This is meant to be a public service announcement about the United States Postal Services Priority Mail International service.
Contrary to popular belief, and contrary to the information provided by most USPS employees... The customs declaration number CANNOT be trusted as a means by which to track a packages progress. YES, most of the time it will show that the package has been shipped, that it has cleared customs, and when it was delivered. BUT do not rely on this information as a means by which to lay blame on a seller for not shipping something.
As an example... nearly three weeks ago I sold a watch to a fine chap in the UK. He paid via Paypal and I immediately created a shipping label through Paypal. The watch was at the post office within hours of the payment being received. I handed the package to the same little woman who almost always takes my packages from me.
After three days, the buyer asked if the package had been shipped because the tracking information simply stated that I had notified the USPS to expect the package. Several more days go by, and still no change at all. I go in to the post office and explain to the manager what is going on and he nearly argues with me that if I had given the package to a teller, it would have been scanned and would show as accepted. We go talk to the teller, and she specifically remembers the package because she thought it was rather heavy for such a small package. He then retracts his statement and says, well its not really a tracking number anyway.........
A few more days go by and still no change. At this point Im waiting for the buyer to throw a fit and accuse me of trying to scam him (happened to me last year). But instead he is extremely understanding and agrees that sometimes these things take time. In the mean time I had occasion to be back at the post office, and the teller asked if the package had ever showed up and I have to say that it hasnt. She is very apologetic and says she wishes she could be of some help. But since the package was declared as $50 in watch parts it would not be insured for more.
Well Friday I get an email from the buyer stating that he received a notice from his postal service stating that customs had declared that a fee was due for a package arriving from the US. He had a couple packages he was expecting, and we were unsure as to if THIS was the package I had sent. I think I have been uneasy all weekend wondering if this was the watch I had shipped.
Today he writes to say that the watch arrived in good shape and that he was pleased with it. GUESS WHAT???? The tracking still shows that Ive never shipped the watch and that I have only paid for postage.
SO, it was not scanned when handed over to the teller. It was not scanned at the US sort facility. It was not scanned at the outgoing customs office. It was not scanned at the UK customs office (but they applied a tax to the package???) and it was not scanned by the delivering postal service.
WOW, thanks guys...I appreciate all the hard work and effort. You must be taking lessons from the California Department of Motor Vehicles!
The moral of the story is... Just because the tracking shows no progress doesnt mean that it isnt being moved through the system. AND, good things happen to good people (the buyer, not me...) Thank you Rooster for your understanding and patience!
Contrary to popular belief, and contrary to the information provided by most USPS employees... The customs declaration number CANNOT be trusted as a means by which to track a packages progress. YES, most of the time it will show that the package has been shipped, that it has cleared customs, and when it was delivered. BUT do not rely on this information as a means by which to lay blame on a seller for not shipping something.
As an example... nearly three weeks ago I sold a watch to a fine chap in the UK. He paid via Paypal and I immediately created a shipping label through Paypal. The watch was at the post office within hours of the payment being received. I handed the package to the same little woman who almost always takes my packages from me.
After three days, the buyer asked if the package had been shipped because the tracking information simply stated that I had notified the USPS to expect the package. Several more days go by, and still no change at all. I go in to the post office and explain to the manager what is going on and he nearly argues with me that if I had given the package to a teller, it would have been scanned and would show as accepted. We go talk to the teller, and she specifically remembers the package because she thought it was rather heavy for such a small package. He then retracts his statement and says, well its not really a tracking number anyway.........
A few more days go by and still no change. At this point Im waiting for the buyer to throw a fit and accuse me of trying to scam him (happened to me last year). But instead he is extremely understanding and agrees that sometimes these things take time. In the mean time I had occasion to be back at the post office, and the teller asked if the package had ever showed up and I have to say that it hasnt. She is very apologetic and says she wishes she could be of some help. But since the package was declared as $50 in watch parts it would not be insured for more.
Well Friday I get an email from the buyer stating that he received a notice from his postal service stating that customs had declared that a fee was due for a package arriving from the US. He had a couple packages he was expecting, and we were unsure as to if THIS was the package I had sent. I think I have been uneasy all weekend wondering if this was the watch I had shipped.
Today he writes to say that the watch arrived in good shape and that he was pleased with it. GUESS WHAT???? The tracking still shows that Ive never shipped the watch and that I have only paid for postage.
SO, it was not scanned when handed over to the teller. It was not scanned at the US sort facility. It was not scanned at the outgoing customs office. It was not scanned at the UK customs office (but they applied a tax to the package???) and it was not scanned by the delivering postal service.
WOW, thanks guys...I appreciate all the hard work and effort. You must be taking lessons from the California Department of Motor Vehicles!
The moral of the story is... Just because the tracking shows no progress doesnt mean that it isnt being moved through the system. AND, good things happen to good people (the buyer, not me...) Thank you Rooster for your understanding and patience!