How long it takes to get a package from eBay US?

[elzach]

I've been waiting for a package from eBay in US, ordered over 4 weeks ago. It was sent by First class airmail USPS.

I went to my local Post Office, they have no record of it.

But I've had packages from Europe delivered in 10 business days.

What is your experience here with the Post Office and/or Customs? What is the procedure that Customs takes? Do they hold a package, and if so send a notice to local Post Office or to me, or the local PO sends a notice to me?

Should I just consider it lost/pilfered by now?

Thanks.

[NCC1701A]

What does the seller say? Do you have tracking number?

[LuckyLew]

I hope seller sent it with a tracking number

If there is a tracking number the tracking ID will be added to the Thai post system as soon as the package clears inbound customs to Thailand.

If there is no tracking and depending what is in the package there is a good chance you will not receive it.

If it has not arrived in 30 days from your payment - open an "item not received" case thru E-Bay

[elzach]

Yes, I have the tracking number. Based on that I checked at the post office. No record. Also no record at Customs, but I'll call them tomorrow.

I have opened a resolution case at eBay.

I was curious to see if any TV members have any related experience, if a package arrived in 2 weeks, or in 8 weeks.

[GrantSmith]

So if the OP

has the tracking number, what does the USPS Website say?

[Suradit69]

So if the OP

has the tracking number, what does the USPS Website say?

From my experience, the Thai PO tracking system is more informative and dependable than the USPS.

If something has been sent from the central part of the US, away from any major airports and taking into account the long Labor Day weekend, I've found that things sent using USPS can take a week or longer just to reach a foreign mail servicing airport within the US. In that case it can take longer to get from say Chattanooga to NY than from NY to Bangkok. Still, the total time to reach Thailand should be under two weeks.

If your seller sends it from San Francisco or LA or NY, the internal delays aren't a problem and it should arrive from 7 to 10 days after shipping.

BUT, now eBay has started offering an International shipping service. Usually when eBay does something to simplify or assist the sales process, it turns out to be a major F__UP. Aside from things being delayed at their shipping center, if your seller opted for that service, they also want you to prepay customs charges. So even if there's only a 50/50 chance of being hit with customs duty in the receiving country, you'll pay 100% of the time.

I'm pretty sure eBay has a team of International trade experts (otherwise known as school drop-outs) who come up with these ideas designed to cost you more and to add one more sure-fired place for the process to get screwed up.

Edited September 3, 2013 by Suradit69

[thrilled]

I've lost mail from thailand to the us.So all I have to say is cross your fingers

[totantaz]

4 weeks is stretching it a bit, most of my orders takes from 2 to 3 weeks.

i have had problems with some of my orders in the past, with the stuff stalling at the airport or at the local post office.

Solution: Put a mobile phone number in the actual shipping adress. I never got a lost parcel any more, they recognize it as a cell phone and just call the number to verifiy your adress. works flawlessly, and the shipping guys love it, because it garantees that someone will be home getting the box if they confirm prior to driving.

cheers,

[balo]

I ordered small packages from Ebay several times , normally arrives within 1-2 weeks .

[Seismic]

I actually really like buying on ebay, either USA or UK, because I can get things that are just not available here, even on alibabab. Having said that, the majority of sellers in the US dont actually understand that there are other countries in the world. When I find one that ships "international", I straight away flag them, so I dont forget. I have had 7 packages shipped via USPS from ebay and 4 packages shipped from ebay.UK international, all arrived within 3 weeks bar one, which I thought was lost, but was delivered to my door by Thailand Post after 11 weeks. I have not had any failures or lost items, except for one item from Ebay UK, which was a present for "She who must be obeyed". I considered the item lost, but actually arrived in Thailand, then was sent back to UK for some strange reason, sender got it back, called to verify address and sent it again, this time it arrived in 5 days.

regards

[elzach]

Thanks everyone.

The tracking number I have shows on the USPS site that it left Cleveland OH August 2. No further record.

Thailand Post shows no record. I just called Bangkok Customs, no record. But the rep told me that sometimes Customs may hold a parcel for any reason for up to 2 weeks.

This is difficult to track since it's not EMS Int'l Express.

I ordered the item again, with UPS Int'l shipping this time. Let's see what happens.

[Digitalbanana]

I sometimes waiting 6 weeks. When I ordered again both showed up. Never lost anything so far...depends on vendor/shipping method/location in Thailand.

[prepress]

I sometimes waiting 6 weeks. When I ordered again both showed up. Never lost anything so far...depends on vendor/shipping method/location in Thailand.

Just out of curiosity:

Did anybody had to pay import duty

or did the Thai customs open any package?

[khunjerrybkk]

I sometimes waiting 6 weeks. When I ordered again both showed up. Never lost anything so far...depends on vendor/shipping method/location in Thailand.

Just out of curiosity:

Did anybody had to pay import duty

or did the Thai customs open any package?

Evidently, Custom fee's depend on what is in the package and value declared.

Yes, I have been charged a import Customs fee in Thailand on Men's Cologne and a man's watch sent from the USA.

Yes, they opened the packages also.

One was sent USPS International Air-Mail.....the other was sent DHL International Express.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The timing of packages from the U.S. to Thailand can be pretty variable...

I get a regular USPS Global Priority mail envelope sent from the U.S. that usually takes about two weeks to arrive. And that's supposed to be faster that regular First Class international airmail. But at holiday season, for example, I've had that arrival time extend to a month and, in one case, to almost two months.

But for packages, those times seem to get longer, perhaps because they're going thru some kind of customs process. One month for packages sent by USPS Global Priority hasn't been uncommon, though three weeks is probably the average. And again, that's supposedly using a faster service that First Class International.

As for customs, in my experience, if you sender uses the private couriers like DHL and FedEx, that's almost going to guarantee you'll get assessed customs at the Thai end, assuming it wasn't part of your original purchase. With USPS shipments delivered here by ThaiPost, it seems to depend on both the value of the package and what kind of contents are inside.

Supposedly, smaller packages with a 1000 baht or less valuation, at least when they come via USPS/ThaiPost, aren't supposed to get dutied or at least only a common 7 baht small package fee. But even when sending via USPS, the Thai customs folks seem to really love to go after clothing and shoes. And I've had some totally ridiculous valuations slapped on some of my sent items that far exceeded what my actual and real purchase prices were.

If I had my choice, I'd skip any of the prepaid customs fee shipping methods, and stick with USPS Global Priority or Express, which at least have tracking and can be insured.

For my packages, I don't worry for anything up to a month of delivery time. After a month, I start worrying a bit and trying to see if I can figure out if anything's gone wrong. And if the package still hasn't arrived by two months, that's when I pretty much assume it's not coming.

I've sent 50+ packages from the U.S. over the years, and have yet to have one entirely disappear... Knock on wood.