QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black

Discussion in 'Whatever' started by HBCoffin, Dec 31, 2011.

  1. HBCoffin

    HBCoffin Addicted

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Sorry, don't know where else to post this, but I was wondering if anyone has ever had any issues shipping via USPS First-Class International.

    I shipped out a package on the 19th of October to the Netherlands and the package has still not arrived at its destination. First-Class provides no tracking and USPS loses all contact with the package once it leaves the country, so the customs form number only takes me so far.

    This is a trade gone bad-I received my package long ago, even though it was shipped about a week after I shipped theirs.

    I made a payment equal to the value of the figure as a form of collateral in hopes that it would take just a little more time and I could get a refund upon arrival, but it's been well over two months and I'm out a figure and over a $100.00.

    Has anyone ever had a package get lost in customs, specifically the Netherlands? Will the package eventually find its way to its destination, or at the very least, back to me? What's the longest you've ever had to wait for delivery? Is there ANYTHING I can do?
     
  2. gazpacho

    gazpacho Comment King

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    i had a toy get "lost" in the mail on its way to the netherlands.. cost me over a grand :cry:

    expensive lesson learned some three odd years ago
     
  3. Anti Social Andy

    Anti Social Andy Die-Cast

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Not specific to the Netherlands but I've had a 'lost' package show up 6 months later looking like hell so there is hope!

    ALWAYS ship with tracking.

    Try to avoid dealing with n00bs or shady ass-hats.

    If it's a suspicious trade . . . walk away or have them ship first.

    There are too many douchebags trying to take advantage and play the system and no one really gives a shit when it's already gone Pete Tong!
     
  4. TULKU

    TULKU Addicted

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Sorry to hear this, however, it might still arrive due to "year end overload" at the Post Office, and that's a quote direct from the manager of my Post Office because I just had a package get officially lost and then 'reappear'. Though in your case October 19th is quite a long stretch... but what you can do is ask your Post Master or manager to please look into it for you and maybe, possibly, they can do an "internal trace" using your customs form number. Ask your manager about this and tell them you want to file a report.

    I have had a package lost in the UK (I am in the US), I got the email of the UK postal company and I had the receiver call their local UK postal branch and with much trouble forced them to find it, this was made possible with that golden tracking number.

    Unfortunately packages do get lost and never found quite often.
    For future reference, its highly recommended to use (insured) Express mail for all international transactions due to the fact that this is the only way to get a real tracking number for the entire route from sender to receiver when mailing to different countries.

    Good luck!
     
  5. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Always, always, always ship with tracking on trades. No matter how costly. USPS is the worst with giving out international tracking. Supposedly it does come with express international but the one time I used that service I didn't get tracking but was told later I should of. Hold onto that customs number and go onto the USPS site and sign up for email updates with it. Once it is delivered you will get an email confirming it was (even with a customs #).
     
  6. petitetoilonrouge

    petitetoilonrouge S7 Royalty

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Gaaah, people, really. I don't know about the Netherlands' postal system but I almost always use no-tracking postage and have never had anything lost in years and hundreds of packages. You hear bad stories. It must happen -sometimes-. But really, just tell buyers that you're not responsible if the item doesn't get to them if they don't choose tracking. The responsibility is then theirs.

    Trades are always trickier. You seem to have used a good system to protect each other. You have to balance the risks: are you willing to pay the extra 20$ for tracking for a chance to lose a 20$ toy? 50$? 100$?

    And remember, the US have probably the cheapest postal system in the world (besides China/HK?). It's cheaper to ship from the US to Canada than within Canada...

    Shouldn't this be in Whatever?
     
  7. BoxingXius

    BoxingXius Toy Prince

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    I'll chime in and say that during the last couple of years I've received numerous packages (probably 100+) sent from the US to Sweden with USPS First Class Mail International and all of them have arrived safe. Most of them in 4-10 days. However, I've also heard that packages being sent to certain countries (Italy being one) quite often get lost. Don't know about the Netherlands though... If I were to trade an expensive item with someone I didn't know or trust, I'd use tracking just to be safe. On an ending note, I'm sorry to hear about this. I really hope your package will arrive and that you didn't get scammed.
     
