how long do international packages normally take?

[ledhead71]

put my order in on october 13th and my USPS tracking number shows that it has been in processing at NY ICS since october 25th with no new updates. the estimated delivery date was for November 5th at the latest. I've already contacted the seller and awaiting a response. should I reach out to USPS as well? I know that there have been some shipping delays recently but I figured I'd reach out and ask someone. The package is coming from Germany. Has anyone else had to wait longer than usual for any international packages lately?

[eye_of_the_tiger]

Hi @ledhead71, 

It depends on what kind of shipping type was used. USPS First Class Mail (the cheapest)  shipping usually takes about 7-21 days.  

[ledhead71]

the tracking number doesnt even show that information, it just says "Inbound Into Customs
Your item is being processed by United States Customs." What I DO know is that the seller used DHL in Germany who then is supposed to hand it off to USPS. I know that there's been hangups in shipping times recently but I'd just like to get an idea of whether or not I should start to worry that something has gone wrong. The item is a diecast model car so it's nothing that should raise any red flags. I just hope there's no shady business going on that's going to send me down a rabbit hole trying to just track it down or get my money back after a long while.

[jukebox67]

It's very normal for it to not have arrived by now, almost certainly it will reach you within the next couple weeks or so.

[mensoddsntrends_2 · Accepted solution]

As a seller I deal with shipping every day. I have seen this many times.  I have had packages take 2 months before... with COVID stuff everything is a mess still with USPS on top of that. The tracking not moving is very common, I have seen it many times, and one day it will move along... I can give you one tip that I do that sometimes gets it moving again... go to YOUR tracking page on usps, then go to "Text & Email Updates" and sign up for one of the alerts text or email... it can help trigger movement. It can take a few days but usually it moves. If it doesn't, just sign up for alerts again. It might work or not, but I wouldn't worry about it being late, it will show up, 99% of the time it does. You have 90 days for a return so you will be fine. 

[ledhead71]

thanks for the advice, I'll be sure to try that out. i'm sure the upcoming holidays isn't helping speed things along lol

[laperlalady]

Covid and holiday shipping delays are quite prevalent as was last year this time…and, this is only domestic. 

Throw “international” into the mix with Customs…and, you have further delays. 

The estimated delivery date by eBay is just that….estimated. 

Be patient with the system, your package is still on its way!

Happy Holidays!

[mi-294]

I am ordering items from Germany and there is a lot of delay to receive them, even i live in Europe.

Before covid the items was taking a week / 10 days to arrive, now they are taking more than a month.

They have a lot of postage traffic and they can't handle it, also sometimes they are sending items by ship if their post warehouses are full, just to make space.

Also the USPS is not working well, there is a lot of delay,  a lot of work to handle it correct and maybe customs.
Most of the German sellers are trusted and i am sure the item will arrive.

You can also try to track the item at GIT

https://parcelsapp.com/en/carriers/upu

[ledhead71]

wow I just had to come back here and let you know that your advice worked! after re signing up for text notifications again through USPS last night I got a message while I was asleep that it was being departed from the LA sorting facility. So needless to say that it must have triggered the system just like you said! I'm going to have to remember this little trick for next time, very useful! Thanks so much for the help to you and everyone else who chimed in!

[soh.maryl]

If the item has not arrived within a day or two of the last estimated delivery date, the buyer has 30 days (not 90) to open an INR case with eBay.

He has 180 days to open an INR case with Paypal.  Most credit cards give 180 days to do a charge back.

Just wanted to clarify that information.

The OP actually can open an INR case on the 7th of November.  

[soh.maryl]

It was in NY and now it's in LA?  

[ledhead71]

I live in CA so thats why its there now. I dont know why the system didnt update sooner, I normally get updates regularly on all the packages I've received this year so far. This was the first time I bought something internationally, something I normally avoid to avoid shipping delays and problems but the item I wanted was pretty much only available overseas at a fair price. I assume the pandemic has caused delays as well so I can live with that.

[mensoddsntrends_2]

So glad that trick helped! I guess it works like rebooting a computer, it's a magically push of "stuck" data and alerts things to move along.  I learned it the hard way last Holiday Season when things really were delayed. I had a spreadsheet to track my customers orders and updated them myself where their packages were, that way I aware of what orders were stuck and I did that trick. It worked sometimes the first time, others it took a few pushes. Things were so messy though, it was a nightmare last year, packages were sitting for weeks at one facility with no movement.  And here we are with Holidays again. YIKES! Anyway, yes in normal times it usually works well 🙂

[mensoddsntrends_2]

Yes, and just so you know if you need to buy internationally again... USPS has updates on International service disruptions due to the pandemic. For example, right now there are some countries that USPS suspended all shipping. You can see them here:

International Mail Service Suspensions

Updated: Nov. 2, 2021

https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/international/welcome.htm?_gl=1*f290qc*_ga*MTMxNTg3Nz... 

[shuvauk2014]

I've been experiencing a similar delay with the delivery of my orders from Europe, mostly from Germany. Had three registered letters depart from Frankfurt on the same day (Oct 29), but only one has made it through so far. Two other letters are either still in Germany, sitting in the customs warehouse in NYC awaiting processing or were loaded on a freighter. Filed a complaint with Deutsche Post yesterday, but from what I heard there are very slim chances to receive any sort of response from their side.  USPS is of no help, as the items were never handed over to them. So I guess I have to be patient and hope that my items will eventually find their way to my postbox.