Shipping Delaying of shipping because of the coronavirus

I have two pairs of eyes from Spain that shipped October 26 and have not updated snce October 27tth. I have been using the link @Ariadhne suggested in Post #474.

 

Yes, I have been using this app for quite a while now to track international shipping.

 

Oh wow! My eyes from Spain just arrived without tracking!

 

Amazing! Happy for you and hopeful, since I'm quite a bit closer to Spain.
The doll is one I always wanted and it's a DoD, so they don't make them anymore. Makes me extra paranoid.

 

@Morri_P. my fingers are crossed for you! Hope you will get your doll very soon!

 

My Cecile is finally in the U.K. but has been sat in customs for a week now. It just appears to be taking ages in general.

 

My tracking just updated a few hours ago and my doll is in the local depot!

 

I’ve been freed from the monthlong limbo known as Shanghai Airport (albeit after asking my dealer to issue a mail check, But FREED We Have Been!)
now we gotta wait for customs but at least she’s in the US now!

 

Wow, this was fast. She arrived this morning before 9 am, about 12 hours after she officially arrived in the UK!

 

Are there any specific concerns with Korea-USA shipping? It may be unrealistic, but I was hoping to get a doll in either by or shortly after the new year.

 

I find more delays from China than South Korea. In the US I get packages from SK in 2 weeks or less.

 

Good to know. Thank you!

 

Is anyone in the UK waiting for, or had any items come in from Russia in the last few months? How long did it take roughly? I'm trying to gauge when to contact the seller, but at present feel it's too early to worry. My item was shipped on the 23rd of October and shows as uplifted (which I guess means it's been put on a plane) on the 14th of November and there's been no update since.

 

@beatnik I know this isn't exactly helpful as I'm in the US, but my package from Russia (shipped EMS on 9/20) didn't arrive until 11/17, and that was only after I started a search/eventually reported the package as missing. You might try starting a case with your local postal center to see if that gets someone to find out where it's at?

 

Thank you, that is helpful. I was going to leave it until the end of this week, but it looks like the parcel is now with UK customs, phew!

 

@beatnik From March till October I got several packages from Russia.
Some of them was extremely late (4-6 months), but last one was “super quick”, only 10 days. Situation with post from Russia is getting better for sure, but many things depend from receiving countries current rules.
Thank god nothing was missed. Hope you’ll get your packages soon.

 

@beatnik
Not sure if this helps, but my order from Russia to Finland took around a month with EMS, dispatched 1st of October and I got it 12th Nov. the tracking didn’t update for a looooong time and that made me a bit nervous, so I guess it was in transit somewhere for most of the time, though I was surprised it took that amount of time since finland and Russia share a border... But I was still happy it didn’t take longer!

 

Is EMS an express mail service or just a regular mail service? I know they use the word express, but I'm not sure if that truly means I should expect express service? It sounds like some people are waiting several weeks to several months with EMS service, so I wasn't sure if that was COVID related delays or just sort of standard all the time?

 

Oh that's standard. I ordered a doll in April 2015 using EMS, and the package arrived that August. I'm in the US, and it was a South Korean doll company. Traveling from eastern Asia to the US takes time, as does passage through customs.

 

Non COVID, EMS is usually 7-14 days. Non-EMS international usually takes 14 to 28 days.

Yesterday I got a Dollmore Dell that zoomed through EMS going from Korea to the USA in 6 days. I live very close to the international mail hub for the west coast USA so that usually helps.

Given that the winter holidays are coming, there may be slow downs later this month due to the volume of packages combined with even places that had COVID under control are having a second wave.....

Though Korea's second wave is a baby compared to USA's dumpster fire. I wish my state had a mere 600 new daily cases... California is at 20,000....

 

Yes, this has been a concern of mine currently. Not so much the slow down but the risk of packages getting lost. I just purchased a mini doll from cocoon.dolls on instagram and we both felt it best that even though I've already paid, the package be sent in January. She was more concerned about lost packages than I was, but I was happy to wait just for the dolls safe arrival.