  8. The Moog

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Speaking as a UK collector i've only had 1 package go missing out of hundreds and that was from Uamou in Japan. I had a big delay on a Mandarake package once (about a month in English customs) but it turned up in the end so no big deal . . . .

    Tracking is of course the way to go but there are still no guarantees - i've had a lot of packages sent from the USA where the tracking stalls at a certain point (i suppose it does'nt get scanned properly) and from then on you hear nothing more until it arrives at your door . . . .

    So far Japan has had the most reliable tracking where you can trace its progress every step of the journey . . . like i say - USA can be very hit and miss . . .
     
  9. bryce_r

    bryce_r Die-Cast

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Probably in the WHATEVER section. Since you aren't selling anything. Not to difficult.
     
  10. Stone

    Stone Side Dealer

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    I had a pkg go MIA when I shipped to the Netherlands...Shipped 1st class Int..Never did show up..But I refunded the buyer and it was and exspensive lesson I learned..Nothing against the buyer, he's a really good board member on here so I think it has to do with the postal system over there..Just my 2 cent's!
     
  11. CCPfan

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Hi -

    we've had a few items that people bought from the store that were delayed. We only use USPS (for now) for shipping. I think the one thing that we've run into is the major delay on delivery. 6-10 days my ass! We've had stuff that took around a month to show up or get tied up in customs.

    always keep the paperwork otherwise you won't be able to track or file claims. So far that's helped us recover any lost packages...which tended to be lost in the NYC post office.
     
  12. gomora63

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    i add insurace for all package over $100, in case missing, for damage it really hard to deal with US post office. and not going to ship oversea if not by EMS too, buyer should understand & take the shipping choice. That the only way to prevent any problem.
     
  13. HBCoffin

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    I went with the "sales" forum, as it involved dealing with a transaction, not to mention, I've seen other issues dealing with transactions dealt with here in the same forum. If you can, moderator please move this to "whatever" if it is where it belongs. My apologies.

    Thanks for all the replies everyone. I'm going to go down to the post office first thing Monday morning and do my best to file a claim. I don't think I'm being scammed. The customs form # hasn't been updated to show that the package has been delivered-I signed up quite a while back for e-mail updates.

    I've shipped via First-Class International to other countries with little to no trouble. I have heard Italy is a mess when it comes to sending/receiving packages-I have family in Italy who sent a package to my folks and it took nearly a year to arrive. Their system is pretty jacked from what I understand.
     
  14. BoxingXius

    BoxingXius Toy Prince

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    I guess I'm just lucky living in Sweden then. The customs here don't like the smell of Sofubi. They only care about Russian caviar, Finnish vodka, Norwegian wood and nude photos of Dame Edna.
     
  15. Daimyo

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Somewhat unrelated but a cause for hope none the less. Grasshut sent me a package via USPS priority and did everything correctly. It finally showed up 5 1/2 weeks later and we discovered that a postal employees mistake sent it all over the damn place. I had completely given up hope but it did end up arriving. I can only imagine the possibility of this type of scenario increases when shipping involves multiple countries postal systems. Hope it shows up. GH was great about the whole thing BTW.
     
  16. TiredChildren

    TiredChildren Administrator Staff Member

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Have you tried entering the customs number on whatever delivery service is used in the Netherlands? I use a widget on my computer called Delivery Status, and if I send anything international, I just switch the delivering service on the delivery's setup to be whatever service will be delivering the package. Most of the time that works to see what it's doing in the other country. Mac only, but I'm sure this trick would work on shipping services' websites as well.

    http://junecloud.com/software/mac/delivery-status.html
     
  17. HBCoffin

    HBCoffin Addicted

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Thanks, but no luck. Nothing is found in the PostNL system. The last update I have from USPS is that it had processed through a sorting facility in Chicago on October 21.
     
  18. Mutonismyfriend

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Yep, try entering the customs number. Seems quite a few countries can track via that ONCE it enters their system. So it needs to get there first..

    Tracking is the way to go, especially when dealing with someone you dont know. In fact essential. but when using usps only express guarantees tracking to foreign countries. The priority mail option does not. I've had a few transaction recently where first class was the way I went but with prior agreement with the recipient. They knew they could track via customs number.. A couple of items I mailed early December arrived a couple of days ago. A priority item to Japan also took that long. MaiLed December 10' arrived dec 28.

