Through my own experience of ordering a phone screen online I have learnt and offer this info and advice:
Electronics items like laptops, phones, etc. are high value and relatively small so are a great target for theft.
SAPO is experiencing a high level of theft of these items through their Johannesburg International Mail Centre (hub) - I can't comment on other of their hubs. They are aware of these issues and working on it. In the interim, we are the unfortunate beneficiaries of their internal problems.
When these items arrive at the hub, they are misplaced and hidden internally to give the thieves time to access and remove the items. The packages are then resealed and shipped to various other incorrect sub-hubs - not directly to your post office - in order to create further confusion and shift the ability to pinpoint the problem area. By the time the frustrated customer obtains the package and discovers the loss, there is no chance of direct recovery.
My advice would be to not buy high value electronics online where there is no direct courier option. Relying on luck getting it through the SAPO postal system is not advisable. You will wait an excessively long time to discover you don't have what you ordered and have the additional headache of claiming your loss.
I naively thought that a phone component would be safe but was proven wrong. I do want to give a shout-out to the manager of the Highlands North post office who noticed that the package was Non Conforming (tampered with) and he noted the clear thumb print under the tape that was used to reseal it. He wanted me to confirm that the item inside was in fact missing and open up an internal investigation immediately. When I said that at least it was only a R550 item, he stressed to me that this was my R550 and no one had the right to steal it from me. A small silver lining and reminder that we are not all a nation of thugs.
Electronics items like laptops, phones, etc. are high value and relatively small so are a great target for theft.
SAPO is experiencing a high level of theft of these items through their Johannesburg International Mail Centre (hub) - I can't comment on other of their hubs. They are aware of these issues and working on it. In the interim, we are the unfortunate beneficiaries of their internal problems.
When these items arrive at the hub, they are misplaced and hidden internally to give the thieves time to access and remove the items. The packages are then resealed and shipped to various other incorrect sub-hubs - not directly to your post office - in order to create further confusion and shift the ability to pinpoint the problem area. By the time the frustrated customer obtains the package and discovers the loss, there is no chance of direct recovery.
My advice would be to not buy high value electronics online where there is no direct courier option. Relying on luck getting it through the SAPO postal system is not advisable. You will wait an excessively long time to discover you don't have what you ordered and have the additional headache of claiming your loss.
I naively thought that a phone component would be safe but was proven wrong. I do want to give a shout-out to the manager of the Highlands North post office who noticed that the package was Non Conforming (tampered with) and he noted the clear thumb print under the tape that was used to reseal it. He wanted me to confirm that the item inside was in fact missing and open up an internal investigation immediately. When I said that at least it was only a R550 item, he stressed to me that this was my R550 and no one had the right to steal it from me. A small silver lining and reminder that we are not all a nation of thugs.
