International USPS First Class Mail Tracking Within Foreign Country. No Longer Available???

[tgmp]

I shipped a package to the Netherlands using USPS First Class shipping on Aug 2.  The Buyer wrote to let me  know that he had not rec'd the package, and the USPS website just showed tracking within the USA.  I attempted to start an International Mail Inquiry but got a message from the USPS website that International Mail Inquiries were no longer available except for specific countries. 

The website supplied a link to show those countries, but that link only led to a page describing general International Mail topics - I could not find the information about which countries do still have tracking of the mail once the package is within their borders from that link.  I eventually found a list of these countries, but it is dated April 25, 2021 and it does include the Netherlands - so presumably that list is 'out-of-date'.   So, my questions are:

1. Has anyone else had this experience with not being able to get tracking within a major foreign country ?

2.  Does anyone have an updated list of those countries that still provide internal tracking of First Class Mail packages?

3.  Has anyone had experience with how Ebay handles claims for such a package not yet delivered within a foreign country in this situation - where tracking stops once the package leaves the USA?

Thanks, TGMP

[1tuna]

I sent a package to Japan today and they have no Trackig for 1st class USPS

they have been dropped from the program just like Italy and many populsar countries

the edelcon list is with the USPS.it gets updated from time to time

when the percentage of scans is not good the county is dropped from  the program

if you looks at certain places in the IMM or international manual you can see the chart and it also lets you know the history of them being dropped and added back

some countries have a long history with edeclon.............like Italy.they have been in an out of the program and Italy is by far the best country for active watch buyers for me

[kare-bearb]

Well, according to USPS' own website, Netherlands is still on the list.

https://pe.usps.com/text/imm/immc2_022.htm#ep2850466

[glyph01]

@tgmp 

If you bought First Class Package Intl Service postage from the retail counter, you don’t get edelcon tracking. 

Edelcon is also not available for First Class Mail International mailpieces.

[richard1rst]

I have frequently had good luck accessing the foreign countries postal web site and entering the tracking number there. It looks like sometimes the foreign country does scan it as it moves through their system BUT they do not relay that information to the USPS.

Try doing a search for "Netherlands postal service" and find a "tracking" link. Make sure the link looks like it goes to the Netherlands. Sometime you will get a third party site that claims they can track it but all they do is parrot what the USPS says. They are thoroughly useless.

Many foreign sites also have an English version that can be clicked to translate every for you.

[velvet@ebay]

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@tgmp wrote:

I shipped a package to the Netherlands using USPS First Class shipping on Aug 2.  The Buyer wrote to let me  know that he had not rec'd the package, and the USPS website just showed tracking within the USA.  I attempted to start an International Mail Inquiry but got a message from the USPS website that International Mail Inquiries were no longer available except for specific countries. 

The website supplied a link to show those countries, but that link only led to a page describing general International Mail topics - I could not find the information about which countries do still have tracking of the mail once the package is within their borders from that link.  I eventually found a list of these countries, but it is dated April 25, 2021 and it does include the Netherlands - so presumably that list is 'out-of-date'.   So, my questions are:

1. Has anyone else had this experience with not being able to get tracking within a major foreign country ?

2.  Does anyone have an updated list of those countries that still provide internal tracking of First Class Mail packages?

3.  Has anyone had experience with how Ebay handles claims for such a package not yet delivered within a foreign country in this situation - where tracking stops once the package leaves the USA?

Thanks, TGMP

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Hi @tgmp! I'm sorry for the tracking confusion as I know some international services only track until they leave the US. Like @richard1rst mentioned though, you can sometimes get the tracking info from the countries local shipping carrier. If you were to find that info and prove the item was delivered, then you could provide that to any claim that was opened against you. Outside of that, we do need delivery confirmation to protect our sellers against Item Not Received claims and you can go here to learn more about how to best protect yourself as a seller.