    Usually I give a known recipient a choice if I am mailing outside country. If they want express they have to pay for it. If they want first class they have to accept the risk. And I retain proof of mailing.

    Had many transactions on here in 6 plus years and have never had a problem. However, i am also careful/lucky to avoid the occasional, too good to be true offer which have caught others.

    Overall I've had great experiences on here. Although I Have been ripped off on another board in the christmas gift exchange (mine never even got sent, despite repeated promises which tailed off from someone I knew), eBay and yahoo Japan.

    And yes, an item form England once completely disappeared only to turn up in the mail 6 months later! So maybe a chance?
     
  19. Lixx

    Lixx Mr. Grumpy™

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    It won't show up until after it is delivered. I sent something to Australia in Sept and it took till till mid/late October to email me with a customs # update that it was delivered. Until then all I got was Chicago also.
     
  20. Daimyo

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    I should point out also that USPS has sucked big time for keeping on top of tracking scans lately. Since about a month and a half before Christmas I have had package both coming and going that basically only showed the drop off and arrival scans. So it may have made stops that are not showing.
     
  21. smo9monster

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    Personally I've sent a few things to the Netherlands with no problems - hopefully it will find it's way eventually.

    I've only had one item not arrive but doubt it was sent to me :roll:
    Stuff gets held at customs all the time and I end up paying ransom fees!

    I agree with the Moog above, keeping track of parcel updates to the UK from Japan seems smoother and faster than packages sent from the US lately!

    Anyone with an iPhone should check out 'Posted' which is great for keeping track of stuff.
    I set up two entries for each package - one using the postal service in the sender's country and one for the receiving service here, as they both update at different times. Works a treat and worth a look...
     
  22. HBCoffin

    HBCoffin Addicted

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    I've just been enlightened by another member who claims to have had a similar issue with the same guy (I won't call out any names, not sure there's necessarily anything fishy going on).

    It does seem strange two packages shipped out around the same time to the same address got lost in customs and have yet to surface. Is anyone else in the Netherlands having any trouble with post from the U.S.?
     
  23. HBCoffin

    HBCoffin Addicted

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Re: QUERY: Issues shipping via USPS First-Class International

    OK, another member has come forward and claimed to have had a problem with the same member a little over a year ago.

    That makes three of us now. All the contact I've had with the member, not once has he claimed to have any sort of issues in the past.

    He was very pushy from the start, not even three weeks before he started asking me questions as to where his package was.

    Here's what's up:

    I traded an unpainted yellow Ollie for a Restore Debris Japan sofubi.

    I shipped the Ollie on the 19th of October, about a week before he shipped the sofubi. I received the Debris Japan on the 9th of November. I received an inquiry regarding the package somewhat frequently. I did everything I could, provided him with any information I could find. I offered to make a payment of $115.00 as collateral in hopes that I would receive a refund once the Ollie arrived (this was the retail value of both the Ollie and Debris Japan). He said he couldn't buy an Ollie with that money, and had the nerve to ask for $180.00. I made my argument, said he could take the $115.00 or settle for nothing. In the end he accepted my offer. I've been in contact with him since, and he's responded promptly, so I felt there was nothing fishy going on, that is until I decided to take things public and received messages from people who have lost packages in route to the same member, forcing them to refund their payments (in their cases, they made a sale, the package never got there, and they were forced to refund the money).

    I have no choice but to call him out and ask the general public...

    Has anyone else had a problem shipping packages to Martoy Black?
     
  24. bbb

    bbb Side Dealer

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    I've shipped to Martoy before, a pretty substantial package at that, and had zero trouble. He's a good member and has always done right by me anyway.

    When shipping abroad, I always use either FedEx or DHL. I've never had to wonder whether or not the package will make it, and I can control whether or not they hold the package at the post office too through their international branches. It's worth the little extra cash to not have to worry.
     
  25. slipstar01

    slipstar01 Post Pimp

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    QUERY: *UPDATE* Issues shipping to Martoy Black
    Just to chime in, Postal companies do make mistakes sometimes, I've watched packages get stuck in different states going around the state in circles. It took the package an extra 2 weeks, before it finally made it's way to it's normal "California to Michigan" route.

    I shudder to think what will happen when half the Post Offices in the U.S. get shut down.

    I also concur with Martoy being a solid guy.
     

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