shipping to South Africa

[rukoek_3]

hey hope someone can help with this, I live in South Africa want to buy on ebay but want to know do they ship it to our post office or to my house?

our post office is not the best will be a big hassle to get parcels from them and dont want it to go to them want it to be couriered to my house 

thanks

[jerseyboymusic]

I think you know more about that than us in the USA... you set your shipping address in Ebay and the seller sends to THAT ADDRESS. BUT we would have no control over what your local post office does with it once it gets there

[soh.maryl]

Seems like once the package gets to your local PO, you would have reasonable expectation of having it delivered to your house.

If your local PO is not functioning properly, have you reported it to the local Postmaster?  

[martin2001]

I would think that the local postmaster IS the local post office

[murlo7072]

https://businesstech.co.za/news/government/723362/sa-post-office-disaster-almost-400-branches-shut-d...

[soh.maryl]

My point was that there is usually a local postmaster who is in charge of the post office and its employees and it would be his/her job to make sure the PO is being run according to the rules and regs of whatever the postal service is in South Africa.  

[pjcdn2005]

The op is likely referring to the whole postal system in South Africa, not just their post office. I've read before that it is unreliable.

I suspect that most countries do not operate their post office like the usps does. I've never heard of a Postmaster for each post office here in Canada. Actually, most of our postal services are in 'outlets' in grocery stores, drug stores etc.

[pjcdn2005]

It depends on the seller and how they are shipping the package to you.  If they are using ebay international shipping they may use some sort of courier but there is no guarantee.

[meepo2000]

Morning, Soh

Our wonderful government managed to bankrupt our Post Offices.

South Africa is a nest of crime and corruption. 

I'm sitting in the same boat as the gentleman who asked the question, my order arrived in the country, but is now stuck in limbo hell in a warehouse somewhere. 

Google image search for "south african post office hub backlog" and you'll see what I mean. These people simply do not work, they sit around and collect money for free.

[stevpende9]

On 30th November 2023 I placed an order with "Free Standard Shipping (Standard Shipping from Greater China to worldwide)" note, is was not listed as SpeedPAK.  I was encouraged when I was asked for my Import Customs Code. I received tracking details from BUFFALO logistics at every movement of the parcel. 

The parcel was delivered directly to my door on 22nd December 2023.

That's around 3 weeks inluding customs clearance and most importantly, it bypassed our failed SAPO service.

Is anyone aware if the SpeedPAK Economy or SpeedPAK Standard shipping service uses a local door to door courier or do they use the SAPO service locally.

[kobus.b9476]

The Local Post Office is bankrupt and past shipping took longer than 90 days to deliver- and some never arrived 

So eBay must shipped by international courier service or change of getting parcel is slim 

[davande_2645]

The postal service is nonfunctional in South Africa and cannot be used at all. I have lost packages from the US as they use the postal service. Does eBay use another, reliable courier service?

[russelhar-96]

You are missing the point. The Post Office is South Africa does not function properly at all, at a national scale. The post does not even get to the local post master, and if you mean the CEO of the Post office, then the same applies. The Post Office is a failed State Owned Enterprise and is completely bankrupt. 

[soh.maryl]

The original message here  is from 09/14/23, so let's hope the OP has resolved the issue. 

To all of you who felt I was missing the point:  Thank you for explaining that to me.  

[palour_91]

Hi ,

They normally deliver to your address , the only time it goes to the post office is when there are
costs or import charges that need to be paid , your local PO collects the short fall on behalf of 
customs . 

this is from my experience , hope it helps