Buying Overseas, Postal Question.

[John Sheridan]

I have never bought anything from out of the country , NOPE nothing, but I bought my Tent and it gave me a tracking number and So I tracked it, but it seems to have stopped tracking now any idea why ???

Shipment Activity Location Date & Time
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Depart USPS Sort PORTLAND OR 97218 03/09/12
Facility

Electronic Shipping 03/10/12
Info Received

Processed through USPS PORTLAND OR 97218 03/09/12 8:39pm
Sort Facility



The last I have heard from it was 03/10/12, I would think maybe its on a ship or plane or something and has not gotten to the next trackable stop yet or is it just stuck somewhere ??


Any ideas, it was sent express USPS.

I bow to all your experience in buying out of the country stuff :0


Cheers.

[ULWalkingPhil]

That's normal. USPS tracking system is very poor. I've had freight turn up and all the tracking says is similar to yours.

Sometimes freight can be delayed via customs, both here and overseas,

I've had USPS freight take between 6 days to 30 days to turn up, most of the time between 7 to 10 days.


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[wayno]

ditto above.
UPS or DHL far more reliable and quicker

[JohnM]

Bought maybe 150 times from O/S. Haven't had a lost parcel yet.

Chill, everything will be fine.

[Dale]

...and your parcel may well arrive but still show as not having left the States in the USPS tracking system.

[Azza]

I've found USPS to be highly reliable despite the bad reputation that people keep giving it.

Having ordered dozen's of packages for all over the US in the last couple of years I've never had anything go missing and the tracking has always been 100% spot on.

Usually what should happen is that the package will make its way down to San Francisco or sometimes LA where it will disappear for a day or two on a plane before it turns up in Sydney and then Australia post will mess around taking a few days to get it to you. Its a little odd that there is nothing after Portland but I wouldn't stress yet..

USPS is generally insured.. I posted ~$1000 of ski gear back form San Francisco airport on USPS last year and it cost something like a $1.50 to insure it.

[Strider]

I've had a neoair apparently sitting in New Jersey since Jan 23. The tracking better be wrong!

[Ent]

Hi

Much the same here. UPS took eight weeks to get an item to me last time yet normally most stuff turns up from four to ten days. The "lost" shipment spent a lot of time in the USA sorting facility. I tend to think that with the USA Postal service nearing bankruptcy it has lost the edge with budget cuts. The frustration of do not ship bans and cost of postage means that I have not ordered much stuff of late on line. Also some Australian Mail Order houses are getting respectable prices. Finding that brands subject to "do not ship" are best avoided so winding up buying more of the "custom" brands rather than the well known ones as stuffed if I will be ripped off by greedy Australian distributors colluding with USA suppliers.

China postage is a cooks’ lottery as well while UK is pretty good in speed and cost.

Cheers

[Nuts]

I've had a neoair apparently sitting in New Jersey since Jan 23. The tracking better be wrong!

hmmm, they were taking a long time late last year but that is a stretch...

(Ive used TNT (now an option thru shipito.com) and they take days... similar cost to USPS priority but the driver will pat rather than kick yer dog or flick a card in the direction of the letterbox...)

[John Sheridan]

UPDATE !!!!!


Your item is being processed by customs in AUSTRALIA at 9:07 am on March 14, 2012.
Processed Through Sort Facility, March 14, 2012, 9:06 am, AUSTRALIA
Electronic Shipping Info Received, March 10, 2012
Depart USPS Sort Facility, March 09, 2012, PORTLAND, OR 97218
Processed through USPS Sort Facility, March 09, 2012, 8:39 pm, PORTLAND, OR 97218

Does USPS have their own trucks and delivery in Australia or do they pass it off to Aussie couriers, I had massive problems getting a parcel delivered to me lately they just COULD NOT deliver it before 2pm as I am not home after 2pm and no one is home to take the delivery, they tried 3 times even though Told them, and they agreed to deliver it before 2pm !!!!

Thanks.

[AndyR]

As above, I wouldn't panic. In recent months I've had 3 parcels from the US all via USPS. Two took a fairly normal route to LA and then Oz. The other, for some unknown reason went the length of the country to Chicago, where it appeared to sit for a few days (probably because they were wondering why it was there) but eventually it moved. The average is 7-10 days and remember you've had a weekend in there. The parcel isn't considered lost until 30 days (so I was told).

cheers, Andy

Just seen your update - it will come via standard parcel post

[Nuts]

Usually Oz Post here John (so you'll likely get 'carded')

[John Sheridan]

About 5 days from the US, not too bad, but will be happy when i have it in my hands and everything I bought is in the package and not damaged

Cheers for the info and the reinsurance.

