So USPS has finally screwed up on me...

Hairlesstwinkie

Hairlesstwinkie

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I had to send an Andre Thorburn back because of lock slip. I sent it on the 20th of June to South Africa. I went ahead and sent it international priority instead of first class to reduce my wait time. It's been over 3 weeks and the shipping status hasn't updated since June 26th. I have contacted USPS. The rep has indirectly told me that the package is "lost" after the 26th. I'm quite bummed... It was my first custom ordered knife and it's one of my top favorites. I guess I'll go ahead and ask him to make another one for me... :(

I guess if you guys see this thing floating around, you'll know who the real owner is...
Untitled by Hairlesstwinkie, on Flickr
 
Darn, that is a shame. That knife is beautiful. Hopefully you can get another one, but better!
 
It will probably show up. The one time I shipped to SA it took well over a month and the person I shipped to, wasn't at all concerned.
 
What they said - not all countries have up to date tracking/scanning system. Typically priority mail international can take two to three weeks depending on country. Alert the maker so he can keep an eye on the package, at least you'll know as soon as it reaches him.
 
I am with Esav. Depending on where you ship, USPS can only track it to customs. Over three weeks is longer than usual for USPS Priority International but not unexpected going as far as South Africa.

Keep in touch with Mr. Thorburn - this situation is far from hopeless.
 
I have received many packages with USPS. Priority is not the best way to ship to SA, Express mail international, fully tracked is always the better choice for more expensive items.

That said if you shipped it on the 20th of June it is only just gone three weeks. My guess is that it is not lost, just finding it's way out to Andre. I have had many Priority Mail packages take longer than three weeks.

Also remember that Andre lives in a small town. So it will take awhile for the package to find it's way to him.

Give it another 10 days or so, my guess is that it will still show up.

If I can help in any way, don't hesitate to contact me.
 
What he said ^^^^^! It sucks but it should get there. Also think about other factors such as customs and so. Make sure next time you declare things like that as "warranty" when ship internationally to makers, it helps border agents be more easy going on the contents of the package.
 
Another thing with international carriers is that sometimes, if a shipment container is not full, the container will sit in a holding area until it IS full. For all we know, the knife may still be sitting in Miami or Newark or where ever it ended up for transfer to SA. Once a package passes the invisible line on the loading doc from USPS control to "contracted shipper" control, it is in never,never land for a while. I sent a post card from Nairobi, Kenya in February 1982. My mother got it October 1983.
 
USPS states that once it leaves the United States it can no longer track the package because other countries tracking service doesn't mesh with ours very well
 
Itsthegrizzly said:
USPS states that once it leaves the United States it can no longer track the package because other countries tracking service doesn't mesh with ours very well
Click to expand...

Not true, and depends on how much you pay for it - for eg. registered and express is tracked end to end typically, but priority is not. I don't buy the "mesh with us" argument - it's just a premium service.
 
Parcel arrived in Bela Bela - lock fixed and ready to ship back. Customs in South Africa just takes it's time and the tracking number changes as soon as it arrives in SA... so no way to track it once it's in SA - unless you take time... phone them.... and try to get the new tracking number.
 
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