I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show up.

bigmikey

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Oct 8, 2003
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SLC Utah
What do I do. I shipped something to Hong Kong through the U.S.P.S. They couldnt do tracking or insurance on it since it was sent out of the country. I sent it airmail (4 to 10 days) Like the person asked me to do. That was on the 2nd of may, and it still isnt there. I have the receipt with the customs label number. Would that number help track it?. Anyone know what else I can do. Its not my fault /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif The customs office could have taken it or it has been lost. Please help /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon23.gif Any info on what I can do would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
 

Empath

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Re: I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show

The Cheers'N'Jeers forum isn't the proper forum for soliciting advice on shipping problems. Off the top of my head, I'm not connecting the topic with any existing forum, so I'll move it to our multi-topic non-specific forum, the Cafe. Perhaps someone there can advise you.
 

JonSidneyB

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Jun 22, 2001
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Re: I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show

bigmikey>

USPS shipping can vary alot. The time they estimate is usually true but there are big exception. I have reshipped a huge numbers of items that never arrived just to find that the first package shows up one day after I ship a replacement item.

I have had several orders arrive a month after shipping as well.

Its the fallout from international shipping that might cause me to stop doing it.

I shipped an item where I took a net-loss of about $4.00 on the sale but was happy to do it. It almost a month to arrive after shipping. The customer put a jeer on my website. After the order arrived the customer ordered a second item and asked for another shipping method and to be nice I covered it. I took $129.00 loss this time but the package got there fast.

Now I have another kind of jeer on my website after having transactions were I earn huge negative money. One of the dangers of international shipping.
 

ViReN

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Re: I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show

I fully agree with JSB .... It's really very very risky to send / recieve anything Internationally....with USPS Ordinary Post or even the Global Priority Mail. Especially When I try to get something by simple Airmail... i am 101.5 % Sure that It IS going to get lost somewhere, simply because, there is no tracking... and the guys at Customes / other People involved in between the Sender & the Reciever.... take advantage of this situation. For Important Item's that I must get here.. I prefer EMS Shipping or a Registered Post (sure it's more money) but then I have atleast 50% Assurance that it will arrive. In Case of EMS & Registered Post, there is atleast some tracking and things are written somewhere or the other... about the package.I think, International Buyers should take this fact to consideration. And should pay the requisite amount for the EMS / Registered Postage.

JSB, There is no point in taking up the loss on yourself.. simply because it's Not you who is responsible for this...If any of the international buyers want to buy things... the first thing that they should be notified is that you should not be responsible for the lost packages. International Buyers should opt for EMS Shipping or Registered Mail. Ordinary USPS Shipping is surely not for International Users.

I have placed an order for the Charger, and I am aware of the Risk's Involved. However, if the package dosent comeup ... I will certainly not hold you to be responsible for that.

First Class Mail, Global Priority Mail etc are not good enough for International use.. there is no documentation / record keeping
Registered Mail/Parcel, EMS Mail etc are atleast better than the worst of the options /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

JonSidneyB

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Re: I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show

In this case both shippments arrived. It just bothers me that I got a jeer on my own website that everyone can see when I was willing to sell both shippments at a loss. I could not help that the first shippment took so long in transit.
 

oldgrandpajack

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Mar 15, 2003
Messages
931
Re: I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show

I have shipped many Surefire parts and flashlights, to 16 countries, using Global Priority Mail.

Every single one of them was delivered, although one package did take 3 weeks.

I always let the buyer know, that I am not responsible for items, lost or damaged in the mail, when using Global Priority Mail.

I package my items extremely well! The clerks at the Post Office are always joking about my packaging, at my expense. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif But I explain to them, that I have never lost a package yet, and will keep on overdoing the packaging, despite their ribbing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I always cover the address with clear shipping tape, on Goblal Priority Mail packages. Should print the address in upper case letters, and in the correct format.

I am selective about which countries I will ship to. I will never ship to Russia and Indonesia, for example.