[ULWalkingPhil]

Hi

Much the same here. UPS took eight weeks to get an item to me last time yet normally most stuff turns up from four to ten days. The "lost" shipment spent a lot of time in the USA sorting facility. I tend to think that with the USA Postal service nearing bankruptcy it has lost the edge with budget cuts. The frustration of do not ship bans and cost of postage means that I have not ordered much stuff of late on line. Also some Australian Mail Order houses are getting respectable prices. Finding that brands subject to "do not ship" are best avoided so winding up buying more of the "custom" brands rather than the well known ones as stuffed if I will be ripped off by greedy Australian distributors colluding with USA suppliers.

China postage is a cooks’ lottery as well while UK is pretty good in speed and cost.

Cheers

Yes, I to have limited my spending overseas of late. There's been some great online deals I've picked up in the past couple of weeks here in Australia, cheaper than the US, for example a eVent rain jacket on sale from $450.00 down to $135.00




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[John Sheridan]

What's so good about the eVent rain jacket ??

Cheers.

[ULWalkingPhil]

What's so good about the eVent rain jacket ??

Cheers.

It keeps me dry and breathes better than a Goretex jacket, so I been told. My jacket arrived two days ago, getting to try it out today, raining today. I'm dry, so that's got to be a good thing and it's less than half the weight of my Goretex jacket.


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[John Sheridan]

I don't think the Coretex people will like that, no not at all, from what I hear about them they be nasty people, than cancel contracts if you even stock a competitor :0


Anyway My parcel has cleared customs, I might get it tomorrow maybe.

Your item cleared customs in AUSTRALIA at 2:30 pm on March 14, 2012.

Ill be home Aussie Post mostly deliver early in the morning they are good like that.

Cheers.

[Moondog55]

Well it just took 4 weeks for my untracked order from RockyWoods to arrive.
there is no consistency with the US Postal service, that's just the way it is

[Strider]

UPDATE !!!!!


Your item is being processed by customs in AUSTRALIA at 9:07 am on March 14, 2012.
Processed Through Sort Facility, March 14, 2012, 9:06 am, AUSTRALIA
Electronic Shipping Info Received, March 10, 2012
Depart USPS Sort Facility, March 09, 2012, PORTLAND, OR 97218
Processed through USPS Sort Facility, March 09, 2012, 8:39 pm, PORTLAND, OR 97218

Does USPS have their own trucks and delivery in Australia or do they pass it off to Aussie couriers, I had massive problems getting a parcel delivered to me lately they just COULD NOT deliver it before 2pm as I am not home after 2pm and no one is home to take the delivery, they tried 3 times even though Told them, and they agreed to deliver it before 2pm !!!!

Thanks.

It will be contracted to a local carrier. It would be a busy place if every countries mail service had infrastructure in every other country!

[Azza]

USPS goes to Australia Post and they treat it as a normal package.

Which generally means there will be no hurry it getting it to you in Tassie. I've had a package sent by DHL quoted as 4-5 days deliver time, it was on track to reach me in 3 days until it hit Australia and has been 'with the local agent' (its either AusPost or AAE) its taken 3 days to reach Tasmania from Melbourne..

[John Sheridan]

Your item could not be delivered on March 15, 2012 at 8:57 am in AUSTRALIA due to a missed delivery. It is scheduled for another delivery attempt today.

NEVER HAPPENED, my buzzer for my place wakes the dead and I WAS NOT DEAD this morning

They will probably will try to deliver it again today when I AM AT WORK, god I hate that

Will pick it up tomorrow if they leave a card.

Cheers.

[Aushiker]

Your item could not be delivered on March 15, 2012 at 8:57 am in AUSTRALIA due to a missed delivery. It is scheduled for another delivery attempt today.

NEVER HAPPENED, my buzzer for my place wakes the dead and I WAS NOT DEAD this morning

They will probably will try to deliver it again today when I AM AT WORK, god I hate that

Will pick it up tomorrow if they leave a card.

Cheers.

Contractors .... getting pretty typical. They sit outside my place writing the cards and dropping them in the mail boxes (block of units). No delivery attempt made. You should raise it with Australia Post.

Andrew

[wayno]

if you can accept parcels at work, give your work address as the delivery address

[South_Aussie_Hiker]

I used to have this problem with missed deliveries, because with a screaming baby I sometimes wouldn't hear the intercom going.

Solution was simple - I just stick a post-it note on my letter box that says;

I'm definitely home for delivery of my parcel. Please buzz intercom for 5 seconds, several times, or prank my phone 04** *** ***.

Haven't missed one since. They can't jam one of those "Sorry I missed you" cards in the letter box without seeing my note.

[LTM]

Bought dozens of things over the last 5 years from overseas, never had anything go missing. Once got a parcel from Denmark in 5 days! Otherwise normal post is 2-3 weeks to Adelaide from Europe/US.
Recently got a delivery card and went to teh post office to collect. They told me it was the second effort. I know I was home on the initial day. The postal worker let me know that htey were following up on complaints about not receiving parcels. It appears that it has become an issue according to this postal worker so I woudl let them know about your concerns if you have any.
Obviouly on line sales have caused quite a spike in parcel traffic and the system is creaking, looks like some are trying short cuts so I think it is important to complain.
As for Harvey Norman...