Order From Europe Taking a Tour of the United States East Coast

[ebnash]

I ordered a new Dunhill from Smoking Pipes EU site and I’ve never seen tracking movement like this before.

Originated in Ireland and took 4-5 days before it got on a plane. It landed in New York City and made it into the USPS system. From there, it went to CT, then NJ, on to MD, and then DC. It stayed in DC for a few days and then 5 days later, it showed up in VA.

I‘m in California. It‘s been over 3 weeks since I placed the order and I’m wondering when it will head west. I’ve seen USPS do some strange things, but this is ridiculous. I’m not even impatient about receiving the pipe, but the more stops it makes, the more likely it will become lost or damaged.

There was no option for express shipping, so I don’t what kind crap service they used but I’m starting to loose faith it’s going to break loose and head out West.

 

[bullet08]

Never had an issue getting pipes from SPC EU. Typically, a pipe will take two weeks to get to me. With USPS having so much issues now days, it might take extra time. Their packages are usually very well packed against damage.

 

[JimInks]

If I had a nickel for every crazy thing I've experienced from USPS, I could start my own post office. Just be patient. Judging by today's standards, which are low, it'll likely take you at more than a week to get it. That's fast by the standard that I have experienced from packages going from West Coast to East Coast.

Here's my latest USPS mess up, which happened today. I was supposed to get a package from Wllke on Thursday. It got here late and was on the mail truck for Saturday delivery, but it wasn't delivered. Instead, the substitute mail man left it in his truck, and to cover up his slackness, decided to stamp undeliverable due to "insufficient address", and it was to be sent back to Wilke in Mass. I couldn't get through to anybody on the phone, so I went to the post office. They called the main branch center, and was told almost word for word what I said about why I did not get the package. I was told it would be delivered either today or tomorrow, but not to call for at least 48 hours if I didn't get it. I got back home, and a couple hours later, it showed up in my mail box with the rest of today's mail. How much you care to bet the lazy dope who didn't give it to me on Saturday will NOT get a talking to?

 

[paulfg]

I am waiting for a parcel from the US ,it was posted 4 January and 2 weeks later it hasnt even left the US.I sent a parcel to the US 4th December and it hit New York 18th December ,no update since 5 January and still not delivered.
both these sent via USPS

 

[vmaxphil]

As most Europeans want to do "route 66" perhaps it's gone that way ?

 

[captainsousie]

I'm still waiting on a pipe I ordered December 8th. It disappeared in a NY mail facility and hasn't been seen since. Luckily it was a cheap pipe and I don't want the seller to be out the money so I'll see if it gets there by the time I get back to the states next summer.

 

[Merton]

I ordered a new Dunhill from Smoking Pipes EU site and I’ve never seen tracking movement like this before.

Originated in Ireland and took 4-5 days before it got on a plane. It landed in New York City and made it into the USPS system. From there, it went to CT, then NJ, on to MD, and then DC. It stayed in DC for a few days and then 5 days later, it showed up in VA.

I‘m in California. It‘s been over 3 weeks since I placed the order and I’m wondering when it will head west. I’ve seen USPS do some strange things, but this is ridiculous. I’m not even impatient about receiving the pipe, but the more stops it makes, the more likely it will become lost or damaged.

There was no option for express shipping, so I don’t what kind crap service they used but I’m starting to loose faith it’s going to break loose and head out West.

I had a similar experience with an order. The total cost was just a bit lower than ordering from the US location (even without getting the silver 5%), however, it took a lot longer to arrive. Marty Pulvers once wrote that he knows that when folks complete an order with him over the phone, that they immediately run to the mail box after hanging up. It can be frustrating, but it will get there eventually.
on a personal note is your avatar an Airedale or a Welsh Terrier? I dearly miss my Airedale friend and love my grouchy little Welsh Terrier (actually the "root" breed of the much larger Airedale.)

 

[ebnash]

I had a similar experience with an order. The total cost was just a bit lower than ordering from the US location (even without getting the silver 5%), however, it took a lot longer to arrive. Marty Pulvers once wrote that he knows that when folks complete an order with him over the phone, that they immediately run to the mail box after hanging up. It can be frustrating, but it will get there eventually.
on a personal note is your avatar an Airedale or a Welsh Terrier? I dearly miss my Airedale friend and love my grouchy little Welsh Terrier (actually the "root" breed of the much larger Airedale.)

Yes, this was Sherman, our beloved Welsh Terrier. He was European bred, so larger than the normal American standard. He was just under 30 lbs. He passed almost 2 years ago, but was the best dog I've ever had and completely opposite of the typical stubborn and aggressive. Loved little kids and lived to please his human parents. Still miss this guy every day!

Yes, the Airedale is a concoction of a Welsh and an Otter Hound which is a bit comical if you know the size difference between these two breeds. My wife actually wanted to get an Otter Hound at one point and after we met with some breeders at a dog show, we quickly changed our minds. Apparently, Otter Hounds will catch a smell and "move mountains" to go find it. We live up in the mountains and we were afraid it would take off after wildlife and our neck of the woods are covered with Mountain Lions...

