Anybody been sending to the USA?

[viewmont1071]

It appears 15 to 20 working days minimum and express only with no signature and minimal tracking.

Is that the practical experience or worst case scenario?

sounds like a great way to get a non delivery shafting to me

https://auspost.com.au/about-us/news-media/important-updates/coronavirus/coronavirus-international-u...

International delivery information 29 May 2020

Australia Post is experiencing international delivery delays in all destinations due to limited airline capacity and government restrictions as a result of COVID-19. Australia Post is working with partner airlines and other postal operators to move items as quickly as possible and clear backlog.

Please note: We've suspended our “Economy Air” international delivery service for parcels and Economy letters containing merchandise to all countries, territories and regions effective 3 April and until further notice.

[kopenhagen5 · Accepted solution]

Hi there, My experiences have been 4-6 weeks at best.

So many have reported cases opened for INR but items eventually being delivered.

Best you can do is explain to buyers that most things are going by road when inland and delivered is severely delayed due to Covid-19.

Reduced flights, parcels are often being held in warehousing here in Aus before they can leave so I would say at best, 4-6 weeks to USA.

Luckily I had understanding buyers that opened cases but decided to wait before escalating.

Both have just been delivered with buyers giving positive feedback.

[digital*ghost · Accepted solution]

You can send standard (tracked) or express (economy is the untracked option) to most countries (some you can only send express), but express is being prioritised and with some parcels being dispatched by sea mail, it's more likely that a standard parcel will go by sea and take who knows how long. 

I'm sticking with DHL tracked options only at the moment, 6-8 weeks for their economy service, but I have the ability to adjust ETAs to that long where I have made OS shipping available so grumpy customers might be an issue, but INRs shouldn't (I'm only required to provide proof of postage over there). 

[painterandfig · Accepted solution]

It's trauma central.  I've sent a few with tracking, which thankfully I've then been able to say to the ones who have no tracking, that it will get on the same flight as ... and I give them the tracking number of the one expensive items I've sent with tracking.

4-7 weeks is what I'm getting.  It's bloody hard work though dealing with the emails.  I've got 32 cases open, I'm just having to refund if they get too shirt.  I normally have zero cases.

The ones I've sent with tracking, sit for ages at Melbourne Airport awaiting a flight.  The delay is at our end, not at theirs.

Here's some tracking numbers from Late April through to Mid May

LK990751402AU, LK991331914AU, LK992253802AU, LK992277401AU, LK992381316AU

They sit for 3 weeks trying to get on a flight.

However, this does concern me off the Australia Post website to do with USA;

Please note: Australia Post will suspend Economy Services for parcels and Economy letters containing merchandise effective 3 April and until further notice. Economy Services for regular letters will continue.

My items go for the $3.20 with the green customs form.  So I'm using the service they say is suspended.  They are getting delivered, but I'm curious about potentially them just sitting around waiting for things to get better

[shacklestore · Accepted solution]

---

@digital*ghost wrote:

You can send standard (tracked) or express (economy is the untracked option) to most countries (some you can only send express), but express is being prioritised and with some parcels being dispatched by sea mail, it's more likely that a standard parcel will go by sea and take who knows how long. 

---

Yes that's what I was advised for the US albeit once I had enquired and not when I went to purchase the postage back in April. No more economy mail, standard mail still being sent but with limited flights priority mail is loaded first and if there is any room left then standard mail is added to the cargo.  

Out of 3 standard parcels of similar weights; one was sent by ship and two by plane. Of the two sent by plane the first took 6 weeks and the second 10 days (with both arriving the same time). I've opted to suspend international postage until there is some consistency. 

[*tippy*toes* · Accepted solution]

I posted an item to the US on April 21. It was cleared for customs on April 24. It arrived in the US on May 22. I got notified that it was delivered today, May 31 (Saturday there). 

I sent my buyer a message the day I posted saying there would be massive delays and it could take 2+ months to arrive. He didn't reply and didn't open any disputes, so I'm guessing he was happy to wait.

[glenbankloel · Accepted solution]

That info is only part of the information available for the US on AP's website.

Go right down to the bottom of that page, and there are greyed out sections- one for each country, open the one for the US and there is a time frame stated in there of 5-7 weeks. However, this section is dated the 20th May- so nothing new at this stage.

The best thing is to either stop International selling or make sure that your buyers are well aware of the possible time delay.

We advised a lady in the UK that delivery was going to be delayed and she was fine, she advised us yesterday that she had received her necklace ; posted on the Monday 18th May - received Friday 30th May- 10 working days. Much better outcome that we originally thought. So perhaps some of the new functions that AP are putting in place are starting to kick in.    

No simple answer atm for anyone either sellers or buyers you just have to make your own decisions about what you want to do.

PS anyone selling to Japan needs to go AP's website as there is a new announcement there with further instructions being released today!   

[viewmont1071]

Thank you all... it's a green out. the book the buyer is wanting to buy is not listed anywhere else save for a french version on The river however they understand the situation ATM. So I have taken it offline until the situation improves to relist for them then and they are more than happy with that outcome.

I don't sell much now internationally and still refuse to sign the "agreement"   (not that it matters much now anyaways) so overseas

buyers need to log into AU to see my items.

[eol-products]

I have been in contact with DHL and have been told US delivery times are well under a week. I gather they may under state delivery times in a hope for me to sign up for a contract so either the service they are offering me is different than what you use with them and hence cheaper or I may be no better off then express with Aust. post. 

I think US rates start at $32 plus fuel levies for 500grams but as they have their own plane for those deliveries times should be still fast.

[lm-entertainment]

my most recent experience was to the US via express. posted on 7th may from perth and arrived in chicago 24th may and was delivered to fort worth texas on 29th may (22 actual days total). 

interestingly, i thought there was nothing happening and the item was just sitting locally for a long time as there was no outgoing scan from australia just the "cleared and awaiting international departure." it ended up arriving a lot quicker than i expected.