Australia Post

Mittens34

Member
Aug 18, 2007
918
2
I'm feeling a little concerned, because I shipped a package to Hong Kong and another package to Australia on Monday. I shipped both packages via Express Mail and it shows the Hong Kong package was delivered today, but when I track the package for Australia on USPS.com it shows that it hasn't even been dispatched from Los Angeles customs yet. I also checked the tracking number on the Australia Post website and this is what it is showing:
Despatched
Product/Service:EMS
Origin Country:USA
Destination Country:Australia

Does that mean that it has been dispatched to Australia? Why do they spell dispatch as "despatch" in Australia? I'm hoping this means it has been dispatched to Australia and that the customs in Los Angeles just never scanned the package. Does anyone know if Express Mail takes longer to get to Australia than Hong Kong?
 
I am in Australia and get packages via USPS Express regularly. Firstly it is very basic tracking (not like say DHL or Fedex that scans the package at each step). USPS tracking shows when the parcel was sent and usually doesn't show again until when it is delivered.

I just looked at the USPS price guide and noticed that shipping to HK is slightly cheaper than shipping to Australia, so I'd assume it would take just slightly longer to get to Australia too.

The Australia Post tracking would show despatched as soon as the parcel is first scanned at the post office at your end.

By the way, here is a link to your query about the word despatch:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Despatch

I wouldn't worry just yet. It does say 3 - 5 days for express but that is just a guide and quite often goes a bit over. It is only Friday morning here in Australia now. Is is going to a city or is going to a regional area, because that could add to the time too. If it is over $1000 Australian Dollars, it will also get held up in customs here as there will be additional fees for the buyer to pay.

Hope this makes sense!
 
I am in Australia and get packages via USPS Express regularly. Firstly it is very basic tracking (not like say DHL or Fedex that scans the package at each step). USPS tracking shows when the parcel was sent and usually doesn't show again until when it is delivered.

I just looked at the USPS price guide and noticed that shipping to HK is slightly cheaper than shipping to Australia, so I'd assume it would take just slightly longer to get to Australia too.

The Australia Post tracking would show despatched as soon as the parcel is first scanned at the post office at your end.

By the way, here is a link to your query about the word despatch:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Despatch

I wouldn't worry just yet. It does say 3 - 5 days for express but that is just a guide and quite often goes a bit over. It is only Friday morning here in Australia now. Is is going to a city or is going to a regional area, because that could add to the time too. If it is over $1000 Australian Dollars, it will also get held up in customs here as there will be additional fees for the buyer to pay.

Hope this makes sense!

Yes, that makes sense. The package is going to: Adelaide, South Australia. I don't know if that is a city or regional area. The item is under $1,000 Australian dollars, so I'm hoping it will not get held up in customs. Thanks so much for your help.
 
Yes, Adelaide is a city (the capital of South Australia in fact!), however mail from the US normally comes in through Sydney or Melbourne first to clear customs, then it will be another short flight to Adelaide.
 
USPS has been slightly slower to Australia as of late as well. I agree with oscarlilytc not to worry yet. The tracking on the USPS website takes longer to be updated and is less detailed than what the Australia Post website shows once the item is in Australia. I'd check out the Aus tracking if you're concerned once it hits our shores.

Adelaide is South Australia's capital city so you should have no issues in additional time for delivery there.
 
Adelaide is a MAJOR metropolitan city but regardless, Australia post takes absolutely ages. Dispatch from the EU normally takes at least 2 weeks. I imagine it's the same for the US. Sit tight OP.
 
I have the same problem. I sent a package to Australia and my package is stuck in Germany because there are some changes in regulation of Australian custom and DHL can not send any package to Australia. It has been a month!!!! Now the buyer is opening a dispute. What should I do?
 
USPS Express to Seoul is in the 4th day for me. Their tracking just says it left JFK and that's it. Just gotta be patient with these transoceanic mail parcels. Always left in a lurch til the mailman or Korea Post updates the system.
 
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I'm a waiting for a package also shipped on Dec 29th from the UK to arrive as well. I think USPS has bumped up it's security measures.... which is delaying packages from coming in and going out?.. and possibly weather.. although CA & FL haven't been hit with bad weather.

Check out #8 http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400033&mediaId=3800088#1600085


Thanks for the info!! I also forgot about the bad weather....:blush: It's sunny but cool here in Florida. My first instinct is that the package was tampered with or something....but my seller doesn't have any tracking so even if it's lost/stolen/just sitting somewhere we don't know!!!