Is sending something USPS really this lengthy?

[Blaze]

My sister sent some inheritance items from Thailand that I'm currently tracking . Only took three days to get through Thailand to JFK airport.

Package gets to JFK airport and sit for FIVE DAYS! Items clear customs and then goes to a Queens, NY distribution center and sits for three additional days.

So three days from Thailand to the states but can't get out of New York state for eight days?

Items have left Queens, NY to it final destination the last time I checked, this AM.

Is this normal protocol? Thanks.

 

[knerml]

Yes

 

[RooflessVW]

I ordered from Powerbulbs in the UK on December 26.

Here I sit, still waiting.

 

[earlyre]

ordered a pair of sunglasses from a UK based optician's ebay store last summer... took a good 3 weeks. 2 of which were on US soil by the tracking.


conversely, a few years back, I ordered a Kilt from a shop in London. they offered free next day shipping. figured, sure yeah right....
within 24hrs of placing the order, there was a DHL truck dropping it off at my house....

 

[Danno]

Ordered a golf club from the UK on a Sunday, showed up Wednesday, DHL iirc. Reasonable shipping cost.
I was impressed.

 

[Wolf359]

I order stuff from aliexpress in China once in a while. Usually takes 3+ weeks before I get it. But the stuff I get, it's no big rush so no big deal.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Mail service to and from NYC just plain sucks. It's a logistical nightmare.

 

[Zee09]

Customs operates on it's own time....

 

[Warstud]

Originally Posted by Zee09
Customs operates on it's own time....


Could be customs....I ordered some stuff from Banggood that was suppose to be here on Dec 28th. Banggood contacted me and said I would recieve it 8 days late. I still haven't got it.

 

[Propflux01]

Govt Shutdown prolly ain't helping much, either.

 

[Linctex]

Originally Posted by earlyre

within 24hrs of placing the order, there was a DHL truck dropping it off at my house....


A month before Christmas, I ordered a Metro (Lister diesel) injection pump from India - I had in less than a week, through DHL

 

[Kruse]

Originally Posted by Propflux01
Govt Shutdown prolly ain't helping much, either.


^^Probably this. My son just flew back from Germany and my daughter is currently on her way back from India. My daughter texted that she almost missed her connecting flight in Chicago because customs is taking way to long to complete processing.

 

[beanoil]

Sounds pretty normal. I ordered a NOS audio tube from Czechoslovakia a while back. Czech to NY was quick, 5 days. Customs held it for 3 weeks. I guess they needed to make sure it was safe...

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by Zee09
Customs operates on it's own time....

To a large degree, CBP "trusts" carriers like USPS, Fedex, UPS, etc to process shipments and the work that Customs does is just a formality.

 

[dave1251]

At least you receive via USPS. UPS just drives down the street and the takes my packages to a distribution center 30 miles away stating my address does not exist.

 

[anndel]

Yes it does as Customs holds the package at the mailbranch.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by anndel
Yes it does as Customs holds the package at the mailbranch.

Customs doesn't allow packages to leave the carrier's 'secure' facilities until it's been processed through clearance. Customs doesn't know a package exists until the carrier informs them. If everything is in order, Customs releases it. I bring product from Europe routinely and if we use Fedex Priority, Fedex begins clearing the shipment through US Customs while it's still in the air. They submit it, if everything is good, Customs releases it and often before it lands on US soil.

 

[PandaBear]

Custom, yes it takes a few days.

This is why if you need things in a hurry for business purposes, you fly someone with it in the carry on luggage.

 

[Johnny2Bad]

I do find the USPS to be fairly slow in comparison to other nations' Post Offices, with a few exceptions.
Fast Mail:
Royal Mail (UK)
Royal Australian Post Office (Oz)
Polish Post Office
Czeckoslovakian Mail
Canada Post
Japanese Post Office
Swedish Post
PRC (China) Air

Slow Mail
PRC (China) Ground

I have a Customs Broker for imports from the US, so when I use th

 

[aquariuscsm]

I know when I buy records (lps and 45s) from Asia it gets to the states really fast,but then sits in US customs forever.