International Shipping Using USPS Taking Forever

I sell things on Ebay quite often within US only. I use USPS for shipping because my items are pretty inexpensive and shipping is lowest.

During April, the LA processing center lost three of my packages on three different occasions. Couldnt talk to anyone, no emails replied, just... gone. It has only happened in April and Ive sent hundreds.

I still use USPS because I have to ship several packages daily after coming home from work.. and mailman just picks them up.

I would not trust USPS with anything over $50.
 
I have received a number of packages from other countries in past weeks. There are delays, sometimes a couple weeks or more. A couple took a month or so from Japan, one 6 weeks from Finland, and a couple more are still in transit. Things are not what they used to be.... Get used to it......
 
I know regular German post to US was shut down for a while due to the corona thing. Perhaps something similar happened with mail inbound to Ireland?
Package from Canada took about three weeks. Disappeared in Customs for about ten days.
 
I generally don’t ship internationally but in the rare event that I do it is under these conditions:
1) only to first world countries
2) buyer pays for extra shipping cost (beyond the cost of domestic shipping)
3) pay using F&F (not breaking the exchange rules since I never offer international or F&F in a sale)
4) buyer agrees that once the package leave the US that all responsibility ends on my part
5) no returns
6) no customs liability on my part and no lying on customs forms (which is illegal)

I’ve always used Usps priority international and had fine results, delivery to Western Europe is usually 7-10 days.
 
Could be in customs still. Have you tried to use USPS tracking number with Irelands post? Ive gotten bluray movies from UK all the time and some cds from private sellers. One cd was about $75 from the UK. After a month with no show I let the seller know it hadn't arrived yet. He refunded my money no questions. About 2 weeks later it finally arrived and I repaid the seller. I've had some packages take 2 weeks, some take over a month. I could only imagine the hold up in customs with it being a knife.
 
Any international shipment through the national postal services is either suspended or delayed now. Shipping knives from Japan to US/EU now has to go DHL or other carrier.
 
I feel your pain, but from the buyer's side. I ordered a replica 12th century dagger from a maker near London. It's been sitting in a USPS warehouse since May 14th with no sign of being released anytime soon.

I'm sure they're back logged so who knows when it'll come through.
 
I have a package that was shipped through New Zealand from Germany. It got to Chicago and tracking shows it has been sitting since May 12th. I don't know if it is lost or actually "sitting" for the shipping god to say "go".
 
With decreased air traffic and other traffic due to Covid-19 there should not be a surprise.
 
I wouldn’t do it now. Domestic shipping is a wreck as it is. I ordered from Canada and U.K. 2x in the past 3 months and my packages sat in the warehouse in LA and Chicago both about a week.
 
No surprise with covid and customs restrictions. It'll likely get there...eventually. things are really backed up.
 
Its possible just USPS is delayed. I ordered two separate things from japan on the 1st, got em today. One through FedEx and I believe the other through usps.
 
I live in Europe
USPS is usually safe and deliver in 12-21 days
Wit the present crisis they are just a mess but so far they have delivered my item ....

i placed an order the 3rd of April and got it the 25th of May.
I am still waiting for parcels shipped on the13 and 17th of April

the transit in Chicago is taking 2-3 weeks
And it seems after the parcel left Chicago it takes 4-6 weeks to arrive in France

That is a mess
 
I stopped sending stuff, any and all stuff abroad more than 10 years ago !
I sleep much better now :^D

BTW Canadian Customs are whole different kind of animal ...
 
It's because of the Covid-19 situation. Passenger air travel from Europe was suspended, so the airlines aren't able to carry back mail from the United States. Courier companies who have their own air fleets are able to operate, but regular mail is dependent on passenger air travel for transport.

The USPS have begun to send shipments to Europe by sea, there are several air-to-sea diversions in progress so far. But it's just as slow as can be expected. Unloading at Rotterdam once the ships arrive and then it's on to sorting and delivery. All the usual Customs delays are just the cherry on top, in addition to the very difficult and slow shipping routes. See https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/ for more details.

I'm waiting for a knife purchased March 8th, shipped on the 9th, tracking ends in Chicago International Distribution Center on March 13th. After that, it's anybody's guess where it might actually currently be. Needless to say, no more purchases form the U.S. for me until things get closer to normal.
 
Frankki said:
It's because of the Covid-19 situation. Passenger air travel from Europe was suspended, so the airlines aren't able to carry back mail from the United States. Courier companies who have their own air fleets are able to operate, but regular mail is dependent on passenger air travel for transport.

The USPS have begun to send shipments to Europe by sea, there are several air-to-sea diversions in progress so far. But it's just as slow as can be expected. Unloading at Rotterdam once the ships arrive and then it's on to sorting and delivery. All the usual Customs delays are just the cherry on top, in addition to the very difficult and slow shipping routes. See https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/ for more details.

I'm waiting for a knife purchased March 8th, shipped on the 9th, tracking ends in Chicago International Distribution Center on March 13th. After that, it's anybody's guess where it might actually currently be. Needless to say, no more purchases form the U.S. for me until things get closer to normal.
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Yes, same for me . i will not order anything from the US until the crisis is over.
 
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