UK Members - Customs query

[Guest]

[tialessa]

What's the longest it's taken something to get to you from the US?

I'm pretty darn sure a package is being held by customs (declared value is under $50, but it was sent via Registered Mail).  It was sent on 30 June 2006 & the receipient is understandably upset.  I've sent him a scan of the Registered Mail receipt which proves it was sent on that day & via Registered Mail, but he's a bit impatient - after all, it was sent a MONTH ago...

Help!

[Nienna]

That IS quite a long time for an item to come through from the US.
Can you track the package's progress at all using the number from the Registered Mail receipt on the USPS website?
That should show whether it's left US shores or not for starters .... 
The other thing you can do it use the same tracking number on the Royal Mail website - www.royalmail.com
It's the track and trace bit you want and you will need the date you sent it on and click that it's mail coming in to the UK from abroad and see what it says.

With that value on it and the fact it's Registered will probably mean the person you sent it to will have to pay Duty on it to receive it I'm afraid, so don't be surprised if you get more grief from them because of it.
If that's the case then your package WILL be delayed for at least another week whilst Royal Mail sort out the extra payment due.
I very much doubt the buyer will want to make any kind of enquiries with the Customs Office for fear of attracting too much attention to whatever it is they've bought from you, which is another reason you're getting so much heat from them!
There's the possibility that it could've gone by surface mail instead - I assume you sent it Airmail? - which is the main reason I asked you to track it on the USPS site was to see if it had actually been sent!

I had a similar experience quite recently (though my package wasn't sent Registered) and I'd gone as far as setting a Paypal claim in motion to try and recover the money I'd paid. I'd contacted the seller several times and had been polite but rather pushy over where my card had got to and they maintained all along they'd sent it but still nothing arrived after a month, so what other choices did I have?
About a week into the claim the card turned up in the post - no idea where it had been, it hadn't been rubber stamped to say Customs had checked it, but the jiffy mailer looked like it had been kicked around quite a bit and it's my firm belief if had been stuck in some pigeonhole at some mail depot somewhere and been overlooked. The mailer hadn't been tampered with or opened, nothing like that and sure enough the mail sticker showed the same date I'd been told it'd been sent by the seller.
It was a real pleasure to cancel the claim and contact the seller to tell them the card had finally arrived safely and I left them some good +ve feedback for the transaction. I told them that I would quite understand if they didn't feel inclined to leave me any feedback and thanked them very much for being so patient throughout!

It could be something like this has happened to the package you've sent ...
The average time for items sent by Surface mail to reach us is 6 weeks, depending on time of year of course, so try tracking it and let us know how you get on please won't you?

[m.o.b.]

I found myself in the situation of your buyer last year. I would suggest you contact the buyer and ask them to go to their delivery office as soon as possible to check if the package is being held awaiting collection. If the item has been surcharged they should have received a card asking them to pay for and collect the package, but sometimes the card is not sent out. This is what happenned to me and by the time I went to the office they had sent the package back (which took about TWO months to return).
As far as tracking the package via Royal Mail, I'm not sure that would work as once the item is received in this country it's stamped  "Signature Required" and placed in with the normal mail, although it is possibly entered into the system once delivered.

[tialessa]

That IS quite a long time for an item to come through from the US.
Can you track the package's progress at all using the number from the Registered Mail receipt on the USPS website?
That should show whether it's left US shores or not for starters .... 
The other thing you can do it use the same tracking number on the Royal Mail website - www.royalmail.com

US Mail no longer shows when it left the US (I doublechecked at the post office TWICE since I sent it) - only when it was accepted at the post office.

I was shocked to find out that Royal Mail would trace it, so I tried and nope...

Got this message "This item was posted from overseas and can't be tracked by Track and Trace."

With that value on it and the fact it's Registered will probably mean the person you sent it to will have to pay Duty on it to receive it I'm afraid, so don't be surprised if you get more grief from them because of it.

Well, they chose to have it sent Registered, so I'm afraid I'll have little sympathy.  The value IS less than $50 US (pretty sure it's $45), so I'd be very shocked if he had to pay duty on it...  I suggested it be sent by Global Priority Mail, but he wanted some insurance on it and since Registered Mail covers the amount he wanted, that's what he chose.

I very much doubt the buyer will want to make any kind of enquiries with the Customs Office for fear of attracting too much attention to whatever it is they've bought from you, which is another reason you're getting so much heat from them!

Well, my next advice to him will be to check with his local post office and inquire with Customs...

There's the possibility that it could've gone by surface mail instead - I assume you sent it Airmail? - which is the main reason I asked you to track it on the USPS site was to see if it had actually been sent!

