topic Re: USPS First Class in Buying

USPS First Class

papermoon.lady — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 00:50:40 GMT

Hi,

Do you know if there is a way to track a USPS First Class Parcel once it left the USA? I have ordered 3-4 USPS First Class parvels over the last couple of months and the tracking always ends in the USA. It took one week for all of them to arrive, and I have been waiting for this for about 10 days, which is not much, I know, and I guess still normal, but I would really like to know where it is.

Maybe the seller would have to choose a more expensive USPS option (First Class is the cheapest one) for the parcel to be trackable in Australia too?

Thanks

Re: USPS First Class

digital*ghost — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 01:55:13 GMT

The tracking for that service is relatively hit and miss - some of my parcels have only ever showed 'Electronic shipping information received', even after I've received the item, and the rest have only ever been tracked domestically (i.e. within the US). Some have been able to track parcels via Australia Post once they've reached Oz, but I've never been able to. I think it's the express service that has full and proper tracking.

Re: USPS First Class

motherbear2003 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 02:48:14 GMT

You can ring Australia Post, give them the tracking number, and they will at least be able to tell you if the package has reached Australia:-)

Some of my packages sent with USPS have taken as long as 21 days - it all depends on where in the US the item has been sent from and which route the plane takes.

Re: USPS First Class

beach_and_home — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 03:10:54 GMT

I am using this website as per the link below. I am tracking some parcels at the moment and it seems to be working fine.

http://www.trackingnumber.org/usps-tracking/usps-tracking/

Re: USPS First Class

beach_and_home — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 03:11:53 GMT

hang on, that didn't work

try this:

http://www.trackingnumber.org/usps-tracking/usps-tracking.php?number=CJ226104900US

Re: USPS First Class

lyndal1838 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 03:18:20 GMT

First Class mail it taking longer than it used to....3 weeks is normal now whereas it used to take a week. Some of my parcels (not necessarily ebay) have taken 5 weeks.

It will only be trackable if the seller has paid extra for trackable First Class. For the most part it is only trackable to point of departure in the USA.

Re: USPS First Class

australiapoststore — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 03:39:47 GMT

Hi Mariq

While you can't track these on our website I can track them internally for you. If CJ226104900US is your article number, it arrived in Aus this morning, but hasn't been released to Aus Post as yet.

Alice

Re: USPS First Class

beach_and_home — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 04:15:30 GMT

No, that's one of my numbers. I was just giving her the link to the website so she can put her own number in. 🙂

Re: USPS First Class

papermoon.lady — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 05:11:42 GMT

Thanks everyone.

Thanks for the link, beach_and_home. I have bookmarked it. It shows the same status as the link provided by the seller... And on the map it is still in NY...

Australiapoststore, this would be my tracking number if you can have a look, thanks:

LJ657899446US

Actually I was surprised myself that I got 3 in a row exactly after a week (all First Class International Mail), one actually in even less than a week. I got them last month, so not even a long time ago. Maybe the JK International Airport in NY is busier, so it takes longer (the other parcels didn't depart from there.)

Re: USPS First Class

*kazumi* — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 05:25:52 GMT

I have received a parcel today, which was posted 20th July as International Letter; the same as your parcel Mariq. Interesting definition of a letter, it was a box about 17cm x 17cm x 17cm.

Re: USPS First Class

australiapoststore — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 05:43:23 GMT

Ah, thanks Mariq. I'm afraid I've got no record of this arriving yet, though this is a non-traceable service and records are not required to be kept throughout transit, so it may have arrived and be on its way to you anyway.

Alice

Re: USPS First Class

papermoon.lady — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 06:06:07 GMT

I agree, Kazumi. My "letters" were also huge (that's why I automatically called them parcels, but strictly speaking they were called "international letters" 🙂 )

Thanks for your enquiry, Alice!

Some of the other services are better trackable, but very expensive. I once saw a jumper for 20 dollars and they wanted more than 60 for S&H (although I guess in such cases you can contact the seller and ask if he/she would agree to choose a cheaper service).

Hopefully it will arrive this week or next week at the latest... It always worries me when something doesn't arrive, maybe because about 5 years ago there was a time when nothing arrived.... I don't know if somebody was stealing my mail or something, but I lost 5-6 parcels in 4 months... Then suddenly everything got back to normal.

Re: USPS First Class

beach_and_home — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 06:14:31 GMT

I think mine were sent by priority mail so that is why they are moving pretty quickly and also fully trackable.

It is so exciting to watch their progress!!

Re: USPS First Class

lyndal1838 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 06:23:06 GMT

You may find that many sellers will not agree to use First Class mail as it is not trackable for paypal purposes. If US sellers want paypal protection they must use International Priority or International Express which are fully trackable and insurable....and also very expensive!

Also, USPS will pick those services up from the seller whereas they have to go to the PO themselves if they use first class mail. If a seller is in a rural area they may live hours away from a PO so rely on their mail being picked up.

Re: USPS First Class

lyndal1838 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 06:26:40 GMT

I think mine were sent by priority mail so that is why they are moving pretty quickly and also fully trackable.

It is so exciting to watch their progress!!

Do you seriously track all you parcels?

I never track anything unless it seems to be taking a long time....2 weeks if it is in Australia and 4 weeks from overseas.

Re: USPS First Class

beach_and_home — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 06:47:28 GMT

lyndall, I have 9 boxes of stock coming from my supplier in Hawaii, that's what I'm tracking. It's worth a lot of money, so I like to know where it is.

Re: USPS First Class

beach_and_home — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 06:53:13 GMT

No, I don't track my purchases, but then I don't buy that much really, and it's mostly just from Australia so it usually turns up pretty quickly.

I only went on this thread to give the OP the link to the tracking website. Normally my orders would be sent by Fed Ex, but this time it was cheaper by USPS Priority apparently.

Re: USPS First Class

lyndal1838 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 07:15:29 GMT

Tracking stock is a bit different to tracking everyday purchases.;-)

I would probably be the same as you.

Love the shells in your store...I have a collection inherited from my grandmother which would be worth a pretty penny judging by your prices.

Re: USPS First Class

papermoon.lady — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 07:23:32 GMT

Uh, the seller responds to some negative feedback about items that did not arrive saying that First Class Mail can take up to 60 days due to customs and other circumstances. 😐 I am going to contact him in two weeks though if I haven't received my parcel yet by then.

Re: USPS First Class

lyndal1838 — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 07:34:46 GMT

I do not think your seller knows what he is talking about. First Class mail can take up to 5 weeks and not be considered missing but that is the exception rather than normal. It is usually about 2-3 weeks.

I did have one parcel posted last November that finally turned up in late February...it had obviously been stuck somewhere.