Why is my jacket being held up in Frankfurt?
October 15, 2013 4:59 PM Subscribe
I ordered a jacket from Taiwan on Oct 2. According to the tracking ID, it arrived in Frankfurt on Oct 5. There have been no further updates on the "foreign information" tab since then. Why is it stuck there for 11 days now?
I ordered this jacket on Oct 2 and paid via PayPal. I got a confirmation mail, and 3 days later a follow up with the tracking ID. I assumed it would take a week or so, but when no package arrived, I checked on the page of Chunghwa Post. I can see my package left Taiwan a day after I ordered/paid, and that it arrived in Frankfurt on Oct 5. (The final destination is in Germany as well.) After that, there are no status updates (on Customs inspection, Departure from incoming office and so on), just 2 mostly empty tabs for Frankfurt (has only arrival time and date) and presumably the post office in my city (as this also has tabs for attempted delivery 1st, 2nd and is completely empty).
Why is it taking so long to go through customs? Is this normal? 11 days to inspect a sports jacket seems excessive; it's just that one item and apparently shipped as international letter.
I ordered this jacket on Oct 2 and paid via PayPal. I got a confirmation mail, and 3 days later a follow up with the tracking ID. I assumed it would take a week or so, but when no package arrived, I checked on the page of Chunghwa Post. I can see my package left Taiwan a day after I ordered/paid, and that it arrived in Frankfurt on Oct 5. (The final destination is in Germany as well.) After that, there are no status updates (on Customs inspection, Departure from incoming office and so on), just 2 mostly empty tabs for Frankfurt (has only arrival time and date) and presumably the post office in my city (as this also has tabs for attempted delivery 1st, 2nd and is completely empty).
Why is it taking so long to go through customs? Is this normal? 11 days to inspect a sports jacket seems excessive; it's just that one item and apparently shipped as international letter.
Is this normal?
Yes.
It hasn't taken eleven days -- there are 7 business days between now and the 5th; don't count non-business days when calculating this stuff; those days are dead for these purposes. I can't tell you about the specifics of overseas mail, but I've never heard of something travelling internationally and arriving quickly without (very) expensive expedited shipping methods. A point where the parcel just sits in one place for days is totally unremarkable. Unless you paid extra for a delivery earlier than what you've received I can't see where you have any reason to worry. Was there actually any claim being made that would lend credence to 'assumed a week or so'? Because that is a silly timeline for expecting something to get out of China and onto a German a doorstep.
(I am an on-line vendor but not your on-line vendor, etc. If this is a small-time merchant please don't ask after the parcel unless it is actually delayed past a promised time; there isn't anything they can tell you or do beyond "Not supposed to be there yet, sorry" and "Okay, lost, will process claim and refund.")
posted by kmennie at 5:37 PM on October 15, 2013
Yes.
It hasn't taken eleven days -- there are 7 business days between now and the 5th; don't count non-business days when calculating this stuff; those days are dead for these purposes. I can't tell you about the specifics of overseas mail, but I've never heard of something travelling internationally and arriving quickly without (very) expensive expedited shipping methods. A point where the parcel just sits in one place for days is totally unremarkable. Unless you paid extra for a delivery earlier than what you've received I can't see where you have any reason to worry. Was there actually any claim being made that would lend credence to 'assumed a week or so'? Because that is a silly timeline for expecting something to get out of China and onto a German a doorstep.
(I am an on-line vendor but not your on-line vendor, etc. If this is a small-time merchant please don't ask after the parcel unless it is actually delayed past a promised time; there isn't anything they can tell you or do beyond "Not supposed to be there yet, sorry" and "Okay, lost, will process claim and refund.")
posted by kmennie at 5:37 PM on October 15, 2013
Just because an event (eg leaving the customs inspection) isn't captured into the information system, doesn't mean it hasn't happened - the barcode on the parcel might be damaged, somebody might have mis-scanned it, etc.
I've had parcels (from the US to Australia) still showing as "received by USPS Los Angeles" when they arrived at my door. Sometimes the tracking trail just goes dead like that.
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:30 PM on October 15, 2013
I've had parcels (from the US to Australia) still showing as "received by USPS Los Angeles" when they arrived at my door. Sometimes the tracking trail just goes dead like that.
posted by UbuRoivas at 7:30 PM on October 15, 2013
As someone that used to sell online regularly about 8 years ago I am wondering if they are checking it out in customs for any duties or taxes to be paid. I know that Germany was one country I had trouble shipping items to because of that. they won't necessarily update your tracking with that info it will just show as in limbo as the item most likely does not actually leave the building where it arrives to be processed.
Also different systems in different countries, as UbuRoivas said sometimes tracking just goes dead, contact the shipping company your end, they may be able to give you more info if you are concerned. But unless you are paying for a courier most international shipping by mail over those sort of distances can take 5-15 business days.
posted by wwax at 7:33 PM on October 15, 2013
Also different systems in different countries, as UbuRoivas said sometimes tracking just goes dead, contact the shipping company your end, they may be able to give you more info if you are concerned. But unless you are paying for a courier most international shipping by mail over those sort of distances can take 5-15 business days.
posted by wwax at 7:33 PM on October 15, 2013
I sent a large envelope to a town in Germany near Frankfurt a couple of weeks ago. I paid for two day delivery and it took seven instead. It showed as arriving in Germany less than 24 hours after posting, presumably at Frankfurt since that's the main flight hub from Dublin, so the hold up was after that somehow. And yeah, the tracking was useless, just gave the date it entered Germany with no further details ever. There was no issue of customs or duty charges with my package as it was just a letter from within the EU.
So it could just be that Frankfurt is a pinch point for whatever reason and they're slow at getting things sent on to wherever they should be. I'd give it some more time, maybe another week even, then try contacting DHL or whoever is responsible for getting it to you from where it is and see what they say.
posted by shelleycat at 5:36 AM on October 16, 2013
So it could just be that Frankfurt is a pinch point for whatever reason and they're slow at getting things sent on to wherever they should be. I'd give it some more time, maybe another week even, then try contacting DHL or whoever is responsible for getting it to you from where it is and see what they say.
posted by shelleycat at 5:36 AM on October 16, 2013
Response by poster: The mystery has been solved. It has not been shipped to my city's main post office, but a very small office - which has been closed due to illness for a few days. There was no-one to update anything, and the package is now sitting in this closed post office.
posted by MinusCelsius at 5:57 AM on October 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by MinusCelsius at 5:57 AM on October 16, 2013 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by blueberry at 5:30 PM on October 15, 2013