Guardian Australia (@australia.theguardian.com)

I often shop online. Is there anything I can do about dodgy couriers? When a product isn’t delivered within its timeframe, the retailer must provide a solution, Australian policy expert Kat George writes. But there are steps you can take with the courier too * Read more Australian customer service questions * Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email I often shop online and notice some courier companies create persistent problems for me. These include: couriers claiming to have attempted delivery on days when I have been working from home and know they didn’t bother to buzz my apartment; couriers failing to leave notice of attempted deliveries; lost packages; and in one instance, giving me conflicting information about the need to pay import duties, resulting in a time sensitive delivery being delayed. Trying to resolve these problems often takes multiple phone calls and a lot of waiting on hold. The shipping and courier companies always pass the buck back to the retailer when something goes wrong. This doesn’t seem fair since it’s the courier, not the retailer, who is at fault. Beyond complaining to the retailer, is there any way to hold a shipping company to account for their terrible customer service? Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2025/nov/11/online-shopping-dodgy-couriers-advice-australia?CMP=aus_bsky