USPS likes to lose international packages

[iceman8310 105]

I couldn't find the correct forum for this

The USPS likes to lose international packages. I have a few packages from Canada that stopped getting shipping updated. They left New York and vanished. Has anyone else have this happen to them before? How did they fix it? Was the package lost for good

 

[krisdrum 233]

Over what timeframe?  They may still be digging out of the holiday backlog, which was significant.  They also might be sitting in customs waiting for approval.  I had a package from Canada take an extra two week than expected in early December, with a similar experience, it seemed to "disappear", but eventually resurfaced and was delivered. 

[Miller55 333]

USPS is really backed up right now between the new year and covid. The post in NY and the tristate area in particular has been horrible lately. They will probably turn up eventually. I shipped a set of wheels to ny recently and it took about 3 weeks. Got to NY in about 4 days and then disappeared in White plains for a while and then one day they said out for delivery.

Basically, anything that is going through the tristate area is disappearing for a while and then eventually it gets to it's destination.

[smcgreg 81]

4 hours ago, iceman8310 said:

I couldn't find the correct forum for this

The USPS likes to lose international packages. I have a few packages from Canada that stopped getting shipping updated. They left New York and vanished. Has anyone else have this happen to them before? How did they fix it? Was the package lost for good

 

As others have noted below, it's not just international.   I had a package shipped from Seattle for my business the week before Thanksgiving (US) and they shipped USPS against my wishes.  It has been "in transit" since Nov 28.  It was an urgent shipment, which compounded my anger.  My wife sent out 40 Christmas cards on Dec 15th, most domestic, and only a fraction of them have been received. 

It's a combination of Covid affecting the workforce (less labor available) and the budget cuts enacted over the past year to cripple the USPS  They were pretty effective in their objective. 

[Miller55 333]

I've been sending everything FedEx lately. It's been pretty consistent at about a week from shipping to delivery. UPS is faster, but their prices have gone way up lately

[psulion22 402]

As others have said, it's a holiday/Covid backlog.  Packages are running 2-3 weeks for domestic delivery.  The status will show as "in transit" which simply means the parcel has been scanned out and loaded onto a container, but that container is sitting in a parking lot or warehouse somewhere, waiting to be driven to the next location.

I had the same problems as everyone else, but I filed an inquiry.  That got me a phone call from my local postmaster, who advised me that once your package enters the claim window, you should file an insurance claim.  That gets people searching for the package, which then moves it along the chain faster.  For the two packages that I have had issues with, every time I filed the inquiry, they moved the next day.  My postmaster told me they have pictures of huge parking lots filled every inch with packed trailers waiting to be moved.  They don't have enough trucks or drivers to move them along.

[VegasHockey 1280]

I mailed skates from the US to Finland over 8 weeks ago and they are still in transit. Shipping times are insane right now!

[cougarscaptain87 12]

I have 2 pairs of skates for my little guy that have gone rogue for the last 3 weeks from Canada, we're in Michigan and the package got to my local sorting facility on Dec 14 but since then nothing. Fingers crossed everyone gets what they're waiting on!

[Miller55 333]

It's wild because I've had packages the same as everyone else, but I've also had a fair amount of packages that were totally fine. For example, I sent a package from Phoenix to Rochester MN and it took 4 days, no issues.

It seems like the problems are in large metro areas that are very affected by covid in terms of having a lot of shutdowns, places like Detroit, Chicago, NY, Seattle, Philly, Cali etc. Whereas Phoenix has tons of cases but the government has not shut things down, so it doesn't seem to be affecting the post. 

[Blissy 1]

I've noticed things have gone significantly south with both Canada Post and USPS in the last year.  In the US, I've gravitated to shipping with UPS, and FedEx as a second option.  Coming from overseas, or Canada, DHL is stellar.  In fact, I'd use DHL domestically if I could I like their product so much.  

That being said, yes, I track packages from Canada into US Customs, where they seem to disappear for several days, until they show up at your door unannounced.  I don't think your packages are gone forever, just "in transit."  Good luck!

[iceman8310 105]

I ordered a package from Russia and arrived a lot faster.  Still missing the package from Canada 

[caveman27 208]

I got a package from NY to Virginia in about a month. It was a Christmas present. My wife sent a package to an address in the same state, it took a month and a half, and it was sent Priority Mail.

[psulion22 402]

So as I posted earlier, my local Postmaster suggested filing an insurance claim if you're the sender for any package that has been missing or stuck "in transit" for the claim window of the service you used.

I did that for a package had been stuck for 15 days.  It was finally delivered 2 days later.  Today I received a payout check for $64 for that claim, given because the item was past due.  

If you are the sender of a package that still hasn't been delivered - FILE YOUR CLAIM!

Edited January 12, 2021 by psulion22

[VegasHockey 1280]

2 hours ago, psulion22 said:

So as I posted earlier, my local Postmaster suggested filing an insurance claim if you're the sender for any package that has been missing or stuck "in transit" for the claim window of the service you used.

I did that for a package had been stuck for 15 days.  It was finally delivered 2 days later.  Today I received a payout check for $64 for that claim, given because the item was past due.  

If you are the sender of a package that still hasn't been delivered - FILE YOUR CLAIM!

Always file a claim after 7 days if the package missing its delivery date. This triggers them to look for the item to deliver it and many times, as mentioned, you will get credited back for the shipping or sometimes even the item value.

[smcgreg 81]

On 1/6/2021 at 9:52 AM, smcgreg said:

As others have noted below, it's not just international.   I had a package shipped from Seattle for my business the week before Thanksgiving (US) and they shipped USPS against my wishes.  It has been "in transit" since Nov 28.  It was an urgent shipment, which compounded my anger.  My wife sent out 40 Christmas cards on Dec 15th, most domestic, and only a fraction of them have been received. 

It's a combination of Covid affecting the workforce (less labor available) and the budget cuts enacted over the past year to cripple the USPS  They were pretty effective in their objective. 

As an update, the package I ordered from Seattle on Nov 18, which was shipped Nov 23 (USA Flat rate (3 days))...... just arrived at my door.  Only 2+ months for 3 day... nice. I had written it off though, so, I guess I should be happy it showed up at all.

[Miller55 333]

This whole thing is really bizarre. I shipped a box of gloves from Phoenix to Long Beach CA and it took over two weeks to get there.

Then I sold a pair of skates on sideline to be shipped to San Diego. When I looked for it I couldn't find it and realized that I left it in my parents basement in NY so I asked my dad to ship them out.

Used the prepaid label from sideline that was from Arizona to San Diego, but he shipped then from NY. Shipped them Monday, they arrived Wednesday midday.  

It took two weeks to get a package from Phoenix to Long Beach and two days to get a package from NY to SD...? Huh?