Package [packed with AES goodies] appears to be lost in mail? Any protips?

pixeljunkie

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So, I bought a couple AES games off YAJ awhile back. Nothing super expensive.

The tracking updates stop after it went through customs on July 29. Last update is in Chicago saying it's on it's way to it's destination...clearly, it is not.

Anyone else run into this before? I've tried calling that post office a few times, but they never answer the phone.

I filled out a "lost package" form on the USPS site...but I imagine those traveling along wires, turning into 1's and 0's, making it to a USPS base of operations printer. Someone frantically runs into the room to grab new print-outs, taking the print and running with it to another department and handing them off to someone who takes it and sprints down a giant hallway to take to another department. They open the door and it's a toilet stall where they flush the piece of paper.

I'm assuming I will need to file a claim, but it's INTL and the site makes it really hard to figure out how the hell to go about that.
 

ChopstickSamurai

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I've had things sit in customs for a ridiculously long time, and then go off the grid for a week or so after getting out other times. Fortunately I've never lost anything, yet. It's quite possible it might still show up. USPS is horrible with scanning their packages. You really get spoiled by FedEx and UPS for sure. Hopefully the Brazil-esque scenario you described isn't really how it goes. :) Good luck!
 

mjmjr25

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FWIW, i've been buying from JP for a long time and never had any issues - probably 7 years now of fairly frequent orders; 2-3 a month for 7 years.

My last 2 purchases, one 6 weeks ago, one 4 weeks ago, have not arrived. Pre-shipment to Kawasaki Port to Chicago IC to...waiting. I hope in both our cases this just means things are really bogged down in Chicago for whatever reason.
 

Rot

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Customs sometimes suck ma balls here in the UK...

...Item brought from USA... $30usd...

Customs fees plus 3 week wait... $20usd... FFS...

xROTx

PS. Pro-tip... prob best place a thread in the right part of the forum Pixel-Spunkie...;)
 

oliverclaude

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Anyone else run into this before?

In Germany, the information that a package "passed customs" only means, that it was seen by custom officials at the airport and was cleared for examination, i.e. they have reason to believe, that there're fees to be paid. Then you'll read a very deceiving sentence on the tracking site, namely that the package is "on it's way to the recipient" & shortly after you'll encounter "recipient wasn't at home" (although you were the whole time there, waiting) and finally "package was successfully delivered".

Now, at this point most people start to panic, calling their postal office or their lawyer, yet, what they don't know is, that their package was indeed delivered, and nothing wrong happened to it. After clearing at the airport, the package just wasn't sent to you, the "recipient" is a custom office, which your residential area belongs to and there, you can pick it up... right after opening it, showing them clerks what's inside, illuminating them, what it is and paying the full fee.

It's a long shot, for I don't know, if that's the modus operandi for US customs, too, but it just may be, so check out on that.
 

pixeljunkie

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Cool, good to know there is a chance I'll still get these. Thx!
 

NeoSneth

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Yeah, Chicago is a Customs hub. I've had something get stuck there for a few months before they released it. It was quadcopter parts, so I think they were unsure about it. It is usually only there for a few weeks.
I've also had them seize stuff, which takes even longer because they send that information through the regular mail.
 

xorthen

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So, I bought a couple AES games off YAJ awhile back. Nothing super expensive.

The tracking updates stop after it went through customs on July 29. Last update is in Chicago saying it's on it's way to it's destination...clearly, it is not.

Anyone else run into this before? I've tried calling that post office a few times, but they never answer the phone.

I filled out a "lost package" form on the USPS site...but I imagine those traveling along wires, turning into 1's and 0's, making it to a USPS base of operations printer. Someone frantically runs into the room to grab new print-outs, taking the print and running with it to another department and handing them off to someone who takes it and sprints down a giant hallway to take to another department. They open the door and it's a toilet stall where they flush the piece of paper.

I'm assuming I will need to file a claim, but it's INTL and the site makes it really hard to figure out how the hell to go about that.

Oh god, not the dreaded Chicago missing packages shipping center. I had the same shit happen to me a year or so ago. I ordered a cd from japan and it came to chicago, left chicago, got rerouted to japan, then just sat there. I made a complaint and then it made its way back here after a month or so. Scary shit. Yeah, that chicago shipping center sucks ass I heard. You can see reviews of people who claim their packages just disappeared from there. lol
 

GregN

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Another reason not to ship internationally and use any service other than UPS (Brown) or FedEx. Although I've shipped stuff to ratson (My Japanese Coach) and sold Punisher Genesis to a dude in France years ago. Never really had any trouble other than selling Ni No Kuni PS3 and it got lost in the mail. The tracking number didn't show up for it, so I ate $60 worth of shit.
 

terry.330

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Yeah, Chicago is a Customs hub. I've had something get stuck there for a few months before they released it. It was quadcopter parts, so I think they were unsure about it. It is usually only there for a few weeks.
I've also had them seize stuff, which takes even longer because they send that information through the regular mail.

This. Recently had some stuff from HK get stuck in Chicago for ridiculous amounts of time. They must have redirected or sent overflow stuff there instead of the NY hub.
 

Liquid Snake

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I have three packages were sitting in customs for 14 days.................
Just be patient
 

famicommander

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hide, wait for the mailman, jump out screaming, grab his mailbag and run
 

wyo

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Customs sometimes suck ma balls here in the UK...

...Item brought from USA... $30usd...

Customs fees plus 3 week wait... $20usd... FFS...

xROTx

PS. Pro-tip... prob best place a thread in the right part of the forum Pixel-Spunkie...;)

HM Customs is one of the things I miss the least about living in the UK.
 

ki_atsushi

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Still waiting on my GBA Everdrive from the group buy. It was in limbo for over a week, but I just got notification last night that it showed up in my state. I don't know what's going on with the fucking PO but there's hope.
 

kuze

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Still waiting on my GBA Everdrive from the group buy. It was in limbo for over a week, but I just got notification last night that it showed up in my state. I don't know what's going on with the fucking PO but there's hope.

Yeah mine took surprisingly long too, I was almost to the point of asking T for the tracking number.
 

Bill Kilgore

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Ah USPS again... It's safe to assume it's somewhere in the Congo.
 

xelement5x

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I've had stuff sit in customs for 2-3 weeks before, one time up to a month. Thankfully it's never been through this Chicago hub though, normally LA, WV or sometimes NY.

You can call the Post office line and give them your package ID if you're really concerned, but I'd wait until about a month or so. I've been getting stuff from Japan for several years though without issues.
 

RabbitTroop

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As others have said, this is normal. I've had the same happen on random international shipments. Seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. Your package isn't lost. It'll probably sit with no movement for a few weeks, then be on its way to you. Frustrating when this happens, especially with items that aren't easy to replace, but the box will come.
 

ki_atsushi

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Yep, the Everdrive did eventually come, as well as another item hung up in customs. Fucking hell I've never had this before. Took the 2nd item 2 weeks to clear.
 

terry.330

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Yeah got my item yesterday took 2.5 weeks just in customs. Ugh...
 
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