Where is my card?

[Guest]

[Nienna]

As far as I know it's 30 days with the Post Office here too ... if anyone would like to correct me on this, then please do as I haven't had to do this myself.

As for insured shipping ... I got charged $8.00 so I've no idea. I asked him how much it would cost and that's the sum he quoted.

If you want to try for a refund through PayPal then you can't mess about.
I was kicking myself when I realised the time limit had passed by a few days with the first transaction, so I was determined it wasn't going to happen again.
I've just emailed the second seller again to see if it has any effect or not and I'll let you know if gets off his arse to bother replying or not!
I thought I'd better start prodding him now ~ I have about a week left before my PayPal refund time limit runs out!

I find it very annoying that the feedback I've worked hard to get and maintain can be ruined by a total jackass for a transaction which they didn't follow through with.
The neg I did receive was from a seller in the UK who waaaaay overcharged on his postage costs and then 'forgot' to use the insured shipping I'd paid for!
He said he'd refund me some of it, but nothing ever arrived and his emails were rude and abrupt ~ he deserved a neg even though I left him a neutral, so you can imagine how that stung when I found out he'd been so petty.
I left him some well-chosen follow-up remarks and never bought from him again.

I keep hoping my postie will bring me these two items soon!

[kbmum]

Was the $8 for insurance alone, in addition to shipping?

I ask because we have Global Priority Mail, which costs a flat rate of $5 for the small envelope and $8 for the large.  Several cards, well packed, will fit in the small.  I don't know how much the insurance would have been, but $8 was way overpriced for surface mail.

Did you pay for either transaction with a credit card through PayPal?  If so, you can talk to the credit card company about reversing the charges.

[Nienna]

No the $8.00 was for the shipping costs alone.
I've checked the PayPal invoice and nothing is mentioned about insurance and to be honest, it's rarely offered for international transactions because of the cost and the customs duties we have to pay at this end.
The Global Priority mailers you have are a wonderful idea and I've often thought it's a pity we don't have something so simple, yet so good ... over here.
Insured shipping would've been around $13-15 at a guess, add to that the fact that the item would have it's insured value on the customs sticker, and then ... there's a very good chance it would get stopped on arrival and duty slapped on it.
Like I say, it's not often insured shipping is offered for items sent abroad from the US and it's very much a matter of judgement whether you take it when it's offered or not.

Well, my barrage of emails seem to be having an effect on the second seller (and diddly squat on the first one).
Here's what #2's just sent me ...
I am sorry I am trying to find the information for the shipment.  Please be patient and I will provide all the information tomorrow, perhaps even tracking numbers if applicable.  It was not in my filing system but I can track it through my credit card if worse comes to worse, but I will know at the latest by 3:00PM EST(-6 GMT).
I want to know when he sent it to me and by what means ... which I don't think is being unreasonable.
The same is true for seller number one and I've opened one of those new dispute console dialogues on eBay to try and get it resolved with him. He's not doing much on eBay at present (bidding or buying from what I can see), so it could be that he's either away or has nothing to sell. In that case, it could be ages before he picks up his emails!
Seller #2 has been busy bidding and buying stuff on eBay so he's got absolutely no excuse for ignoring me!

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that neither of them has sent their items by surface mail as I don't want to lose more money because I've waited for them to arrive and have passed the PayPal time limit to claim the refund.

Ermmm as for the payment ... well it's the Visa part of my cheque guarantee card from my bank, not a credit card on it's own, so I doubt I'll have much joy trying to get it reversed.
I only want to do that as a last resort because I know I'll get negged if I do.

So basically, I'm in a bit of a 'no win' situation here aren't I?
I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't ... argh!!
I suppose it wouldn't harm to speak to someone at the bank about it first and find out if I can reverse it or not, before actually doing it.

I'll keep you posted  

[rns91294]

Just an update.  My item was still not received. I know I shouldn't panic and all, but I am starting to loose all hope.

[kbmum]

The next time you buy from someone in the US, you might want to request global priority.  My post office told me that by using it, I don't have to attach any customs declarations to the envelope.

However, you can't get insurance on a letter/package that is sent letter post.  It has to be sent parcel post (airmail or economy), which is much more expensive ($16 versus $5).  If someone were buying a very expensive card, it would make sense to pay the extra shipping and be able to get insurance.  It probably isn't worth it if you win a $50 card.

I know a lot of people outside the US get irritated when a seller won't ship outside of the US, but you can see why -- it's a bit complicated.  Even the people at my post office get confused about the available shipping methods, customs forms and insurance, and often I've had to wait while they consult reference materials to get it right.

[Roz]

Well... normal mail is pretty easy - stick on a green customs form,  (it's the same form the world over.... very simple and easy), add an air mail sticker and slap on a $2 stamp thingummy.

I send things abroad the whole time and rarely experience any problems, most post offices in the UK are now totally touchscreen computerised so if you request a service the server hasn't used before they are just a few screen clicks away from finding it (meanwhile I stand there wondering why I know more about postal services than post office workers do).

Actually global priority is pretty natty if you ask me for $5 or $9 you can stick anything in it within reason... books, papers, cards - a veritable stash of things and all for a reasonable fixed price.

Insured is ok but I find the USPS's insured services are not only a tad complicated to initiate but are also very slow, usually taking well over 2 weeks in most instances, oddly enough UK to US insured seems to take less time than normal mail. And since both postal services operating the service are the same it makes no sense!

[rns91294]

oddly enough UK to US insured seems to take less time than normal mail. And since both postal services operating the service are the same it makes no sense!

