Anyone with issues shipping to the US reliably right now???

[darak10]

I'm getting ready to re-open my store and I am leaning towards requiring tracking for shipments to the US.  I have done some ordering from the US since lockdown and my receipt of item success rate is sitting at 50%.  Two items got here - took a month though, and the other two items, god knows where they are or what happened to them.  

From my limited perspective, it doesn't look like Canada Post & USPS are getting the parcel job between our countries done right now, whatever the reason.  

What is the experience of other Canadian sellers shipping to the US right now?  Are you having problems getting stuff to the US, or not? Are you even shipping there? From your sales, how long is stuff taking to get there? Are you getting lots of "where's my item?" messages from US customers?  Please advise, I'd really like to hear what other sellers are experiencing so I can make a firm decision either way.  Thanks!

[mrdutch1001]

sent a pkg (oversize lettermail) to Michigan 2 weeks ago that has not yet arrived, but otherwise have not had so much issue going to other states...

[reallynicestamps]

Before The Plague about 85% of my sales were to the USA. Since April that has shifted and while my sales are up in both value and number, nearly 90% of my sales are domestic.

That being said, I don't usually track, but I have had no complaints of late or slow delivery, and the normal amount of feedback (ie-not very much).

This is over four accounts with slightly varying collectible products.

Very high value items which have been tracked are moving normally.

I think the postal system was startled by the surge in online buying at the beginning and has recuperated and caught up with what has been reported as Christmas levels of shipping.

[snoopwiz]

90% of my U.S  bound shipments are arriving there within a day or two of its pre-pandemic timing. 5% is arriving there within 3-4 days  of its pre-pandemic timing and the remaining 5% have been on joy rides, country tours, hopefully earning air miles but eventually arriving. 

My Canadian tracked shipments are another story.  And its a sad one.  

[mcrlmn]

I've quickly received items from Texas, New York, and Florida that I've purchased.
Several Amazon and eBay orders from Kentucky were painfully slow and well over delivery estimates.
I'm still waiting, 2 weeks after Amazon's delivery estimates, for 3 orders; 2 from US, 1 from UK.
I'm keeping a close eye on the claim 'window'.


Orders (Lettermail) to Maryland, New York, Texas, California, and Washington delivered within eBay's 'real world' estimates.
However, one to Massachusetts took 5 weeks to arrive, and another to Michigan was received in 6 weeks.
I always mail same business day.

[ilikehockeyjerseys]

Small Packet Air seems to be really bad right now. 

Usually, it is tracked by USPS on the eBay order page, but not by Canada Post. So there is no acceptance scan from Canada Post. In normal times, this is not a problem, because it arrives in 5-8 business days. 

As of maybe 10 days ago, it seems like USPS stopped scanning Small Packet Air. Some items are randomly taking 30+ days to deliver, without scans. While others are close to normal, getting scanned, and getting delivered within two weeks of being handed off to Canada Post. 

My take is that, things aren't getting lost, but there is no guarantee orders will arrive by the expected delivery date, and there is no guarantee that there will be tracking to ease a buyer's mind about where their package might be. If you ship this way, because there is no acceptance scan, you're at the mercy of the buyer, and whether or not they believe you shipped it and that it is not lost. 

[esclyons]

shipping times are sucking, everywhere.. items that take 2-3 days in the same province are taking 20+ days.. i have incoming purchases from Quebec, i am in Ontario, and they are going on 15 days, not received in Ontario yet, normally this takes 2 days tops...

i have 2 buyers in the USA complaining about 18 plus days with items not received, one is close to 28 days..

So yes delivery times are horrible right now..

[reallynicestamps]

Would it help, I wonder, to refer the customer to the  recent Amazon announcement that same day delivery might take up to a month? (Or whatever it was, I know a lot of Prime subscribers were miffed about it.)

The reasoning on AZs part seems to be it is better to say "30 days" and deliver in two weeks than to say "same day" and deliver in one week.

And AZ really really pushed their swift deliveries. People actually believe AZ delivers by drone and that the USPS delivers AZ packages free.  They are masters at publicity stunting.

[lady.stark]

One package sent Small Packet Air Mail on May 9 arrived on May 20 in Maryland. It was scanned on eBay's "Order details", so that's how I know.

A package sent Tracked Packet on May 15 is still "En route" to Nevada. But I just verified, and it arrived there today. Will probably be delivered soon. However, a package I sent SP Air at the same address (but different name) and shipped on the same date is still in Florida according to the Order details scan.

On May 18, I shipped a package to Netherlands and another to Australia. Both by SP Air Mail. Since there is no tracking, I do not know if they left the country yet.

[mrdutch1001]

I shipped a Small Packet Airmail pkg to the U.K. (Scotland); mailed on May 13th...recipient rec'd May 23rd.

