Porch Pirates: Millions of Parcels Reported Lost or Stolen

According to new research, one in five Australians have had a parcel lost or stolen in the past twelve months.

A Finder survey asked over 1000 Australians about their post-purchase journey, revealing millions of parcels across the country have gone missing.

The survey found that 7 percent of respondents have had a package stolen from their home after it had been delivered, the equivalent to 1.4 million parcels nationally.

Those thieves responsible are colloquially dubbed, “porch pirates,” opportunistic thieves that take deliveries right from consumer doorsteps, either by following delivery vehicles or just spotting deliveries left out in the open before the intended recipient does.

Its not just these porch pirates standing between retailers and consumers, an additional 8 percent of Australians surveyed reported that they had parcels go missing in transit, and a further 6 percent of respondents said that their parcels were delivered to the wrong address.

In total, this amounts to a staggering 4.1 million parcels going missing across Australia each year, whether through theft, transit issues, or incorrect delivery.

With ecommerce only growing, Taylor Blackburn, a personal finance specialist at Finder, expressed concern over the findings, stating that the extent of the problem is alarming.

“Millions of Australians have experienced the frustration of ordering something online, only for it to never arrive,” Blackburn said. “The financial toll is significant, with losses running into the millions each year—not to mention the inconvenience for consumers.”

“Opportunistic thieves are seizing the chance to snatch unattended packages,” Blackburn noted.

The financial impact of these missing parcels is not to be underestimated. The average cost of the items that were reported as lost or stolen was $145. This amounts to a massive $606 million worth of packages lost or stolen over the past year.

The high cost of missing parcels can add to an already significant financial strain on consumers who are left without their purchases, as well as retailers who may be forced to deal with the fallout, including loss of reputation and customer trust.

Retailers can help prevent this blow to their image, and bottom lines, by ensuring they partner with a reputable carrier that offers alternative delivery options such as parcel lockers or collection points. Retailers should also provide accurate and timely tracking information to consumers to help ensure that parcels are delivered securely and combat this concerning trend.