I have successfully shipped items, with Global Priority Mail, to:

Australia
Malaysia
Philippines
Thailand
Singapore
Hong Kong
South Korea
Japan
Canada
United Kingdom
Norway
Sweden
Denmark
Netherlands
Germany
Austria-(one item took 3 weeks)


I've also shipped to Spain, Italy, Switzerland and many of the above countries, with Global Express Mail. Every single Global Express Mail package has been delivered too.

Used Air Letter Post to Israel, and it made it OK, and on time. Would have used Global Priority Mail, but the member didn't live in one of the three major cities that Global Priority Mail can be sent to.

Shipped one item to Iraq, Priority Mail, through the Army Post Office. It made it OK, but I was biting my nails, on that one.

oldgrandpajack
 

JonSidneyB

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Re: I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show

Malysia-took a month and got me jeered.
Israel-2 lost and replaced another package took a month.
Indonisia 1 took a month several lost but I replaced.
South America 2 lost and replaced.

I have had others as well, these are just the most recent.

I can feel good in the fact that I have replaced all lost items.

I do have a current issue worrying me. I once in awhile have an item come pack undeliverable. That is almost always resolved with an e-mail or new lable. I used to not cover the names on the shipment with tape and they sometimes got damaged. The tape fixes that old problem.

My unresolved issue is that I have had two packages that came back. The post office stamped on the not picked up. These were both to the same post office box. It took along time before I knew there was a problem. It was more than a month from the time I sent the package until the time I got it back. I have emailed this person several times and have not got a responce. I still have this persons items in the packages. I know that this person is a cpf member but I do not have his handle. I know it is a cpfer because he would always send a note saying "I saw this on CPF" I am a little worried about this. Most customers would want to know where the stuff is.
 

Lurveleven

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Dec 21, 2004
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Re: I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show

It all depends on what country you are shipping to. If I had an online shop I would probably only had shipped to US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and Northern/Western Europe. And also to Southern Europe, Taiwan and Honk Kong, but only as registered.

I have received hundreds of packages and have never lost any, and almost all of them have been sent unregistered. I think Northern Europe is the safest place to ship international packages to.

It is also probably wise to set a 60 days limit before declaring packages for lost.

Sigbjoern
 

ViReN

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Re: I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show

Yes, Its sure that it All Depends on Where You ship to... How You Ship .. and How'z the Packaging.

Packaging should be Least Attractive, Completely sealed (by as much of tape as one could put on it) and ... should have less than $10 Value mentioned on Value of Goods on the Customes Declaration Form...

Such kind of packets make it to me... Other's are simply lost...

way back in 2002 ... I lost 2 Photon's PIII's !... (there was no seal nothing, just a carton).. they were open ....

and Just Today ... I lost 1 more light... $5 Light from Occus... All that was left inside was a Paper Napkin. (must have been used to protect the Light) There was the "cello" tape seal on the envelope.. but the Postal Guy's took the light out from the package by making a "hole" in the Envelope! the package was sent by ordinary mail.

40-50% of Packages sent by Registered / EMS reach me... (this 50% depends on how well it was packaged... those who pack things up tightly so that no chance of tampering... these ones reach)

0% Packages sent by Ordinary Post reach me!!!

I simply have stoped ordering things from the net with the Global Priority Mail & First Class Global Mail as the Shipping Options.

First Preference = EMS, Second = Registered Mails.

Thankfully, for the Copper & Alluminium Heat Sink packages that I had sent to US, Spain, UK, Korea etc have reached safely.
 

auriga

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Jan 3, 2005
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Sweden
Re: I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show

I have never lost any package sent to me in any way. I always make sure things from the USA are shipped with USPS. USPS packages arrive faster than anything else and without any hassles. The price to ship with Fedex would not be worth it even if 1/3 of all the USPS packages got lost on the way.
 

koala

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Joined
Mar 5, 2003
Messages
2,295
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Re: I shipped something to HongKong. It didnt show

I looks like it varies between countries. All USPS Global Priority or any normal mail does it to my apartment and work site without fail. Some items I sent to some countries never arrive. I quit sending them. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jpshakehead.gif
 
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