[darak10]

if you dont mind, do tell about some of your Canadian tracking stories...I'm interested to hear.   I cant say I'm surprised given how upfront they are about "we cannot meet normal delivery timelines".  I'm wondering how long these guys can keep going with xmas levels of parcel delivery every day for 2 months now not long after the xmas season itself ended.  

[reallynicestamps]

FWIW- the post office is a very good place to work, in spite of (literally) heavy workloads and a high pressure environment.

The PO copes with the Christmas rush by keeping a roll call of occasional workers, who are well-paid, at union rates, and who are slowly building seniority to become full-time workers. I know of one guy who did this for nearly ten years and when he was hired full time, abandoned his job as a real estate agent to go postal. Better pay, more stability, excellent benefits, pension.

Pretty sure the PO is smart enough to be calling those guys and asking if they can take up jobs to handle the influx of parcels, and to sub for the workers who are off sick* or taking leave/vacation time for necessary childcare.

*The carriers in particular sustain a lot of damage hauling 50lb sacs all day. And the terminals are noisy enough that tintinnus and deafness are a problem.

[snoopwiz]

if you dont mind, do tell about some of your Canadian tracking stories...I'm interested to hear. 

More untracked envelope stories,  averaging anywhere from 14 days to 4 weeks, Toronto to smaller locations and to major centres.

One current tracking example, Toronto Montreal, still in transit.  Mississauga sorting plant seemingly being the "culprit"

May 26, 2020 1:19 AM Item in transit MISSISSAUGA, ON

May 25, 2020 10:38 PM Item processed MISSISSAUGA, ON

May 14, 2020 1:04 AM Shipment received at originating postal facility MISSISSAUGA, ON

12:20 AM Electronic information submitted by shipper

May 13, 2020 10:21 PM Shipment picked up by Canada Post MISSISSAUGA, ON

4:31 PM In transitTracking 1027335529231203

4:19 PM Departed from Chit Chats facility PICKERING, ON

May 12, 2020 7:07 PM Arrived at Chit Chats facility PICKERING, ON

[snoopwiz]

Toronto to Quebec City   Dropped off at Chit Chats on May 12, crickets prevail since. 

May 13, 2020 11:00 PM Electronic information submitted by shipper  

4:31 PM In transit Tracking 1027335231835201  

4:19 PM Departed from Chit Chats facility PICKERING, ON

May 12, 2020 7:07 PM Arrived at Chit Chats facility PICKERING, ON  

1:56 PM Arrived at Chit Chats facility MARKHAM, ON  

1:56 PM Received by Chit Chats

[tryubik-useonlyasdirected]

Great question and informative thread. We shut down in March and did a single trial-reopen-sale this week to a Canadian to feel out how post is operating.

A pre-shut down buyer returned a package on April 24th from Alabama - it arrived on May 18th. In our experience 24 days is a long time. Typically its around 7. The package was sent USPS Expresspost.

Our Canadian package was posted using Expedited on May 22 at 2pm and the tracking shows it is still at our local post office 4 days later. The destination is up north in Ontario. Typically in-province items have arrived already. Though to be fair, sometimes CAN tracking all shows up at once after delivery so it could be out for delivery hard to say. *shrugs*

[darak10]

I suppose since Quebec is getting hit the hardest with COVID that may be the likeliest culprit, everything going there hits an ice jam. Just before the shutdown I shipped a lettermail item from Edmonton to Trois Rivieres and the fellow messaged me three weeks later to say it still hadn't got there. It arrived, 2 days short of a month.

Doesn't top my 40 day Edmonton to Medicine Hat ultra scenic tour story from last year though haha. According to google, someone could walk back and forth between Edmonton and Medicine Hat almost ten times in 40 days haha

Hey that might be a fun idea for a thread - most gonzo postal delivery nightmare stories!

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

@darak10 

That's a bit of a walk for a couple of bucks in postage. And how about trying to find a washrooms. Then the costs for motel room(s)?  😉

-Lotz

[darak10]

LOL. yeah I'd love to have seen the pictures he took on the way down...and back...and down...and back hahahaha

[lotzofuniquegoodies]

[reveur*]

some mail deliveries are faster than others.

i sell mainly to US buyers and packages going to california are painfully slow even with expedited tracking. tracked packets, well i've stopped using this service because according to usps now they no longer scan them. one has been inbound out of customs since april 30. customer says not delivered yet. 

a parcel going to california still hasn't even arrived in usa, a week half later. usually at this point there would be some kind of scan. most parcels are about 1-2 weeks over estimated delivery time. slower tracked ones are showing up 30+ days.

within canada i find a 1 week delay normally using expedited. feels safer to mail within canada. if you're mailing to usa, i recommend using expedited or express. UPS has been VERY reliable. i use netparcel for international buyers. one parcel saved seller 80% postage cost with netparcel and arrived in AU in 4 days after shipped in Canada. 

canada post cases are useless now. be wary that delays are tremendous right now in USA due to covid-19, understaffed stressed workers. lots of mail error too. before this i never had a parcel lost and looks like i may already have one lost.