**PLEASE HELP! Shipping Disaster!!!!**

GlamGirly

Smile. Laugh. Love
Jun 20, 2012
366
0
Ladies,

Tonight I will be sleepless...

I mailed a package to France using the Priority Mail International service and the shipping box provided by the post office. I went to the post office, filled out the customs forms and was told by the representative that the tracking on the customs form will serve as tracking confirmation because it goes along with the Priority Mail International documentation.

I wait all day and check the tracking just to make sure the package information has uploaded and it says "Tracking for this product is only available to Canada. For future shipments, tracking is available for this country through Priority Mail International".

Should I be worried? Why would the service rep advise me to ship this way for tracking to France if the tracking can only be done in Canada?! Any advice, previous experiences, words of wisdom would greatly be appreciated. I am so stressed out now.

;(
 
Did you use a priority mail international small flat rate box? Small is not trackable. Any of the larger sizes or non-flat rate are usually trackable if you use priority mail international. Are you 100% she didn't send it First Class Mail International?
 
When i send stuff from USA to Russia, doesnt matter what i use tracking only available in usa. When its cross the border, thast all... Before i worry a lot, now i kind of get use to it. I was lucky so far, even with crazy russian post office they didn't lose anything. Don't worry, I am sure french post office same responsible like Canadian or US. Please don't lose your sleep.
 
When i send stuff from USA to Russia, doesnt matter what i use tracking only available in usa. When its cross the border, thast all... Before i worry a lot, now i kind of get use to it. I was lucky so far, even with crazy russian post office they didn't lose anything. Don't worry, I am sure french post office same responsible like Canadian or US. Please don't lose your sleep.

You're wrong. I'm in Russia and I always ask sellers to mail via Priority with tracking - it's always trackable and the # doesn't change when it crosses the border.
 
You're wrong. I'm in Russia and I always ask sellers to mail via Priority with tracking - it's always trackable and the # doesn't change when it crosses the border.

when you look at it on ebay(as a seller) or usps its only track until the border. never in Russsia. But my buyers was able to check it on some other russian sites. Well, its what i see on ebay and usps. I don't know what they use in Russia.
 
Did you use a priority mail international small flat rate box? Small is not trackable. Any of the larger sizes or non-flat rate are usually trackable if you use priority mail international. Are you 100% she didn't send it First Class Mail International?

Ugh, I am so upset. I was shipping it in the flimsy, bigger (non-flat rate) envelope and the service rep told me that I should try to fit the item in the smaller flat rate envelope and it did fit. I even asked, "WILL THIS STILL HAVE TRACKING TO FRANCE?" and she said YES! I am so angry with myself for relying on her to give me the right information, then again, why would I think that a USPS counter service rep who handles hundreds of transactions a day would NOT know the correct information?!
 
Ugh, I am so upset. I was shipping it in the flimsy, bigger (non-flat rate) envelope and the service rep told me that I should try to fit the item in the smaller flat rate envelope and it did fit. I even asked, "WILL THIS STILL HAVE TRACKING TO FRANCE?" and she said YES! I am so angry with myself for relying on her to give me the right information, then again, why would I think that a USPS counter service rep who handles hundreds of transactions a day would NOT know the correct information?!
Unfortunately, the priority SFRB and the FRE aren't trackable. (The priority express FRE IS trackable.)

I hope you have an honest buyer.

Unfortunately, in my experience, many of the USPS employees are as clueless as ebay employees when you ask more difficult questions than how much it costs to mail a letter.

(As evidence of their cluelessness, consider how often USPS employees tell customers that since insured mail has a signature, they don't need to pay extra for s.c. They don't realize that online signatures are required for seller protection.)
 
OMG you guys, I am shocked right now. I'm crying like an idiot--I know it's not the end of the world, I'm just frustrated. I went to the post office to ask about any way to rectify the situation and the post office manager came out to talk to me. He told me the following. I'm not exaggerating or trying to be funny. The guy wasn't being a jerk or trying to be mean, he was just cold and professional but this is what he said:

1) They are not required by any policy or law to rectify the situation.

