Package from Italy...almost 30 days and no updates. Is it lost? - Page 2

Next week I will ask if a trace like this could be done, thanks for the advice.

Regards

To avoid this in the future can anyone recommend a better service or courier that is more dependable for shipping from Italy ?

This is really the first time I encountered a delay like this, and actually I don't believe this depends from Italian service.
Ems is a cooperative service, the ems I've shipped to Japan arrived in 5 days, the Ems I received from USA taken 15/20 days.
There isn't a standard timing.

In my experience the best service to ship from Italy is the Raccomandata Internazionale that in USA became Registered Mail, but have limits of weight and dimension, it's up to 2kg and 90 cm total of height/lenght/width.
It' doesn't require custom declaration.

Talking of parcel the best option to USA are EMS and Paccocelere Internazionale, almost same service and timing one is delivered by USPS, the other by national couriers, sometimes Fedex and hit their customs.

Of course there are the big couriers options but pricing without contract subscription are really high.
Regards
Edited by alexSF - 12/29/12 at 6:45am

I second the trace idea. As USPS told you if it's not showing on tracking its not reached the states. Have the shipper fill out the form ASAP so you don't have to do it next month. Also if you paid via PayPal, you only have a limited time in which to file a claim, so you might want to keep that in mind.

+1 AlexSF..

 

Depending on its weight, if shipped standard Intl Mail and depending where it is going, customs may be an issue.

 

I live and have lived in Italy for many years. I have purchased and sold items from all over the world of very high value ($20k+) without any issues in my 10+ yrs here..

 

The postal system is very good and I have never had a problem. It had become privately owned in the late 90's I've heard and since very reliable. The reason Italy tends to get a bad rep is similar to Jaguar cars I feel, it just stuck after a bad period of time within their history..and of course the sentimental (and ignorant) Italians are lazy, slow, etc..which is nonsense.

 

The lovely thing about Italy is people come first. I could give many examples, but won't here..

 

..otherwise, mostly because people are unfamiliar with the customs laws. New clothing, leather products, and jewelry cannot be imported into Italy from outside the EU. This includes watches, etc. Sure clothing can get through, especially if shipped standard mail and not using courier such as FedEx, but there is a risk.  This all obviously on the receiving end.

 

If you bought an item to be shipped from Italy that was leather, they MUST fill out a customs form (which is basically an affidavit) that is provided while shipping which is already printed and simply states that the leather does not come from an endangered animal..

 

Otherwise it will get stuck in Italian customs prior to going anywhere.

 

Post employees will (should) ask you if it is a leather item, but post office employee types are a universal phenomena..there are always indifferent a**holes who hate their life and job, etc..

 

Wine and paintings also have their own set of rules..

 

A bit off topic but I thought I would make mention as I tend to get frustrated when people blame Italy when it is in effect ignorance.

 

Lastly, I take offense at the "TintoTerra" comment "you only have 30 days to file PayPal claim..." etc..

 

People have developed such a god d*mned sense of entitlement today purchasing online.

 

Yeah, listen, there is a real world out there and sh*t happens..

 

You know where the money comes from with PayPal and Ebay's BS "insurance"  scheme??

 

It is taken directly out of the seller's account...

 

Your actions are in effect STEALING...

 

Why should the sender take the loss..?!

 

If an item was shipped in good faith, packaged well, and shipped as agreed upon that is all that can be expected.

 

Buying online fans the fire of obsession like no other...and people see the image and expect it now now now, failing to remember there is a REAL WORLD out there.

 

If you don't wish to pay the additional for a courier service such as FedEx, then that's how it is..that's life folks.

 

You're not children..sometimes you have to take your lumps in life.

 

Also buyers pretending they never received the item as well is the far more common fraud buying online than Seller fraud..

 

People of low character are so foolish...they are in effect ruining the entire system by their actions.

They are not getting ahead, what goes around comes around..believe it.

 

Off soapbox... Perhaps unrelated and unnecessary, but I felt it important enough that it needs to get out there.

 

Nothing on the original poster here, per se, but 15 days only...come on.

 

 

Best of luck..it is the holiday season, Italy has many during this time. Generally half day on Sat, half day xmas eve, closed xmas day, day after xmas St. Stefano a national holiday, NY Eve half day, NY Day closed, Jan. 6th closed for Befania....and that's it until March or something...

 

Expect delays during the holiday season anyway..things get stuck, misplaced, re-routed,etc.

 

I mean really man, come on..chill. You buy abroad and are not willing to pay for a courier service it is going to take time..

 

And when one thinks of the logistics involved it is all amazing really..

 

 

Just relax.

Best of luck.

My other lengthy response obviously will not be published...probably for good reason.

 

Again, I take offense to that comment.

 

Contact PayPal...for what?

 

PayPal and Ebay's "insurance" is removing the money from the seller's account.

 

That is STEALING.

 

All an individual can do is ship an item in good faith, as discussed and agreed upon with the buyer, and package with care.

 

I am so disgusted with the self entitlement people think they *deserve* buying using the internet and its services.

 

People behave as children and feel everybody owes them something..sh*t happens folks.

 

15 days and you are concerned? Really?

 

People give Italy a bad rep because they are not familiar with its customs laws.

I have lived in Italy for many years. Have bought and sold items of great value worldwide without ever an issue.

 

Regards

I ordered something from Thailand. It took 18 days for her (I mean it) to arrive.

Huge backlog at the moment - I actually posted something on the 29/11, left Milan 05/12 and it only arrived 19/12 to the UK - fortunately for all in time for christmas. But that is EMS...

Generally things posted with the fastest Poste Italiane (Raccomandata Internazionale - which I practically always use) service don't take so long at all. I had to use EMS because of this package weighing 2.7KG and I won't ever be using it again after that experience.

Funny thing is that people are often very quick to point the finger at the Italian side of the service...when in fact they dispatch it out of the country promptly enough and it is often a delay of the other carrier.

I ordered something from Europe in Nov. The sender's tracking link to the USPS had no updates for 2 weeks. I e-mailed him and he tracked it on his end and sent me the details. It was in my local post office and scheduled for delivery in 2 days.

Have the seller track it on his end(they may have already done this for you.)
Give it another week. You picked the wrong time to order/ship something fom Europe>US(Xmas.)

I never do business with Italy.

While Italian mail is among the worst in the world, I believe US customs is to blame here. They have become exceedingly bad of late - especially the past few years with the dawn of the police state. I have had packages sit there for weeks and weeks. USPS is clueless too when this happens. My advice, just be patient.

Sorry but this it totally untrue.
This is a legend built by italians themselves and the web it's full of complaints writed by totally inexperienced people that at the first problem (90% of the case with untrackable and unregistered mail) fills the web with anathemas against mails and sellers.

Italian Mail is on par with many other National Post and in my experience actually Italian Customs are pretty efficient, better and better than some years ago where they were pretty slow.
At least in 2/3 days all parcels I've shipped abroad had already left Italian borders and last parcels I've received from my american proxy left Milan customs in only 1 day.

The big delays I've encountered were shipping to USA, and Russia probably the slowest I've experienced.
Edited by alexSF - 12/30/12 at 11:17am

Idiotic comments...and I'm and Englishman defending Italy here.