Thinking of buying from overseas using USPS/EMS...think again

[JN]

Guys,

Just a little warning that any purchases that come from overseas using USPS or EMS couriers who hand-over to ParcelForce are subject to MASSIVE delays.

On the 23rd March I ordered a new HP laptop from the USA (as the model I want isn't available in UK), and as yet it still hasn't arrived. What's worse is that it may even be another MONTH (or longer) before I get to see it! Here's the tracking status:

28-03-2010 19:14 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGING

28-03-2010 19:14 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGES

28-03-2010 19:11 International Hub Arrived in destination country

24-03-2010 13:37 Delivery Agent - NEW YORK -PTT Left origin country

24-03-2010 11:37 Delivery Agent - NEW YORK -PTT Arrived at Outward OE

23-03-2010 18:05 Delivery Agent - UNITED STATES AMERICA

I thought that 4 days to fly over from New York to the UK using express delivery was bad enough, but at the moment the laptop is stuck in customs due to an 80+ cage backlog of parcels that need to be manually checked for counterfit goods coming in from overseas!!! Courier services like UPS / Fedex are not affected as they go through customs differently - so use those methods instead.

If you're in a similar situation your only hope is to call 01908687249 and ask speak to someone called Patricia (unsure of surname) who will try to push things along.

I just want my lappy

 

[lasher]

I was getting stuff from Asia in two days using fedex's cheapest service!

Cheers for the heads up.

Just be wary with fedex when importing as I'm sure they are up customs backsides when it comes to taxes.

Not that I'm in any way saying I was trying to avoid them ofc

 

[privateryan]

Guys,

Just a little warning that any purchases that come from overseas using USPS or EMS couriers who hand-over to ParcelForce are subject to MASSIVE delays.

On the 23rd March I ordered a new HP laptop from the USA (as the model I want isn't available in UK), and as yet it still hasn't arrived. What's worse is that it may even be another MONTH (or longer) before I get to see it! Here's the tracking status:

28-03-2010 19:14 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGING

28-03-2010 19:14 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGES

28-03-2010 19:11 International Hub Arrived in destination country

24-03-2010 13:37 Delivery Agent - NEW YORK -PTT Left origin country

24-03-2010 11:37 Delivery Agent - NEW YORK -PTT Arrived at Outward OE

23-03-2010 18:05 Delivery Agent - UNITED STATES AMERICA

I thought that 4 days to fly over from New York to the UK using express delivery was bad enough, but at the moment the laptop is stuck in customs due to an 80+ cage backlog of parcels that need to be manually checked for counterfit goods coming in from overseas!!! Courier services like UPS / Fedex are not affected as they go through customs differently - so use those methods instead.

If you're in a similar situation your only hope is to call 01908687249 and ask speak to someone called Patricia (unsure of surname) who will try to push things along.

I just want my lappy

Gordon Bennett!! Have you received any more news/updates since your post yesterday Jim?? I'm devestated reading that!! I ordered something from US last week, and it's only been in Customs since Tuesday just gone but already I'm tearing my hair out:

12-04-2010 13:12 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGING

12-04-2010 13:12 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGES

12-04-2010 12:03 International Hub Arrived in destination country

12-04-2010 12:03 International Hub

I rang ParcelForce today, and the woman there just told me it takes usually 48 hours for things to be released from Customs, but there was a 2 day backlog from the Easter Bank Holiday last week (though she didn't seem to think it was affecting anything this week).

She reckoned it would clear today, or latest tomorrow!

Are you SERIOUS that you are looking at a 2 month wait to get your lappy released from Customs? That is outrageous!! Has Patricia been able to do anything to expedite this matter for you?? I'm just willing my status to update to "RELEASED WITH CHARGES" at this point, or best case just straight to the National/Regional Hub...

I have to wait for Tuesday next week before I start to get panicy, as my item was sent over using USPS International Priority Parcels... and they advertise a 6-10day delivery time... so once it's hit 10days... well... guess it doesn't change matters really... but at least I can start authoratively whinging :-S

 

[JN]

Sorry to say that I got told exactly the same thing by ParcelForce: "just a couple of days....after the weekend...definitely by xxx day". I hope its not the same case with yours, but it just seems like they are fobbing us off to buy time

I did however get a call from Patricia today, but unfortunately it was only to tell me that she had no more news and she was still waiting for some people higher up the food chain to get back to her. The 80+ cages backlog of parcels still exists apparently and it could be anywhere in there

 

[privateryan]

Well sorry to hear that man It's so demoralising checking the tracking online to see the same old "International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGING" day in, day out!

