple wasted hours on hold trying to resolve delivery issues, only to be passed back and forth between retailers and courier companies.
George acknowledges that some delivery problems may be considered "beyond the business's control," such as when a courier fails to buzz an apartment intercom despite someone being home. However, she notes that if retailers receive persistent complaints about a particular courier, they have a responsibility to seek more reliable delivery options.
Taking action against poor service
Consumers have several avenues for recourse when facing delivery problems. The first step is to complain directly to the retailer, both by phone and in writing, providing any evidence of delivery failures.
Courier companies themselves are also bound by consumer guarantees requiring them to provide services with "due care and skill." The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) defines this as work that meets the standard of "a competent service provider with average skills and experience."
If direct complaints to couriers prove ineffective, consumers can escalate their concerns to appropriate oversight bodies:
- For Australia Post or StarTrack issues: Contact the Commonwealth Ombudsman
- For other courier companies: Approach your local consumer protection authority
- For systemic issues: File a complaint with the ACCC
While these processes cannot undo the inconvenience of missed deliveries, they provide mechanisms for accountability and potential improvement in service standards.
Practical shopping advice
George offers practical advice for consumers: "If having something by a specific date is critical, consider traditional retail shopping when possible." She suggests weighing the convenience of online shopping against the certainty of obtaining essential items when needed.
With online shopping now firmly embedded in Australian consumer behaviour, understanding these rights and processes becomes increasingly important for navigating the occasional pitfalls of digital retail.
