Shipping abroad during the pandemic

[sabiji]

I wanted to ask about your experiences regarding the duration of shipments abroad lately.
I have been waiting for a shipment from the USA to me in Germany for 8 weeks. Shipments from Japan have also reached me within a week in December 2020. I did some research and read that the US postal service was extremely overloaded in December. Is that still the case? I know due to the pandemic you have to expect longer shipping times. But 8 weeks (air freight) is extreme. I actually don't think the shipment will reach me anymore.
However, a small package from Italy reached my daughter this week, which was mailed on December 30. There is not even a customs clearance between Germany and Italy.

 

[Alex A]

Its a long time, is it a sword ?

 

Ive not seen much difference between now and pre-covid with stuff from the US.

 

Check the tracking and make some enquiries.

 

If it is a sword, may have got held for one reason or another.

[sabiji]

No, it is "only" a tsuba. The tracking does not move. As the recipient, I cannot make an inquiry request. The sender is absolutely trustworthy and does what is in his power.
In addition, the US Postal Service, as well as DHL, says that due to the tense situation and longer shipping times, you should refrain from requesting an investigation.

[Alex A]

Give it some more time, will turn up eventually.

 

 

[Michaelr]

I don’t know how the mail is Internationally but here in my part of the USA it stinks. I had three packages sent to me in New Jersey from Washington state, the two small ones arrived as expected as per the tracking numbers. The third, a Sword send home box, was over a month late. The USPS was of no help. The sender and I both filed lost forms, again with no help. The tracking said “ in transit” so that is all we were told. No one ever knew where it was. When I did receive it it was fine and in perfect shape. I am waiting for a small package as we speak that according to the tracking was within 10 miles of me and now it is it is 50 miles from me. Maybe it will find its way back and maybe not. Good luck and I hope everyone’s packages reach them as expected. It is stressful enough when everything works as expected, but really stressful when things happen..

      MikeR

[16k]

Us post is a mess at the moment. What took around 10 days before C19 and elections now t’as between two weeks and three months. So it should come, but expect some time. I’ve lost two parcels over the last’s months (books) and one even came 5 months after, so...

[Grey Doffin]

Hi guys,

I probably do as much overseas mailing from the US as anyone else here.  I've had packages delayed, sometimes by USPS but in other instances by the receiving country's Customs Office but, so far, nothing has been lost.  USPS has been troubled by much higher than normal volume and inept political appointees to postal service management during the last administration (nothing like dismantling room size sorting machines to slow things down) but, with luck, all will be well again.

Cheers,  Grey

[Japan2112]

I just shipped two tsuba from the US  on January 19 by USPS Priority -one to France and one to Germany. Both had been received within 15 days, the German customs sometimes having issues requiring the recipient to physically go to customs to pick it up. 

Swords to Germany are another story, having one delivered back to me after 6 weeks.

 

I think German customs generally do the contact for pick up. So, if you haven't been contacted by customs for a pick up, lets say because the recipient's phone or email wasn't properly included on the customs paperwork, the item may be shipped back. I experienced the same issue when sending packages to family in Germany.

 

Never lost anything, as Grey says, just a hassle getting the pick up. 

[Japan2112]

I also wanted to mention that when shipping tsuba from Japan to the US, I would recommend Fed Ex. my ltest experience (January) was 3 days. Fed Ex does contact you in advance of your package hitting US customs to clear the way with declarations (especially if the value is above $2500.

 

Fed Ex will not ship swords from Japan.

 

UPS is another story, and would not recommend just now, although some Japanese dealers are saying that they would ship swords UPS.

[sabiji]

There is also good news from my side. Yesterday I finally held my shipment in my hands after two and a half months. The package looked pretty battered, but the contents had remained intact.
What never worked for me in the past, this time the tracking of the US Postal Service was reliable. Quite the opposite of DHL.
A little over 2 months the shipment needed until obviously an airport was found, from where the package could go to Germany.
Dear guys in the States: You really have good and interesting stuff. But I am now really afraid to buy something from you.
From Japan it has (so far) always worked without problems.