I can't beleive that an 80 cage backlog could take that long though surely?? If it's the same kind of cages that they have in Tesco that hold all the stock whilst they unload it... it can't be that much - especially as most of the parcels would probably be quite large? And I assume they must be working overtime/bringing in more staff, since otherwise that backlog would exist forever and just keep getting worse?! Equally, with such a backlog you would expect them to (at least on same cages), just decide to do a very light and quick check to speed up getting through!

You've been waiting 33 working days though right?? Surely that can't be right at all.. by ANY measure that is not right... I would going MENTAL at that stage - writing to my MP, demanding to talk to head of customs... there is no way on earth it can take that long; and then to be told it could take a further month??!

My item was bought on eBay, and I have to receive within 45 days, otherwise I can't claim through eBay/PayPal... so if it's still stuck around then I have to report it not received, where no doubt the poor seller will be stitched up when it's not their fault!

I would say though, that yours is the only post I've seen on the net where you seem to be suffering this kind of ridiculous delay - I've seen lots of people posting their tracking info through March and April where their items have got through in a few days... this is someone elses I found through google:

12-03-2010 13:37 International Hub RELEASED WITH CHARGES

08-03-2010 11:54 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGING

08-03-2010 11:54 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGES

08-03-2010 11:46 International Hub Arrived in destination country

and someone elses:

27-03-2010 07:40 International Hub RELEASED WITH CHARGES

23-03-2010 11:25 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGING

23-03-2010 11:25 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGES

23-03-2010 11:05 International Hub Arrived in destination country

Someone elses (more recent):

07-04-2010 08:46 International Hub Arrived at outward Office of Exchange

01-04-2010 17:34 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGING

01-04-2010 17:34 International Hub Arrived in destination country

So your experience seems HIGHLY extreme! And I would be thinking my item had been lost or stolen from customs at this stage, and perhaps contacting the seller and reporting it lost?

I dunno... I'm so annoyed... if I had known that this was gonna happen, I woulda happilly paid more for FedEx/DHL... I ordered a Google Nexus One last month and it came from the US to my house in the UK within 48 hours!!!

 

[privateryan]

Hey Jim... let me just share this little tip with you I've found out a sneaky secret through a little bit of messing about! With your ParcelForce tracking number, (should be something like this: ECNNNNNNXXXGB), where "N" are like the unique numbers of the parcel, and I suspect "X" are some static numbers...

Anyway... what I did was change the last two "N" numbers about 20 either side of mine (e.g. the last two 'unique' numbers of mine are 97, and my static numbers are 515 - like this: "ECNNNN97515GB)

I searched from 80 to 99, and it seems like all the parcels in that range were received same day as mine, around about that time, and all are "AWAITING CHARGING" with the exception of some that were an hour earlier than mine that have just been released about 2 hours ago!!! So... it's raising a LITTLE hope that I might get mine cleared soon!!!

Here's someone elses that went to "awaiting customs charges" exactly 2 hours before mine...

16-04-2010 08:39 International Hub RELEASED WITH CHARGES

12-04-2010 11:11 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGING

12-04-2010 11:11 International Hub AWAITING CUSTOMS CHARGES

12-04-2010 10:50 International Hub Arrived in destination country

Would be great if you tried this and let us know what happened to the parcels around yours?

 

[JN]

Hey dude, thanks for the tipo. Unfortunately it's not working on my parcel. I've tried about 10 combinations either side and none of the numbers exist. I've also tried some far-out numbers and just cant get a single hit

 

[privateryan]

you got to stick at it man... it's boring as hell... but I did 100 either side in the end, and got a good handfull... now I'm watching 3 others that came in around the same time as mine, and one that looks like it might even have been on the same flight, and are in the same status... You get far more "Unable to track" than you do hits, but in the long run it'll be worth it, since you will find a few that arrived same day/time as yours, and will have a better idea if what you're hearing from Patricia is true or not.

From all the playing around I did this morning, I've not seen anything held longer than 6 days! Plus, this volcanic ash thing grounding all flights mean that Customs should have a massively reduced amount coming in, meaning they should be able to plough through any backlogs!!!

 

[Bungral]

Or just wait, as even knowing aint gonna speed it up...

Boring as hell but what else can ya do.

By the way... Feel for ya Jimbo.. Waiting sucks bum holes.

 

[privateryan]

@Bungral... yes you're right.

Jim; FYI, my package has been released and is waiting for collection at my local dept now. I think you've been shafted mate, and your lappy is missing... I would start thinking about reporting as officially lost

 

[JN]

That's what I had feared, but now yours has gone through and mine is still awaiting charges I think it's time to face facts.

Some c*nt has nicked it