2) I am not owed any kind of refund or special action to find or recall the package.

3) It is NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY to provide accurate or 100% information as they "are human" and make mistakes.

4) It is 100% MY RESPONSIBILITY to research shipping methods and learn the services of the USPS if I am going to use them.

5) Not all of their employees go to the trainings discussing new policies or changes to USPS services and they can't guarantee all employees will take the time to review the notices stipulating new changes.

6) They are an "At Your Own Risk" agency.

7) They are not required to refund any amount, even if the service rep advised the wrong service.

Wow. Thanks.
 
Please note:

I can't recall the package because it is an international shipment. And yes, I do agree that one must be informed about services they are using, HOWEVER, I do not agree that I should not expect accurate and helpful information from service representatives working for and representing the USPS. That's like a nurse or doctor telling a patient that they are not responsible for providing that patient with accurate medical information and that the patient needs to do their own research online before going through with a treatment.
 
oh( usps always telling me that tracking number will work in any country, always, blahblah.. And i know its not true. Once i cried in post office also, because they gave me wrong info and was too late to return the bag.but I was lucky, all my international buyers was honest people.
 
I understand that you are frustrated and upset, but take a big breath and try to stay calm.
It may still turn out OK. Most buyers are honest and just because the package may not have tracking does not mean , it will not get to it's destination. Do not email the buyer to ask if she received the package. Wait for her to contact you if there is a problem. I am pretty sure that there will be none.
 
I understand that you are frustrated and upset, but take a big breath and try to stay calm.
It may still turn out OK. Most buyers are honest and just because the package may not have tracking does not mean , it will not get to it's destination. Do not email the buyer to ask if she received the package. Wait for her to contact you if there is a problem. I am pretty sure that there will be none.


Thank you, you are totally right. I know you are. It's just frustration. I'm starting to calm down. It's just that my mind jumps immediately to the nightmare buyer scenario. Thanks for such a nice post. Also, great advice.
 
Thank you, you are totally right. I know you are. It's just frustration. I'm starting to calm down. It's just that my mind jumps immediately to the nightmare buyer scenario. Thanks for such a nice post. Also, great advice.
Yes, keep calm. It's likely that your buyer won't even realize that you can't see the tracking, will get the package, and won't try to cheat you.

Once I sent an iphone with signature confirmation within the US. USPS neglected to get the signature, just delivered it without. The tracking never showed as delivered, but my buyer gave me feedback immediately so I know he got it.
 
Ladies,

Tonight I will be sleepless...

I mailed a package to France using the Priority Mail International service and the shipping box provided by the post office. I went to the post office, filled out the customs forms and was told by the representative that the tracking on the customs form will serve as tracking confirmation because it goes along with the Priority Mail International documentation.

I wait all day and check the tracking just to make sure the package information has uploaded and it says "Tracking for this product is only available to Canada. For future shipments, tracking is available for this country through Priority Mail International".

Should I be worried? Why would the service rep advise me to ship this way for tracking to France if the tracking can only be done in Canada?! Any advice, previous experiences, words of wisdom would greatly be appreciated. I am so stressed out now.

;(


Don't worry:smile: You should be able to somehow key the tracking into the France postal system or a member of TPF that lives in France may be able to help by keying in the tracking number for you. A wonderful member living in Greece helped me when I had returned an item and the seller kept saying she never received it. They member sent me a link to the postal system (Greece) and was able to prove the package had been delivered. It should be absolutely fine. Please don't worry:smile:
 
The customs number has always shown up in tracking for me at least until it leaves the country even if it doesn't update after it reaches the destination country. I mailed a first class package to the UK last week and all I get is the " only tracking to Canada" message. I have NEVER gotten that before after entering a customs number. Have they changed how customs numbers are handled in the tracking system?