I am in anger with the postal services

In four years I lost "only" two packages on more than 200 shipping...
Yeah, remember it finally wasn't a lost, because one parcel was insured and replaced, and for the other, one nice man opened a generosity thread and I got a unique flashlight in replacement !!! (I still remember that, and I thank you all again )


But today I am very sad and I have anguish about all shipments...

Two parcels, from two different locations, shipped on December 20/2006 didn't yet arrive
And I have one or two parcels 'en route' , one is my TIN Draco...

Is it French Postal services or USPS one ? How could I know that ?

So, if I can give an advice to all overseas CPFer, for shipping over $100.00, ask for EMS insured...YEah I know it cost a lot, but finally it's better than never receive awaited flashlights....

Please feel free to share your experiences...good or bad.. and what you did for solving the complaint.....

I really hate waiting more than 14 days, after that, I always think that it's a lost

It's really hard to save up for something that's costing an arm and a leg (relative) and realize that it's lost or stolen. I'm sorry this had to happen again.

My first package from Hong to Trinidad took 6 torturous weeks to reach me and I realized that the registration only told you up to when it left Hong Kong. For the second package, I decided to scrap the registration and save an extra $3. Six weeks came and went and the was no package :sick2: This was arround the 'sticky fingers' Christmas season. I decided from then on to 1) avoid Hong Kong to Trinidad shipments and 2) avoid purchasing during Christmas. My third and fourth packages from Hong Kong was sent to my sister's skybox in the US without problems. It increases shipping cost but the Hong Kong/US route is more used and threfore more relaible.

This year, I held off purchases from litho and 4sevens because of the season (end of first week of Dec was my mark). It was hard watching people purchase their stuff while I had to sit here without anything but simply put, I just couldn't afford loosing any package.

I guess 14 days for you is a long time. A package shipped via UPS once took about 9 working days to reach Miami. From there its another 1-2 weeks to ship down here and to pass through customs. Generally, from purchasing to my hands takes about 3 weeks sometimes more, sometimes less.

I usually make payments to individuals with a cashier's cheque. I always send via registered mail which takes average 3-4 weeks to reach an individual. A friend who also sends cheques said he sends his via normal mail and it reaches in 1 week. So I thought I'd try it to save time. Of course, one of Murpyh's Laws had to kick in and 1) the cheque still took a month to reach and 2)it got wet and was unsuable. The seller had to send it back for me to re-do and re-send it. What a pain in the bleep.

Advise
1) Wait. Our customs people are still busy from all the Christmas packages. Two weeks isn't too long a wait.

2) Avoid the Christmas season.

3) Spend money on shipping if the package is worth it to you. Think of how much you'd pay for it if you were buying it retail in France and decide if the extra in shipping is worth it.

I hear ya Frenchy. I just recently ordered and recieved a Maxpedition devildog from 2thehilt. EMS cost me almost as much as the bag itself. Glad I got it due to a problem with the first attempt, got misdirected somehow.

Frenchyled said:

...I have one or two parcels 'en route' , one is my TIN Draco...

Click to expand...

I got my Draco this morning, and according to Jonathan's thread mine was shipped the day before yours, so "courage, mon brave!"

Where are you located DM51?
I hope to get mine tomorrow or on Friday.

Sigbjoern

I'm in the U.K. I count myself quite lucky that things have been getting through - there have been plenty of horror stories about the postal service here (in fact someone started another thread complaining about the UK mail recently).

Anyway, good luck with getting your Draco. You will find it well worth the wait - Jonathan has done a fantastic job and I think he may even get people complaining that his lights are so bright they are making all their other lights redundant!!

Frenchyled said:

Is it French Postal services or USPS one ? How could I know that ?

Click to expand...

Frenchy, The last 2 overseas packages I mailed were trackable until they left the US by using the numbers off of the customs label on the USPS tracking site.
Frank

I just entered this # LC01 9163 442U S, from my last package and it shows this: Label/Receipt Number: LC01 9163 442U S
Status: Delivered Abroad

Your item was delivered in FINLAND at 8:40 AM on December 18, 2006

Thanks you guys for your replies !!! It's always pleasant to hear good words

Even if I have no news about my two parcels shipped on 12/20/2006....I have a good new today !!!!

YEah, you're right DM51, I received this morning my little Draco..hmmm small only by his size..but large by his capacities...

