What's your USA shipping experience?

[HuubL]

In the past I've bought and sold many items here and on international eBay and such sites and usually the items were delivered within reasonable shipping times. Shipment from and to the USA in my experience took the longest, but mostly things were delivered within two weeks. About a month ago I sold some items here in RFF's Classifieds. All items were sent through TNT Post in the Netherlands and most were delivered within 7-10 days after shipment. Only one is still not delivered. It was sent to the US and it has been underway now for 4 weeks.
What is your experience with shipping to the USA? Must I consider the package lost?

[LDHaber]

One of the difficult things about shipping into the US is that the USPS does not give incoming international registered mail, registered treatment. Registered mail is supposed to receive special security treatment by the post office and is also supposed to be signed for, but for some reason, the US does not give this treatment to registered mail coming in from overseas.

Hence, if you are tracking the item, the tracking effectively stops since the US will not reliably scan the item. Nor is the item treated with security as registered mail is. There is essentially then no difference between how a registered item is treated as compared to one that is ordinary first class mail.

If I were shipping an item of value into the US, I would only use one of the major private couriers, Fedex or UPS, specify signing.

Not sure if this helps but if you've sent the item in as I think you did, there is really no way to tell or prove what has occurred once the item crosses into the US.

[HuubL]

Thanks for the explanation. But why is it that the US post office does that? Here, registered mail is considered one of the most secure ways to send something.

[LDHaber]

I have no idea why the USPS treats incoming overseas registered mail as it does. It is a source of great frustration to me and to others. Though most people are unaware of this and most of those impacted are foreigners and they certainly don't matter.

With respect to domestic registered mail, that is treated as you would expect. It is the most secure means to send something.

I would just suggest next time you ship from the Netherlands (I assume) to the US, go via Fedex. And, stipulate that the recipient signs for the package. ...for anything that you'd rather not lose.

It may be wrong and it might not make sense, but that's my experience and that of others I know of.

[Frontman]

I typically ship using EMS or Yamato/Kuroneko from Japan to America, and I rarely have a problem. I can track the item from start to finish, and shipping rarely takes more than 5 days. In the cases where I have experienced delays, these were caused by lengthy customs inspections, or deliverymen who failed to leave a notice when a no one was home to receive a package.

[Brian Sweeney]

I have had to sign for all incoming Registered mail that have come in from overseas, into the US. I get a "missed you" slip, and either have to pick it up at the US Post Office, or meet the Mailman.

Maybe different offices and deliverers handle it differently, but that is my experience.