Cue possibly lost in (or before) transit?

iksnom

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey guys! Just wanting to see if anyone else has had the same experience? Comments and suggestions are welcome too.

Ok Ive just recently completed a trade with a seemingly nice and honest guy from the US ( Im from New Zealand). This is my first very trade - overseas or otherwise. Short version is my cue turned up at his door on the time frame expected, but his cue hasn't arrived yet. In fact, the USPS tracking has no information for it yet. I got sent a photo of the USPS label/form with the tracking number and thats all Ive got. The date on it is 06/10/2014.

My first question is it normal for USPS tracked items to not have any tracking info for 13 days now? Thought an item is scanned when its dropped off at the post office?

Moving on, I tried to track the parcel on the first week by contacting the local post here but no luck. I was told that the parcel is either not in the country yet or possibly not sent yet based on the tracking info, how convenient I can do that myself cant it? Anyway, I then went to the other guy/sender to ask for help. He said he had contacted the local post office and that the lady was sure it went out however unsure why the tracking wasnt working. He then also contacted USPS who advised they will try to call back in 2 days, who then called back to say they are not sure what to do. Right!

Question no 2: Would you expect and answer like that from USPS support???

At this point no one knows where my parcel is and theres little to no evidence that its moving (if indeed sent). Not sure what to do.

Thanks.
 

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
PM me your tracking information and I'll stop by my local post office and see if they can give me a status.......please also include your delivery address in case that's a contributing reason for the delay.

The advice about waiting is probably reliable but I know that when you know your cue arrived successfully and his hasn't and then you can't get any current status from anyone, well, if I was in your position I'd be a little concerned.

Aside from suggesting as others already have about waiting a bit longer, that's about all I can come up with to try helping you.

Matt B.
 

$TAKE HOR$E

champagne - campaign
Silver Member
I have had it happen numerous times and not just shipping out of the country. I sent a shaft several months ago and it took 10 or 12 days to arrive, within the US. There have been several threads like this in the last few months and I have been told multiple times when going to the post office that delays are very common these days. I have actually never had a problem when sending a cue overseas but receiving them I have seen transit times from as few as 7 days depending on the day the item was shipped to as many as 15. I had a cue held up in customs for 10 days a few years ago during the worst part of the year weather wise, and that's not including the time it took to reach the US and another 2 or 3 days after it left customs. I recently got a cue from Canada and it showed up several days later than expected. All in all though, other than the sometimes lengthy transit times I have had no issues.
 

i8ap4t

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
As a fellow Kiwi who buys lots of crap from the states, I can confirm that USPS sucks balls when it comes to updating tracking information. Having said that, 13 days is a lot.

Without the initial scan from when the parcell was picked up, you are pretty much ****ed.
Make sure to check the USPS website instead of the NZpost site
 

iksnom

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey Guys,

Thanks for all your replies. I must confess my confusion level has lessened a little, well, now that Im aware that such delay/situation is "normal" ( I guess). Im not in panic mode as yet and hopeful that my cue turns up in the next couple of days however I want to do what I can now, before realising its too late.

Bavafongoul : Thanks for your offer Ill send you a PM right after posting this reply. I shall keep the name of the other guy to protect his interest as I said he seems honest and reliable.

Again, thanks to all and really appreciate your comments.
 

mark187

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is quite normal. I live in the UK and USPS normally takes two weeks on average. USPS tracking is not the best, especially when using first class or priority post- express can be better.

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk
 

iksnom

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks Mark.
I appreciate there might be delays and that it may take thaaaat long normally. Whats confused me is that there have been no scanning yet?

Also, the tacking number looks to be in the format of a "Priority Mail International" according to the USPS website and has a 1-3 days ( not guaranteed) delivery. The standard posts take 2-8 days. But knows how accurate those info on website are. :)
 

Petros Andrikop

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Regular delivery for priority mail international is 10-15 days, depends on local customs (if package was declared above some min. amount), usps EMS (the fastest) has 3-5 delivery, usually a week to get to Europe. Tracking in priority mail is generally slower.
Good luck, hope it gets there soon, if the other member is trustworthy I would not worry about it, however if the package was declared for a significant amount it could delay in customs, with extra cost.
Petros
 

Type79

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Packages that I ship to Australia and New Zealand take one to two weeks in transit.

As for USPS tracking, it is totally unreliable on international shipments and sometimes spotty for domestic packages.

It is possible that a cue would receive greater scrutiny in customs.

Jay
 

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
iksnom,

Just sent you a PM with the info I obtained from the local post office.

Matt B.

p.s. As FYI, the USPS has a telephone number for international shipment status.......800-222-1811.
 
Last edited:

iksnom

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
iksnom,

Just sent you a PM with the info I obtained from the local post office.

