Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

I recently sold my HP 1.20 Power Twin to a fellow in Germany. I shipped it USPS International Priority Mail, with all customs forms filled out correctly. It was accepted by the post office on June 9th, and the tracking number shows on the USPS website that it was accepted on the date.

The buyer just e-mailed me to tell me he has not yet received his package.

Does anyone know how long German Customs usually takes for something like this?

Thanks!

Stuntpilot51

I can't tell you about German customs but, I recently sold a 61 RF to a guy in Italy, it took about 24 days.

I watched the tracking and it went in and out of customs about 6 times.

I'll bet he get's it any day now.

Are you showing any tracking info other than it was accepted? If not I would pay a visit to your post office.

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

Thanks for the info Stuntpilot. No, no other info has yet been shown. I think the USPS international tracking basically is useless. I sent some stuff to Portugal. All the USPS tracking ever showed was "accepted" and a week later my friend e-mails me that the package arrived. The USPS tracking never showed anything other than "accepted".

I am just used to Priority Mail in the USA, where going from Calif to NY takes 2, maybe three days.

It makes me very leery to send stuff overseas. I once sent a package to Australia, the guy claimed he never got it. I filed a lost claim with USPS and after filing the claim never heard back from them. I hope this package to Germany arrives soon. [sm=confused_smile.gif]

Stuntpilot51

Kmot,
Did your package get to Germany?

I remember the guy wanted me to fudge on the value to avoid customs charges, I used the shipping option thru Pay-Pal so I couldn't lower the value.

I also insured it for the total value just to cover myself. I heard thru RC Bearings that shipping to Italy could cause problems sometimes.

You also had that volcano to deal with, so packages were probably backed up anyway. Shiiping was delayed for quite sometime because of that.

Bill Martovich

My Feedback: (11)

A tip given me by a Canadian Fellow that worked well in several countries. Keep the declared value under 20 dollars.

Bill

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

I have not yet heard from the guy that he got it. I hope he did! I told him in my last e-mail to him that after 30 days from the time it was mailed had passed that if he had not received it I would initiate a lost/stolen claim on it for him.

RC-Bearings

My Feedback: (1)

USPS Priority Mail does not have tracking overseas. The only way to get real tracking would be to use Express Mail.

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

Yes they do! I have a friend who shipped an item to Australia and he showed me the tracking for it. Every step of the way including delivery in Oz. I used to think USPS did not have it, but if the employees do their job right, there is in fact complete tracking.

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

I figure I should expand on this a little bit. I filed an International Inquiry about three weeks ago. That is also when I was talking to my friend and he showed me his tracking info and in fact printed out a copy for me. When I was talking to the lady at the USPS I explained the entire situation, lack of tracking info, and how my friends had full info and she told me, quote, "every single International Priority Mail package should have full and complete tracking all the way to point of delivery", and she said part of this investigation would be to determine why my package did not have it.

So, what is going on, rampantly it would seem, is that many USPS employees are not doing their job. IE, not scanning packages as they pass through their hands. This is why it seems to be a common notion that there is no International Priority Mail tracking, when indeed there is and there should always be. ANd it seems it is a similar problem with postal employees in nations outside the USA.

RC-Bearings

My Feedback: (1)

You are at the mercy of the postal service in the receiving country. USPS is not responsible for it once it leaves the USA. I send hundreds of packages overseas every year and if they are not delivered, they are lost and no tracking exists. From the USPS web site:

Online Tracking - Put our delivery information to work for you. Track PMI package shipments. Note: Tracking is not available for Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes or Priority Mail International Small Flat Rate Boxes.

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

I did not send a small package.

Bottom line, is there is supposed to be tracking. The USPS Int'l Inquiry rep I talked to, told me so.

Here is an example of it done, as it is supposed to be done:

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

Well, it's official now. The inquiry result is that the German postal authorities claim they Duh. Did they inquire about the German customs guy or postal guy who stole it? [:@]

So I have had to fill out the claim form and submit copies of all the receipts, and now wait some more to see what the USPS will pay so I can give it back to the guy in Germany.

What a shame.

Well, I need to post an alert about a stolen engine I guess......

tommygun32

I realize I'm not in Germany, but my mother once sent me a Christmas care package from the States to Dubai via USPS. Post mark on the package was dated Nov. 11th.

I received the package May 6th the following year.