Unless you are me who paid for airmail internationally signed for and it has been three weeks!! I am waiting for Nienna to get the card that was sent to her on January 5 (2 days before mine).  If she writes in and says she got hers, I will be expecting mine

And I know I said this before, but they need to come up with a better tracking system.  If you have something sent from the Uk to the US, with a tracking number, you can track it up to the point where it was handed over to the overseas carrier.  Yet, the Royal Mail site doesn't tell you what date that occurs on.  Then, you can not track it in the US until it is delivered or attempted to be delivered.  Seriously now, if it has a tracking number on it, why can't they scan it when it gets in the US so you can track it from there.  There has to be a way for them to do this. You would think anyway.

[Roz]

Exceptions prove rules

[rns91294]

I am sure most of us here have seen the movie castaway with Tom Hanks, right?  Has anyone heard of any mail plains crashing lately

And I just checked my sellers feedback  (which is 100%), but someone bought a fizzing wizbees card on January 8.  They left feeback on Jan 21 that said "fast international shipping".  So theirs was sent after mine and already arrived.  I hope that it means it went to a different place in the US.  That worries me a bit more.

[Tea_and_Fruit]

As Info (my experience in shipping cards around the world)

To ship 1 card in a padded envelope from germany to UK or within EU via Airmail i need only a stamp for 0.95€ (worldwide 2€).

Recorded delivery Airmail (insured up to 25€) is around 3€ (EU) and 5€ (worldwide)  Then for every 100€ more insurance within EU 1€

The Card need normaly 3-7 days (to 95% no matter if UK (EU) or worldwide)

Everytime i buy something in the USA or UK i wonder why it takes so long for the cards to reach germany. (10-21 days)

The distance is the same  

[rns91294]

21 days from the UK to Germany?  I wonder why some things take so long?  This is very frustrating.  Thank goodness I have all of you to talk to about this.

[Nienna]

Nothing yet I'm afraid!

That's interesting about the Global Priority as I've received numerous $9 packets in the past and they've all have customs stickers on them.
As for using tracking numbers ~ well I asked my excellent postman about it some time ago and he told me that they did used to use the tracking number for items received from abroad but stopped doing it. He couldn't tell me why either, only that they don't do it any longer.
Obviously I'm not taking about FedEx here which I believe still does use the tracking, but I agree .... what's the point of people paying extra for the service if it's not being used?
I sent a signed-for packet over to the US last year and found it most frustrating that I could only track it as far as reaching the carrier and no further ~ the whole point of the excercise was so that I knew[ it had been delivered as it had been signed for!
So stupid really and then the PO wonders why people moan about the fat profits they make ... *grrr!*
Surely it's time to simplify the services they offer, so that everyone can understand it?

Hee Hee Tower .... perhaps the air is flowing the 'wrong way' and the planes coming over here from the US are flying into a head wind?
Sorry ... being a bit facetious there ...
I expect the tightening up of securty has had an impact on items leaving the US too ... *sighs*

What I think has happened with my two items is that seller #1 has sent it by surface mail and seller #2 dragged his heels for a week or so sending it to me.

I've not heard anything more from seller #2, so I might start prodding him again till I get a proper response!

*Watch this space*

Oh ... and Tom Hanks had better not have run off with either of my items either ... did you SEE what he did with some of those parcels?!
 

[rns91294]

I expect the tightening up of securty has had an impact on items leaving the US too ... *sighs*

And coming in to the US, especially New York which is where my package would have gone.  

I nelieve mine was sent airmail, so maybe I really should have it by now.  Maybe it really is lost :'(

How can they do that?  Lose mail?  My goodness, they do indeed get paid enough.  They should be more careful.  I really want to cry over all of this :'(

[rns91294]

OH MY GOD!!!!  OH MY GOD!!!!!  I just entered the tracking number at usps.com and this it what it said:


Your item was processed and left our BELLMAWR, NJ facility on January 27, 2005. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.  
 
That is the town with our main post office hub, right down the street from where I work!!!  It's happening!!!!  I can't believe it!!!!  Sad thing is, by the time i get out of work, the post office closed for the day.  And it still has to go from Bellmawr to my town, so it might be attempted to be delivered tomorrow.  Can you all believe it!!  I am so thrilled.  Off to email the seller to tell him!!!!!

[kbmum]

That's interesting about the Global Priority as I've received numerous $9 packets in the past and they've all have customs stickers on them.

I don't have any of the larger envelopes at home, but I do have the smaller one.  It says on the package: If your mailpiece weighs 16 ounces or more or may be dutiable, affix the appropriate customs declarations forms.

I know the clerk at the post office told me the flat rate envelope didn't need a customs form.  I sent a package to Australia without one.  How would I know what's dutiable?

[rns91294]

Nienna, now it is your turn to get your cards.  I have faith now that you are going to get them too!!!!

[Tower]

Oh, that's very good news. Congrats !!!

[rns91294]

And now that I feel releived, I am posting a picture from the eBay auction of my card.  Don't know if it would be considered a variant with the nice "used" look it has.

[Nienna]

Awwwwww thanks!
That's a lovely card and I can quite understand why you've been so worried.
*Fingers crossed* you get it tomorrow or Saturday morning at the very latest.
Perhaps us wingeing about it has helped it on it's way?
Who knows .....

If/when I get mine then I'll post a piccy for you.
One of them is relatively boring but the other isn't!

[kbmum]

What's the "non-boring" card?