The MLP Arena
TCB => Trader & Shipping Support => Topic started by: Pierlala on November 27, 2017, 11:10:04 AM
-
Hello,
Like my topic says. Which US postal service provides international tracking and ensurance?
Thank you
-
I think they all do, if you're willing to pay for those services.
-
USPS provides tracking to customs. Once the package leaves customs it cannot be tracked. Insurance can be purchased either way.
-
I bought from the US before, through USPS. Once the package left customs, the tracking will go over in the Netherland, using their system which wil be PostNL. I have done this before. On Ebay it is the same. Once it leaves the country, the tracking code will be changed to whatever postal service will take over in the Netherlands. Can anyone confirm this? That's how it for me went the times I bought tracked items from the US.
Post Merge: November 27, 2017, 11:58:20 AM
This topic can be closed.
-
The thing is, international postal services have agreements with each other regarding tracking and such. The US has no such agreements that I'm aware of, which is why they will NEVER guarantee international tracking. Some countries scan all packages as a matter of course, but some only scan certain ones, and because USPS will not pay other countries to do it, they're under no obligation to. So it really depends on where you live, and how dedicated your postal workers are!
-
I actually Tweeted the customer service of PostNL today and they confirmed what I said in my previous message. Tracking will switch to a Dutch tracking code.
Here is my Tweet: @PostNL Stel dat ik een pakket uit Amerika heb besteld met tracking. Word de tracking dan omgezet naar PostNL Track&Trace zodra het in Nederland aankomt? Pakket word verzonden met USPS.
Translation: @PostNL Suppose I ordered a package from America with tracking. Will the tracking be converted to PostNL Track & Trace as soon as it arrives in the Netherlands? Package is sent with USPS.
Here's PostNL's Tweet with an awnser: Zodra wij het pakket binnenkrijgen geven wij het pakket inderdaad een Nederlandse barcode. Het pakket kan al een tijdje in Nederland zijn, voor het bij ons binnenkomt en wij het verwerkt hebben. Het moet eerst nog door douane en dergelijke. Je kunt dit zelf ook in de gaten >><< houden via http://internationalparceltracking.com. Zodra je resultaat krijgt wanneer je de internationale code en je postcode invult, hebben wij het binnen gekregen en kun je bekijken welke Nederlandse code wij het hebben gegeven. Met deze Nederlandse code kun je het dan volgen in de app.
Translation: As soon as we receive the package, we will indeed give the package a Dutch barcode. The package can be in the Netherlands for a while, before it comes in and we have processed it. It first has to go through customs and the like. You can also keep an eye on this >> << via http://internationalparceltracking.com. As soon as you get results when you enter the international code and your postcode, we have received it and you can see which Dutch code we gave it. With this Dutch code you can follow it in the app.
-
USPS Priority International is the one to go with if you want to be guaranteed tracking.
USPS First Class International MAY have tracking. I've sent packages where it did provide tracking all the way to the front door of the receiver, complete with a "Delivered" date. HOWEVER . . . I've also had many cases where tracking just disappeared after the package left the US. And sometimes to the same country--like I would send one package to the UK and it would have tracking all the way there, then send another package to the UK and tracking would disappear.
This also may vary from country to country; like maybe in the Netherlands they will indeed continue tracking on all USPS First Class packages. As an American, I have no idea. From an American perspective, if I definitely want tracking on an international package, I send it by USPS Priority International. If you can find other collectors from the Netherlands they can probably give you an idea how good/bad the Netherlands post is about providing tracking.
Priority International also automatically comes with insurance. First Class International does not come with insurance. I'm not sure if insurance can be purchased separately for it; I'm looking at the USPS website right now and it looks to me like it can't be, but I could be wrong.
-
The same thing happens in the UK with the switch of tracking to a domestic tracking number. I suspect that's why some of them drop off the system because until you get the item delivered, it can be hard to find out the tracking number it's been changed to.
In my experience, anything important, get an insured form of postage. Just in case. I think in those cases I have used Priority even though it is quite expensive.