Matt B.

p.s. As FYI, the USPS has a telephone number for international shipment status.......800-222-1811.

Hi Matt,

Thanks for that, Ive read it. Wish I havent.

Interesting. Im 101% sure that Ive given you the right numbers. What Ive also done to confirm Ive got no typos and such is Ive downloaded the USPS app, printed the label then scan off the barcode. Its given me the exact same set of numbers I sent you.

Ive contacted the seller via email and PMs a few times in the last few days ( and again today) asking for a copy of the receipt/acknowledgement from the post office, well for obvious reasons, but Ive yet to hear form him. Though he did say hes out of town and wont be home till Sunday but that was lasts week's conversation.

I shall contact USPS on the number you have provided but is it really for me, being the receiver, to be doing that? Is it wrong for me to expect the sender to stay on top of things till the deal is complete?
 

macguy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey guys! Just wanting to see if anyone else has had the same experience? Comments and suggestions are welcome too.

Ok Ive just recently completed a trade with a seemingly nice and honest guy from the US ( Im from New Zealand). This is my first very trade - overseas or otherwise. Short version is my cue turned up at his door on the time frame expected, but his cue hasn't arrived yet. In fact, the USPS tracking has no information for it yet. I got sent a photo of the USPS label/form with the tracking number and thats all Ive got. The date on it is 06/10/2014.

My first question is it normal for USPS tracked items to not have any tracking info for 13 days now? Thought an item is scanned when its dropped off at the post office?

Moving on, I tried to track the parcel on the first week by contacting the local post here but no luck. I was told that the parcel is either not in the country yet or possibly not sent yet based on the tracking info, how convenient I can do that myself cant it? Anyway, I then went to the other guy/sender to ask for help. He said he had contacted the local post office and that the lady was sure it went out however unsure why the tracking wasnt working. He then also contacted USPS who advised they will try to call back in 2 days, who then called back to say they are not sure what to do. Right!

Question no 2: Would you expect and answer like that from USPS support???

At this point no one knows where my parcel is and theres little to no evidence that its moving (if indeed sent). Not sure what to do.

Thanks.

Unless it was sent express (Pretty expensive) there is no tracking. The number you have is probably a customs number and it will not show anything once the package leaves the US.
 

mark187

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks Mark.
I appreciate there might be delays and that it may take thaaaat long normally. Whats confused me is that there have been no scanning yet?

Also, the tacking number looks to be in the format of a "Priority Mail International" according to the USPS website and has a 1-3 days ( not guaranteed) delivery. The standard posts take 2-8 days. But knows how accurate those info on website are. :)
I got a cue from the US last month sent USPS priority. The cue was scanned at the origin post office, then nothing for two weeks. From experience I knew that once the cue arrived in the UK then there would be no more updates from USPS as their tracking stops once it leaves the US. At two weeks the seller was about to refund, when by chance I entered the tracking number in to the UK's postal services website (Royal Mail/ Parcelforce). Amazingly, the cue was sat in the post office 5 minutes from my house! So I wouldn't get too worried yet, although I would recommend finding out who your local carrier is and trying to track through them.

The delivery estimates are for the time for the cue to leave the US. After this it will be a couple of days to get accepted in your country, after which it will go into customs so they can see if you have any duty or tax to pay. In the UK this can take a day or two, although I've had a cue sat with customs for 10 days before. Then, if fees are due you`ll probably have to wait a couple of days for notification.

All this is worse case scenario, but I wouldn't get worried yet. Unfortunately there are a few places where your cue can be held up, but my guess would be that it is in a customs backlog for whatever reason. I'd let the sender know about the problem. If there is no update after 14 days they can request that USPS trace the package, I've heard that a lot of packages turn up when this happens. I think the seller will need to do this anyway to get compensation in the event that the cue is lost.

Mark

Sent from my GT-I8190N using Tapatalk
 

macguy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Would fed ex or ups be better shipping options then usps for international shipping?

I just sent a small 7 ounce package Fedex international and it was $84.00 For a cue Fedex international the cost is almost prohibitive.
 

iksnom

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Currently on hold with USPS International Shipping support for 35 mins now.

And counting...
 

iksnom

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Currently on hold with USPS International Shipping support for 35 mins now.

And counting...


1 hour 22 mins on the call.

Pretty much was told the same thing Matt was told - not in the system. If the local post office missed the scanning, the sorting facility should have picked it up. I was advised tho to contact the sender to go down the local post office get them to track if it was indeed dropped off and sent there.

I have tried emailing PMing the sender ( another email sent at the time of this post) but no response. I dont want to conclude hes trying to avoid me but I see him online most of the time.

I have his number ( I hope) but I dont want to call him yet as Im willing to wait, give it some more time as advised.
 
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