I guess I've never waited more than a couple weeks for a post from Europe so I've been lucky. The only exception being Cuban Cigar deliveries which sometimes took over a month. I typically have really good luck with USPS, most shipments taking no more than 2-5 days regardless of what part of the country they are coming from.

 

[3rdguy]

2 of my Xmas gifts that I ordered in November (from the USA) just arrived yesterday.

 

[ebnash]

2 of my Xmas gifts that I ordered in November (from the USA) just arrived yesterday.

Yikes!!!!!

 

[mso489]

This is actually a special courtesy by a theorist in he post office who believes that transporting blends across the Earth's magnetic field speeds and enhances aging. So, see how it tastes.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I order a sanitizer for winemaking, and It did something similar. When I realized they used UPS, which I strictly put that I didn't want them to use, because they never find my house, I watched as it bounced around, till it was in my small town, and would be delivered the later that day. Then they sent me a UPS email saying that it was undeliverable, and was going to be returned to sender. I have sent emails last week asking what happened to both UPS and the retailer, but so far no one has responded. I cannot express how much I hate UPS.

 

[kcghost]

I ordered an Xmas present from a U.S. provider to be shipped to me (I live in the states). No problem right? The people that shipped it decided they needed to save a quarter on the deal and sent it first class instead on priority express. The thing meandered toward me until it got to the main post office in KC and just sat there. And sat there and sat there. So week goes by and it is still sitting there. I filed a missing package claim. I told them the damn thing was in KC and all they had to do was look for it. A day or two later I got a reply from some jack leg in the main office that said the shipment was delayed due to Covid and I just about died laughing except it made me madder than hell. And the guys closes the complaint and marks it "complete to my satisfaction". I can take a joke as well as the next guy but for this muckety muck to bald face lie to me was a little too much. So I scorched off a reply to him for him to get off his dead patoot and have someone from the KC branch look for the damn thing. Sent him a one-star rating (the lowest). Two days later it showed up a little battered but the item was just fine. I normally am very pro-post office because most of don't realize the hassle they go through to deliver the mail. 90% of everything sent to me I don't open because it is junk mail. So generally they do very well but every once in a while they do something lazy like this.

 

[anotherbob]

If I had a nickel for every crazy thing I've experienced from USPS, I could start my own post office. Just be patient. Judging by today's standards, which are low, it'll likely take you at more than a week to get it. That's fast by the standard that I have experienced from packages going from West Coast to East Coast.

Here's my latest USPS mess up, which happened today. I was supposed to get a package from Wllke on Thursday. It got here late and was on the mail truck for Saturday delivery, but it wasn't delivered. Instead, the substitute mail man left it in his truck, and to cover up his slackness, decided to stamp undeliverable due to "insufficient address", and it was to be sent back to Wilke in Mass. I couldn't get through to anybody on the phone, so I went to the post office. They called the main branch center, and was told almost word for word what I said about why I did not get the package. I was told it would be delivered either today or tomorrow, but not to call for at least 48 hours if I didn't get it. I got back home, and a couple hours later, it showed up in my mail box with the rest of today's mail. How much you care to bet the lazy dope who didn't give it to me on Saturday will NOT get a talking to?

I bet he will. It's one of the fun stresses of the job from what I've heard. Though like a lot of places it really depends on who they have a supervisor and also how strapped for people they are.
That said to the original post. There is no sensible reason for your package to go in a way that makes sense to you. If every single package went the way that made sense to us we'd never get our mail in time. The sheer number of packages they move literally means it makes more sense for some packages to hop around. Also I bet if you look at the first couple steps (I get a lot of things from England) are actually in a little cluster that all handle international mail. And the delay between those hubs is usually based on volume. Seriously I've had it go through all those satellite post offices near the New York Hub in less then three hours and sometimes it takes days to get out of the international sorting hub in Ny NY. That jumping around makes so much more sense when you consider how many things they are moving and that a full truck is way more efficient then one that's barely filled up. That jumping around is one of the reasons it's cheaper then other delivery services and why overnight and expedited shipping cost a premium.
Also one of the problems with any industry is that there are always going to be people who suck at it and don't give a flying funk. At least when it's mail it's better then when it's a doctor or a cop and peoples health and lives are on the line.

 

[FurCoat]

I ordered a package from CT (vendor shipped promptly), 6 days later it was in KC and now 8 days after that it is in Indy. I live in NC...WTF?
I am old school and still mail out my bills. Luckily my creditors send me email alerts that bills are due, plus I keep track of due dates. My bills are arriving an average of two weeks past due date, again....WTF? A month to deliver a letter within the state?
If possible, I opt for Fedex. I'll pay for the dang shipping.