 

Yeah. Even a normal December can be a scary time for packages. I had to file a lost package claim and everything some years ago. Like they dug it out of the shadow realm months later but it was stressful and I felt bad for my client because it was like something light enough to send the slow cheap way but they paid for EMS speed because it was a Christmas present so it was like aaaaaaahhhhh so they paid extra only for it to be super extra supremely slow.

Holding off to January is probably a good idea for reducing one's stress.

 

@zekarmisama ya! i agree. I'm so sorry you and your client had to go through that fiasco with the package, but I'm happy it finally turned up! The transportation of the package is so stressful! Its almost entirely out of your hands and you have to put your trust into the postal system :c especially when all you have is the tracking number and they dont seem to always update it :T i've had packages appear when the tracking number still said "In Transit" :c

 

Yikes! 20,000! We in Massachusetts are up to 3244 daily average and 5,000 new cases yesterday.
I think my 10 orders are stalled for various reasons. The most annoying is my secondhand head coming from Nebraska to Massachusetts. I paid for 2 day shipping and it shipped on Saturday. And another domestic one that left Illinois 12/2 and was supposed to arrive last Saturday. I bet both these orders are stuck in Chicago which has been a black hole since July. No movement on any orders all week even with text message tracking. Is it all from Christmas?

 

@Mahgiep I dont think its just christmas :T I'm in NC and one of my packages went to Chicago and stayed there for a month and a half. This was before halloween... UGH. Most of my packages go to NY and down to NC, so it was weird one of mine ended up in Chicago.

 

@So.Spice Yes this has happened to me earlier this year also. I don't even want to know why. I just don't want any of my packages to go near Chicago! Ugh! I heard LA is very delayed too. Is that still true? I never have a problem from San Francisco though.

 

I’m on the west coast of the US and am having package delays. I think it’s Covid, and the fact the post office has been super busy this whole year. Now with Christmas it’s like the system is in burn out. I just got a package that has been in transit since November (east coast to west coast). So far my priority mail package from DDE looks like it’s going to be delayed till next week. Gotta be patient....

 

Having shipped through USPS, I haven't had too many issues - at least not serious ones. Just packages being in transit for an extra day or two or saying they'll be delivered one day but coming the next.

Now don't get me started on the personal item that spent over a month "in transit" until I bombarded them with calls...

 

@PinkBear I'm sure it could be taking a little longer due to the size. maybe postal workers have a weight limit for their deliveries? so they might be setting it aside so it can fit within that limit. I would just keep an eye on it and contact their customer support if it doesnt move soon

@SaltedPretzel I've had a couple issues with USPS... I mean, I'm not upset at them in any way really. I know they are super busy with deliveries since covid. Right now I have a doll stuck in Utah. Tracking hasnt updated for a couple days and it still says "Arrived at USPS Origin Facility 84198" :T which I've never had package go there. Have you had this occur?

 

My international packages have been going normal to fast speeds now.

Got my Dollmore Dell in like a week. Got eyes from Hungary in a little over a week. Package from Alice Collections hit New York in a week (and it is airmail not ems. Though NY ISC is usually kind of slow but given the situation in Los Angeles with enough covid to be at zero hospital beds, I dunno maybe NY is more functional). French package is at least processed by the airport in 5 days.

Only recent delays have been some media mail which is like the lowest on the totem pole for mail urgency. And one priority mail domestic package that is in that vague "in transit" limbo for 4 days so far. It is a full doll box so maybe it is having trouble getting fitted on a truck.

 

The post office got hamstrung through politics for most of this year, including sorting machine destruction and removal at many regional centers and time cutbacks. I hear they're still struggling in many places with regular mail sorting and deliveries. I've seen a number of posts on other community sites of people just getting holiday mail now. Maybe packages are "fit in's" both into their available time and truck space and sometimes it works out well, other times delays. I had a delivery of a doll around Christmas, from a dealer in the US, and it took twice as long as Priority mail is supposed to.

 

I haven't... I think. I know it got stuck at a facility for a while, but I don't think it was an origin facility.