Lord, I hope it didn't!  I NEVER send ANYTHING via surface mail.  All packages I send overseas have a blue Air Mail sticker on it and the post office typically stamps it "Air Mail" as well.

And I've checked once a week with the USPS online tracking - always get the same information which shows the time & date it was accepted at my local post office.

I had a similar experience quite recently (though my package wasn't sent Registered)

Glad it turned up!  Stupid mail systems!

I appreciate the suggestions and the story

Anyone else have a package that took forever to get to them?

[Tower]

The longest i had was 3 1/2 weeks from USA to Germany. But that happened twice although it usually works in 6-7 days. 

[Nienna]

Just to turn it round - I've received packages from the US in just three days!!
I thought it was a one-off fluke but it's happened a couple of times since then ... truly astonishing service I have to say!

[blackcat20]

I once had a parcel take two weeks from Mebourne to Tasmania; its only one state away (though there is a bit of ocean in between  )

[Sharon]

Another thing to consider Tialessa is that it is summer here.  This may sound like a funny thing to say but I know a lot of postmen will be on holiday and they seem to be having a problem getting reliefs in.  We have only had one letter delivered in over a week - I am expecting an avalanche when our postie gets back 

[Nienna]

Actually, that's a very good point Sharon.
I reckon my trusty postie must have been on his hols again last week cos what mail I received was a lot later than normal and there was hardly any of it .... I too am hopeful of a small avalanche of post once he returns!

[kbmum]

I've been having a lot of trouble here in the US, too.  Mail that would normally take two or three days has been taking up to three times as long to reach me.  I was ready to complain to a seller about slow delivery, but fortunately I looked at the envelope first.  She'd mailed it 10 days earlier.  That's inexcusable for first class mail.

[tialessa]

Another thing to consider Tialessa is that it is summer here.  This may sound like a funny thing to say but I know a lot of postmen will be on holiday and they seem to be having a problem getting reliefs in.  We have only had one letter delivered in over a week - I am expecting an avalanche when our postie gets back 

 
That does seem a bit strange, but it's something else for me to mention to the person.  I ALWAYS worry about overseas parcels even though most of the cards I send ARE to overseas folks...  this is the second major delay I've seen this year - a package I sent to Germany was nabbed by Customs and it took 3 weeks for them to alert the person.

Thanks for the advice!

[tialessa]

Good news!  They received it this morning.  I'm VERY relieved!

The USPS site still shows nothing more than acceptance, but at least I don't have to worry any more!  I haven't ask if it was in customs or not - still need to do that.

Thanks again for everyone's help!

[sweinar2005]

One thing you have to remember that when an item is sent regestered, the item his hand carried and signed for at every stop it makes. Registered items are locked for security measures and there are always signature trails for every change of possession during route to its destination. I have all my expensive items shipped registered because of this. Extremely had for it to get lost, however takes forever for it to arrive. Seem it takes longer coming into the USA. I still have regestered items from the 1st part of june that have not arrived. one from a dealer in France which I got notice yesterday that I had to sign for it at the post office and I'm still waiting for 3 items from Card Vault in the UK one which includes the dual quidditch costume variant from  POAU which was purchased the same time as the one from france.

[LikORish-Spider]

Just to turn it round - I've received packages from the US in just three days!!
I thought it was a one-off fluke but it's happened a couple of times since then ... truly astonishing service I have to say!

Jules, from whom?

[LikORish-Spider]

I once had a parcel take two weeks from Mebourne to Tasmania; its only one state away (though there is a bit of ocean in between  )

Darn that sea turtle mail, anyway.

[Nienna]

Just to turn it round - I've received packages from the US in just three days!!
I thought it was a one-off fluke but it's happened a couple of times since then ... truly astonishing service I have to say!

Jules, from whom?

The two which immediately spring to mind are those I received from Sara and from Tom that took three days apiece!! Considering the air-miles those packets have travelled in such a short space of time, then it's quite something ... 
I've also received another packet in record time just recently, but this one was posted on a Friday and arrived the following Tues from Canada - which I thought was a fantastic turnaround time considering the weekend was in the middle!

[Roz]

I've had quite a few things turn up in 3 days... Tom's so efficient that I almost expect small packets to arrive from him after 3 days these days butI was told that one of the main exit routes of post out of the States is through New York so this gives him something of an advantage.

I have also been at the other end of the spectrum waiting for things for 7 weeks in some cases... it's soul destroying when cards are some of the little pleasures in life that bring a smile to your face when the postie arrives, they aren't meant to add stress to our lives