Similar experience, package form Hong Kong to US, left HK on Dec. 22, and finally arrived yesterday. Holidays really exacerbate this problem. Glad your Draco arrived, hopefully the other package will also arrive. Cheers.

I am in the uk , i am still waiting for my ti xr19-c posted 11.12 2006 from don.
he gave me the chance to buy another ti i choose this time s27-c that got here in four days. still hoping my xr19-c turns up.ouch pp account,.

I really hope you'll get it Titan1833
Those are so beauties that a lost would be a major pain

For me.. and for those rare ti... I will only go with EMS !!

Frenchyled said:

I really hope you'll get it Titan1833
Those are so beauties that a lost would be a major pain

For me.. and for those rare ti... I will only go with EMS !!

Click to expand...

thats a good point my s27-c was sent EMS, but my xr19-c was sent flat global priority.i am sure it made a difference.

5 weeks that I am waiting
And now... I am even more angry...because I haven't heard of 4 parcels
And it's not only parcels from the U.S, I have one from Israel, one from UK and 2 from U.S

Frankly, what can I do ...I am desperate (house husband )

Sorry to hear about your wayward parcels, frenchy. Fingers crosses they just taking the scenic route.
Don't even get me started on the idiotic swedish post. Last year, I was away for over 2 months and when I got back I got notice from swedish post I got several parcels waiting to be picked up. When I got to the post office, they told me they only hold the packages for one month and its send back to sender after that. If I want it held longer, I need to tell the sender to say that. How the heck do you do that with normal airmail???
OK, fine. Can you tell me who sent them so I can tell the senders the package have be returned to them. They didn't fill in the information in the package pickup slip, so either they are lazy or there was no return address. If so, they deliberately lost my mail by sending it back when there is possibly no return address??? How bloody idiotic is that!!!!!


In today's world of high speed Internet, I dont' see why they can't include international tracking at a reasonable price.

I had a similar problem here in the States a while back. I didn't recieve a package and when I asked the seller if he had a tracking number he says: Yes, and it shows a delivery attempt 2 weeks ago. Sure enough, I go to the local PO and it's been there waiting the whole time. Of course when the clerk asks me for the "attempt to deliver" card, that needs to be signed since the package was insured, I inform him I never got one. I'm not sure which is worse, never getting the notice or the times I have seen the postman pull up to my mailbox just stuff in the mail and drive off. Then when I put on some shoes and go retrieve the mail, I find a "Sorry you weren't home" note for a package I was expecting. That's just lazy. If he would at least wait a minute, I would have been out there to get it without his ever having to get out of his vehicle. But he ought to be doing his job and trying to make some attempt to deliver. I've noticed it's always on Saturday or some other day the regular carrier is out and has the same guy substituting for him.

Ironically, the bad guys can tell how valuable a package is by the amount of insurance on it, which is why USPS will not even insure packages to some countries.

The only sure-fire way is to register it, where each person who receives it has to sign for it, but this will also slow down delivery. The last person to sign for it will be blamed if it disappears.

DonShock said:

I had a similar problem here in the States a while back. I didn't recieve a package and when I asked the seller if he had a tracking number he says: Yes, and it shows a delivery attempt 2 weeks ago. Sure enough, I go to the local PO and it's been there waiting the whole time. Of course when the clerk asks me for the "attempt to deliver" card, that needs to be signed since the package was insured, I inform him I never got one.

Click to expand...

I've had similar experiences with UPS and DHL. I was watching the tracking online and waiting for them to knock on the door. Then all of a sudden, the tracking shows 'attempted delivery' and there's no knock, no note on the door. 'Attempted' my a**. He never came to the door!

I'm with you guys.
I have a $200+ order that left the US on the 8. of December by GPM and it still hasn't showed up

I pretty close to writing it of as a loss and reordering the most important items...

On larger shipments I'll say Global Express Mail is worth the extra cash.. It has full tracking, insurance up to $100 included in the price and the start an inquiery if the package doesn't show up.

Hope your lights show up Frenchyled.

Sverre

you bet


I'm having my own share of postal problems....I'm waiting on a part thats more important than flashlights....a flanged hex nut replacement for the washing machine....I mean sure I can handwash stuff...but jeezez 3-5 days...its been pfft more than a week now...

Also waiting on an A2 tailcap replacement from surefire....