How long should I wait?

[papermoon.lady]

There is a small parcel I bought from overseas (from Germany) that should have arrived by the 14th according to eBay.

I always got all items I bought from Germany, although on a couple of occasions they arrived a couple of days late.

The seller has 100% positive feedback.

A delay of a couple of days is hopefully not a reason to worry, as the eBay estimate is exactly that, an estimate, but my question is

1) if I should notify the seller now, I mean, just to let her know that i haven't received my item yet (clicking on "I have a question", not "I didn't receive my item") and

2) how long I should wait before possibly opening a request, although I really hope it will arrive next week, possibly even later today, although parcels usually arrive early in the morning here, so I really don't think it will arrive today.

Having always received everything from Germany and considering the seller has 100% positive feedback I really hope the item is just late, but I did ask the seller if she had a tracking number and she didn't reply.
The listing didn't mention the item would be sent tracked, but as I mentioned in another post sometimes sellers don't indicate a tracking number, but if I ask them they do send it to me, so that's why I asked.

According to eBay the average time is 6-9 business days. Is it reasonable to wait 18 business days before formally saying that it didn't arrive?

I will make my feedback public before contacting the seller if I do decide to contact her as I have nothing to hide, I just like my privacy.

Thanks.

[papermoon.lady]

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@digital*ghostwrote:

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I'm not trying to suggest sellers (or maybe just this one  ), are delicate creatures that need to be approached with caution lest they be set off, just that it can do wonders simply to include a "Hi" in a message (things like that are increasingly absent in messages these days), and even more if you start out by advising the situation, mentioning the concern, and asking if they can provide any further info or check into it with the postal service. It shows the seller you're not blaming them, just asking for their help. (If they then are not willing to help, then of course they can be blamed, as it were). 

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Yes, I always contact them like that when there is a delay, ask how long they advise me to wait (I wouldn't say "I am tired of wiating!") and luckily in most cases the sellers respond politely too and the items turn up anyway. Once there was a seller who didn't reply, and around that period negs started to accumulate (for the same reason, no items and no communication) and then eBay cancelled his account.

If my item was sent as a flat letter and AusPost treats it as a letter it is also possible that there is a bit of a delay due to Easter cards. I don't know, I have seen Easter cards in shops, so I guess some people send them... Not as bad as the Christmas period, but who knows?

Concerning Italy by the way (your previous message), I have noticed that many sellers have added Italy to the exclusion countries (countries they don't post to), and a seller also explained why - apparently they are a bit slow at Customs, many items arrive late and buyers get angry and anxious...