Priority mail to the Netherlands from the US?

[Galactica]

So I mailed a package to the Netherlands on February 18th- via Priority international mail-  and tracking still says "in transit to destination" 

It has been 20 days already! Has anyone had a Priority package take that long? I know international first class or parcel post can be slow- but is Priority generally this slow?  Just getting a little worried here.  The box was pretty large so I am wondering if that had anything to do with it.

I'm currently on hold with the USPS (and have been for 15 minutes so far, sighhhhh)  but I suspect they won't have much to tell me-



Post Merge: March 10, 2015, 11:25:09 AM

Well- to answer my own question- USPS confirmed that 20 days is outside the anticipated ship time for international priority.

USPS told me to submit an "inquiry" (which I did) and now it will take them 15 days to conduct an investigation as to where the package went. I hope that means someone actually finds it...

Of course the one time I send a box packed with expensive stuff with an under-declared value (customs for Netherlands is wicked high)- things go awry. 

[bluerose9978]

Have you contacted your buyer? Maybe tracking wasn't updated? Or it is sitting in customs? Or as what has happened to me, it has gone to other destinations first before making its way to the correct location. I had a package that was bound for Germany sit in customs in Brazil for 2 months before making its way to the correct location.

[CupidStrikes]

It's probably sat in customs waiting to be processed if the tracking hasn't updated. Customs in Europe can take forever due to the low-threshold for charging packages, and they're also under no obligation to uphold delivery aims for express postage so they take their time. I'm sure it'll arrive soon 

I had an Airmail package from the UK to the Netherlands disappear for a month only to be delivered whilst I was in the process of making a claim for it (delivery estimate was 5-7 days). Package was totally fine (though the chocolate I'd mailed my friend had melted  ).

[Galactica]

Yeah- I have another friend from the Netherlands, who told me his package was stuck at customs for 30 days and he never received a slip 

But the buyer here did check with her post office- and seems to be pretty experienced, and they said the package wasn't there yet.

So stressful! Even though I'm fairly sure there is a delay somewhere (maybe because of the size of the box or customs opened the box) and it will turn up- the wait is very stressful- since the package wasn't insured and had some very precious cargo!

[ponylady]

It seems every time that I have had a package not show up on time, it was because it was being held in customs. They unfortunately can delay shipments for weeks. 

I am sure everything will be fine though. I know easier said than done because I would be a bundle of worry right now too.