 

@SaltedPretzel okay. hopefully it doesnt stay there for long! c: the process of my package going from point A to point B is always so stressful for me

 

I just got a doll from South Korea to the US in 6 days. 17Track said it was in Incheon and it came to my door the same day. Lately even with text messaging, nothing is being accurately scanned in USPS. For instance, tracking says a package will come on Monday. On Monday, tracking says it’s going to be late but no information about location are given for the next three days. So tracking has been useless.

 

ya, I'm going to check mail today as far as my issue goes, just to be sure if my package came or not. I encourage others to check mail daily (if you dont already) when you are expecting a package.
One time, I got the notification that my package arrived but it wasnt in my mailbox and I didnt have a key for the bigger boxes provided for packages that are too big for the personal mailboxes. I had a feeling and randomly opened a mailbox with a key in the lock already and found my package in there! I just want to clarify, it was not someones personal mailbox I opened, it was one of the larger boxes that packages will go if they dont fit in your personal box. Its scary to think if I didnt check the other boxes, that my package could have been stolen :T

 

I'm frustrated with USPS right now. On December 29, 2020 I mailed a head and a body in two separate boxes from my local post office in Connecticut both going to the same person at the same address in Minnesota with, "priority 3 day mail". The head arrived to the buyer on on January 4, 2021. The body is still not there! It has not been scanned since January 7, showing it was still in Connecticut. The note on January 11th is, "In Transit, Arriving Late. Your package will arrive later than expected, but is still on its way. It is currently in transit to the next facility." It's now January 14 so I sent the where's my package form to USPS and received the canned reply, "The Postal Service is experiencing unprecedented volume increases and limited employee availability due to the impacts of COVID-19." Ugghhhhh!

 

@celis814 did it ever go to any origin facility? i was talking with my friend who regularly deals with one and she said they can take weeks to get the sorting done :c the mail can be so frustrating because alot of times you are left in the dark. hopefully the tracking updates soon and it arrives to its destination safely

 

Yes, the second package that is still missing arrived at an origin facility in Connecticut on January 7th. Which is rather bizarre because the first package shipped at the same time going to the same place arrived at a Massachusetts origin facility on December 30th. You really can't make these things up. 9505812705310364629091 delivered. 9505812705310364629077 still in transit.

 

According to a news story I read the distribution centers have a lot of people out with Covid, which makes sense given they have to work in a large area but with many people. Even with masks some are going to come down with it. My own experience with packages from Nov on has been frustrating. EVERY package that was sent to me for the holidays and the few things I ordered for myself, clothing off Poshmark mostly, have been VERY late. People sending Priority Mail might as well forget it because you're not likely getting anything there in 1-3 days right now. More like 2 weeks, 3 weeks, even longer. The story mentioned the centers in CA, NY being particularly badly affected. My cat supplies on the other hand got here within 2 days. Fed Exp ground, no issues. So you might want to consider UPS or FedExp instead of USPS if you really want it to get there on time.

 

I definitely picked the wrong time to go on a doll/doll supply buying spree. In the past few months I've had priority-shipped items take weeks to arrive, a doll just sitting in my nearest city for over a month (with all my inquires being rerouted to my local post office, who couldn't help for obvious reasons) before finally making his way to me, overseas packages arriving before items shipped from the next state over, items never getting scanned to the point I was worried the seller never mailed them in the first place...it's been a ride.

I'm in central Ohio (United States). Currently I have a package on its way to me that left Chicago, Illinois, went to another town in Illinois, then to Indianapolis, Indiana...so far so good, a logical progression through the system. I figured Ohio would be the next stop since Ohio is right next to Indiana. Nope. Next stop according to tracking was Albany, New York. Then the package was in transit for several days...surely on its way back to Ohio. Wrong again. For some reason it went to Nashville, Tennessee.

 

I got two dolls coming from the US to here in the UK, the person shipped them uhh 12th December with USPS Priority. It was going slow which I don't mind but it's been in Transit in Columbia since the 4th now so I just hope they're ok.
I don't mind waiting however long as long as things don't get lost.

My dollmore order tho shipped and delivered within a week over Christmas which surprised me.