 

[Jaylotw]

I order a sanitizer for winemaking, and It did something similar. When I realized they used UPS, which I strictly put that I didn't want them to use, because they never find my house, I watched as it bounced around, till it was in my small town, and would be delivered the later that day. Then they sent me a UPS email saying that it was undeliverable, and was going to be returned to sender. I have sent emails last week asking what happened to both UPS and the retailer, but so far no one has responded. I cannot express how much I hate UPS.

UPS sucks. I had a box of aquarium supplies go missing-the retailer resent the stuff free of charge-and then the original package showed up three months later, beat to hell. I reordered from said retailer, and the same thing happened. I did, however, get twice the goods.

USPS does some wacky things, especially these days with the massive increase in packages. Sometimes overseas stuff is on a skid, which is rearranged, split, sent to another facility, split up again, sent to another sorting place, put on a skid with other stuff that’s going that direction etc. until it’s finally sorted to its destination. I had a package from ‘Straya do the same stuff for a few weeks before ending up in Ohio.

 

[Merton]

Yes, this was Sherman, our beloved Welsh Terrier. He was European bred, so larger than the normal American standard. He was just under 30 lbs. He passed almost 2 years ago, but was the best dog I've ever had and completely opposite of the typical stubborn and aggressive. Loved little kids and lived to please his human parents. Still miss this guy every day!

Yes, the Airedale is a concoction of a Welsh and an Otter Hound which is a bit comical if you know the size difference between these two breeds. My wife actually wanted to get an Otter Hound at one point and after we met with some breeders at a dog show, we quickly changed our minds. Apparently, Otter Hounds will catch a smell and "move mountains" to go find it. We live up in the mountains and we were afraid it would take off after wildlife and our neck of the woods are covered with Mountain Lions...

I guess I've never waited more than a couple weeks for a post from Europe so I've been lucky. The only exception being Cuban Cigar deliveries which sometimes took over a month. I typically have really good luck with USPS, most shipments taking no more than 2-5 days regardless of what part of the country they are coming from.

I love reading about dogs as much as pipes. Sherman was a beauty and I know how you feel (my avatar is my beloved English Bulldog Clarence who died unexpectedly several months. Miss him every day.) Our Welsh Terrier weighs around 30 lbs as well although she needs to shed a few. She is just starting to slow down a little at 9 but still loves chasing squirrels and bunnies in the backyard. Fortunately, she can no longer come close. However, she has demonstrated a proclivity for showing Possums who is boss. All Terriers have a strong prey drive, although our Airedale was a mellow and easy going guy. Did you ever notice that Welsh terriers like to sit up high on furniture and that they are the breed who will really give you the "stink eye" when they are irritated. Love em

 

[samuelgawith01]

I live on the east coast. If it stops at my address, can I break it in for you.........pretty please?Then I'll send it right over to you.?

 

[unadoptedlamp]

I was told at a post office in Canada that many delays are related to less flights operating. I had a pipe from Denmark take a long time getting to me, when otherwise, it was just a week. I think it came by boat.

Of course, the system in the U.S. is a different animal and has been messed around with so much that this is probably just one small part of the problem.

However, considering moving people around, a friend from Brazil was supposed to go direct from Canada to Brazil. After endless cancelled flights, they finally got one and were sent to Europe, then bounced around a few countries there to finally end up in Brazil.

If you were tracking them like a packet, it would look kind of similar. It would look a bit shocking.

I'd guess a lot of mail moves through the U.S. on domestic flights. As those get cancelled and re-routed, it may have a similar effect on your mail if they're scanning the bins at each new airport to keep track of the mail (which I assume they do).

People in logistics must be losing their minds by now... I'm sure if you pulled back the curtain, you'd find people drooling, pulling their hair out, picking at scabs and banging their heads against the wall with football helmets on. Best not to look too close... Glad none of my friends are in that business, but I'd be real curious to hear about how it's going.

 

[anotherbob]

I was told at a post office in Canada that many delays are related to less flights operating. I had a pipe from Denmark take a long time getting to me, when otherwise, it was just a week. I think it came by boat.

Of course, the system in the U.S. is a different animal and has been messed around with so much that this is probably just one small part of the problem.

However, considering moving people around, a friend from Brazil was supposed to go direct from Canada to Brazil. After endless cancelled flights, they finally got one and were sent to Europe, then bounced around a few countries there to finally end up in Brazil.

If you were tracking them like a packet, it would look kind of similar. It would look a bit shocking.

I'd guess a lot of mail moves through the U.S. on domestic flights. As those get cancelled and re-routed, it may have a similar effect on your mail if they're scanning the bins at each new airport to keep track of the mail (which I assume they do).

People in logistics must be losing their minds by now... I'm sure if you pulled back the curtain, you'd find people drooling, pulling their hair out, picking at scabs and banging their heads against the wall with football helmets on. Best not to look too close... Glad none of my friends are in that business, but I'd be real curious to hear about how it's going.

yeah it's one of those things a lot more complicated when you have to be involved in getting it done.