Big Problem with international zip codes

[stuff4divas]

I shipped a package to Italy on dec 28. Instead of going to Italy, it went to a U.S. city that has the same zip code as the Italy zip code and is hung up in that city.

What to do?

[sam9876]

Nothing.

[stuff4divas]

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@sam9876 wrote:

Nothing.

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Thanks!

[a_c_green]

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@stuff4divas wrote:

I shipped a package to Italy on dec 28. Instead of going to Italy, it went to a U.S. city that has the same zip code as the Italy zip code and is hung up in that city.

What to do?

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Wait it out. It will eventually get back on track; it's not as if the label fell off. When it's misdirected like that, it may take a while to get rerouted, but it's not as if it has anywhere else to go.

If your buyer is not complaining yet, you don't have a problem (yet). If they do contact you to ask where it is, you can send them the tracking number and assure them that you're monitoring its progress. (When it gets to Italy, that can be a whole 'nother round of delay there, but maybe you'll have better luck once it lands there.)

[thallidguy]

There have been at least a few threads besides this one in the last several weeks reporting the same thing — international destination, routed to a U.S. city with the same zip code. I'm not sure what's going on, but it looks more and more like something systemic with USPS. Two decades selling international, and I have never had this happen to me [taps own head to knock on wood].

[stuff4divas]

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@thallidguy wrote:

There have been at least a few threads besides this one in the last several weeks reporting the same thing — international destination, routed to a U.S. city with the same zip code. I'm not sure what's going on, but it looks more and more like something systemic with USPS. Two decades selling international, and I have never had this happen to me [taps own head to knock on wood].

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Agreed- about 40% of my sales are international for 9 yrs now and this problem just started about 6 mos ago

[stuff4divas]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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@stuff4divas wrote:

I shipped a package to Italy on dec 28. Instead of going to Italy, it went to a U.S. city that has the same zip code as the Italy zip code and is hung up in that city.

What to do?

---

Wait it out. It will eventually get back on track; it's not as if the label fell off. When it's misdirected like that, it may take a while to get rerouted, but it's not as if it has anywhere else to go.

If your buyer is not complaining yet, you don't have a problem (yet). If they do contact you to ask where it is, you can send them the tracking number and assure them that you're monitoring its progress. (When it gets to Italy, that can be a whole 'nother round of delay there, but maybe you'll have better luck once it lands there.)

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My Itallian customer emailed me, that's what prompted me to input a search of her zip code and it is the same as what tracking shows: a U.S. city 😞 

But thank u for your encouragement 🙂

[a_c_green]

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stuff4divas wrote: 
My Itallian customer emailed me, that's what prompted me to input a search of her zip code and it is the same as what tracking shows: a U.S. city 😞 

But thank u for your encouragement 🙂

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Yes, what the others wrote here about several sightings of this kind of thing happened to me too last month: I had a shipment to... um, The Netherlands, I think it was, get there from Chicago by way of Ohio. Now, Ohio is a nice place, but it's not exactly a direct route to Europe if your starting point is downtown Chicago. It spent a day or two sightseeing in Youngstown, then hopped a plane to New York, and turned up in The Netherlands less than a week later.

So as long as your label stays on, you'll get there. 

In fact, I think those are words we can all live by... 

[stuff4divas]

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@a_c_green wrote:

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if your starting point is downtown Chicago. It spent a day or two sightseeing in Youngstown, then hopped a plane to New York, and turned up in The Netherlands less than a week later.

 So as long as your label stays on, you'll get there. 

 In fact, I think those are words we can all live by... 

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So u r my neighbor. I live in the Wicker Park area. 😉

[stuff4divas]

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@stuff4divas wrote:

I shipped a package to Italy on dec 28. Instead of going to Italy, it went to a U.S. city that has the same zip code as the Italy zip code and is hung up in that city.

What to do?

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Another int'l pkg- France -Paris Ile-de-France 75016- shows in tracking- on its way to IRVING, TX 75016

[thallidguy]

Wow. I wonder if this sheds new light on an order where I shipped a replacement item to France a couple of months ago. It looks like it never left the Los Angeles area (no Delivered scan, though, so perhaps it was just lost).

Fortunately, my most recent international orders have come from Canada and the UK, which have a completely different postal code format from USPS.

[stuff4divas]

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@thallidguy wrote:

Fortunately, my most recent international orders have come from Canada and the UK, which have a completely different postal code format from USPS.

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Yes, I noticed that. I checked my UK and Canada tracking and so far appears ok.

BUT, check how this pkg went to the NJ zip code 08021 b4 it finally went to Spain zip code 08021. Left Chicago area distribution center for Barcelona, then got re-directed to NJ distribution center ... etc

Friday, Jan 5, 2018 2:20 PM ES DELIVERED
Sunday, Dec 31, 2017 9:43 AM MADRID Departed
Saturday, Dec 30, 2017 8:04 PM NEW YORK Departed
Saturday, Dec 30, 2017 2:52 PM NEW YORK Arrived
Saturday, Dec 30, 2017 12:22 PM ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS) Processed Through Facility
Saturday, Dec 30, 2017 10:34 AM ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS) Arrived at Facility
Saturday, Dec 30, 2017 10:34 AM JAMAICA NY INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER Departed USPS Regional Facility
Saturday, Dec 30, 2017 6:16 AM JAMAICA NY INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
Saturday, Dec 30, 2017 3:55 AM SOUTH JERSEY NJ DISTRIBUTION CENTER Departed USPS Regional Facility
Friday, Dec 29, 2017 2:24 AM SOUTH JERSEY NJ DISTRIBUTION CENTER Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
Thursday, Dec 28, 2017 12:41 PM On its way to BARCELONA In Transit to Destination
Wednesday, Dec 27, 2017 6:41 PM ELK GROVE VILLAGE IL DISTRIBUTION CENTER Departed USPS Regional Facility
Tuesday, Dec 26, 2017 9:10 PM ELK GROVE VILLAGE IL DISTRIBUTION CENTER Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
Tuesday, Dec 26, 2017 4:55 PM CHICAGO , IL USPS picked up item

[kclim0828]

yes, as others have said, it will eventually make it to Italy.

i ship out of Los Angeles area and i have had same issues and have spoken to the people at the USPS and they have told me that there is a issue with "auto sorting" and the coding only looks at the five or four digits when sorting the packages..

and gets shipped to same zip within the USA. but, it will eventually make its way to the destination after "human" pushes it the right way.

quick fix for USPS should be to recode with country code in the tracking number..

oh well, some day...hopefully soon.

[thallidguy]

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@kclim0828 wrote:

yes, as others have said, it will eventually make it to Italy.

i ship out of Los Angeles area and i have had same issues and have spoken to the people at the USPS and they have told me that there is a issue with "auto sorting" and the coding only looks at the five or four digits when sorting the packages..

and gets shipped to same zip within the USA. but, it will eventually make its way to the destination after "human" pushes it the right way.

quick fix for USPS should be to recode with country code in the tracking number..

oh well, some day...hopefully soon.

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Wow, good to know!

I am not entirely confident about "quick fix" and USPS, though....

[stuff4divas]

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@kclim0828 wrote:

have spoken to the people at the USPS and they have told me that there is a issue with "auto sorting" and the coding only looks at the five or four digits when sorting the packages..

and gets shipped to same zip within the USA. but, it will eventually make its way to the destination after "human" pushes it the right way.

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I asked my postal carrier today for his opinion and he basically said the same thing, that the sorting machine reads the zip code only. I just don't get why this is suddenly an issue. I've been selling internationally for 9 yrs w/o this issue.

Afraid what this will do for INR, refunds and defects 😞