 

Yeah, my international shipments are going at ‘normal’ speed (pre pandemic). I have a doll coming from Fabric and Friends, east coast to west coast, and am not expecting it for a couple weeks due to past experience with priority mail. My last one took 10 days (Colorado to Washington state). Monday is a Federal holiday, so that always delays mail, sigh.

 

From my recent experience, I found out it's much easier to be stressed out if you sent out multiple packages in one day and they are all going to the same destination. Then you really get to compare how come some of them moved much faster but some of them didn't.... or why some packages left the facility on the same day but the other one just stuck there for days for no reason...packages have become my bigger anxiety then Covid now...

 

I have a problem and maybe you guys more experienced with USPS could help me.
A friend of mine is waiting to a package from the US sent to EU. For the second time the tracking shows:
"Departed <capital city>, <destination country>
Your item departed a transfer airport in <main airport> on January 11. The item is currently in transit to the destination."
You see, it was over a week ago and the package hasn't moved since. Last time the status was the same, the package appeared in Jamaica, US. Then moved to New York and then hit the same "it's almost there but still it isn't" status.
Fun part is that the destination country post hasn't registered the package at all and when asked they insist they will update the status when the package is physically in the country. Well, as far as I know, our main airport is physically in the country -.-

So two questions.
Have you encountered situation like this with international packages?
What is the best way to contact USPS to get any meaningful info?

 

USPS tracking for me is very inconsistent now. I doubt that you can get any more information from them. Airports are very backed up. Unfortunately, you will just have to wait till it flies out from JFK.

 

It looks like it departed NY on 8th and then departed our capital city on 11th. No idea where it's heading right now... We are trying to wait patiently, but it's getting more and more frustrating.

 

Oh right, sorry not JFK. I feel your frustration! It can be so exasperating!
I get lots of international orders to the US and I used to love when they got to the states because they would immediately move faster and have great tracking (especially when I would sign up for text messages) but now it’s just the opposite. USPS is delayed all the time and right now updated tracking is almost nonexistent. However, I have not lost any packages all year!

 

I'm having the same situation US to UK - it's currently been on route to Columbia since 4th of Jan - tracking hasn't changed since, I've contacted them but no response back yet.

 

I am wondering has anyone lost their package during this pandemic?
I have two international packages that haven't moved for a while, and I just can't stop myself from worry about it...

 

I had a package from China that hadn't moved for two months, but eventually it got delivered.

 

I have silicone head caps missing from China for 4 months but everything else got here eventually. Everything!

 

Eventually everything has arrived!
I had one international package that took over 2.5 months! Sometimes things just slip to the bottom of the carts... and then the new stuff comes in on top and moves out again while your item sits!

 

I was thinking about that too because sometimes the packages shipped out later but arrived much earlier.
Good to hear everything arrived! Hope my packages will have some updates soon....

 

My parcel moved finally from the 4th of being stuck. Still not in the UK but it's in Europe now. Fingers crossed.

 

Mail is so unpredictable lately! I've had packages from China and Korea arrive within the standard EMS timelines all throughout the holiday season until now. My Asleep Eidolon boy last updated as 'given to airline' on 1/15 and nothing since then. I'm going to wait until the month ends before reaching out to the dealer as it's possible he's sitting in US customs. I hope...

 

'Finally got my dress from Russia... Which shipped in early December and vanished from tracking for about a month. o_O

 

Has anyone had experience with packages going out of the US and had no updates after processed through the CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER facility? I had two packages, one processed through this place on the 16th, the other one did on the 20th, then both of them had no updates since then...It usually won't take that long for them to arrive at Chicago airport then depart for their destination country as I paid for priority, so I don't know what's wrong with them...and both of the packages contain dolls so my anxiety is definitely on fire

 

The Chicago ISC is usually really fast, but they've been hit hard along with every other part of the system. My last package through them took several days (inbound from Korea), while normally things are in and out almost instantly. Then after that, they'll have to wait for room on an international flight, and those routes have been reduced... I'd give it a bit longer, then maybe send an email on the older one.