Sometimes there's just no reason with USPS

Docrwm · 08-15-2012, 10:58 AM

I ordered a lens case from China. Here's how it has progressed so far.

Processed through USPS Sort Facility - 2012-08-15, 04:01:00, KEARNY, NJ 07032
Depart USPS Sort Facility - 2012-08-15, 00:00:00, KEARNY, NJ 07032
Processed Through Sort Facility - 2012-08-05, 16:45:00, ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS)
Processed Through Sort Facility - 2012-07-31, 15:39:00, SHENZHEN
Acceptance - 2012-07-30, 21:35:00

10 days AFTER it was cleared by Customs it leaves the NYC facility and is back on its way to me. Ten days just sitting in the ISC facility in NYC, not waiting to be processed - no, just sitting. Geez.

Alliecat · 08-15-2012, 01:29 PM

Originally posted by Docrwm

Ten days just sitting in the ISC facility in NYC, not waiting to be processed - no, just sitting. Geez.

Well, sure. Big volume of packages to move; stuff gets chucked in a corner till they have enough to fill a container maybe. I dunno. Or it gets set aside & ignored for a while. Doesn't surprise me. I recently had an eBay buyer give me a neutral rating because her item took 3 weeks to come from Canada. The service is just plain slow.
Well, it could be worse. Canada Post has lost some of my mail. Cross-country mailing rates are ludicrous. A friend bought me a little $2 joke gift. It was just a little too fat to go through the 2 cm letter-mail slot, so she had to pay parcel rate. It cost $13 to send it across Canada. You could send the same thing to the USA for about $5. I sent her something last week. I paid $12 for it; it cost me $13 to mail it. Now we're even.
Postal service logic? Uh-uh.

**ChrisPlatt** · 08-16-2012, 06:03 PM

"Processed through" does not mean it has cleared the facility.
The long hold at ISC New York was for Customs inspection.
But go ahead and blame USPS if you like. We're used to it...

Chris
USPS employee

kenafein · 08-16-2012, 06:11 PM

I am having a similar issue, but with the UK customs. USPS got the item there quickly and now UK customs is just sitting on it. My buyer is rightfully upset. I am not used to this. Most stuff I have ordered from China or Korea flies through customs. I wonder if the Olympics are to blame.

Tom S. · 08-16-2012, 06:48 PM

Customs and the USPS are both government agencies, but they are not the same agency. Your issue was with customs, not USPS. Be that as it may, do you have any idea how many parcels arrive in this country from China every day? US postal inspectors and customs have also been on the watch for counterfeit items coming from China, which I'm sure slows the process even more. Don't forget too that 3 of those 10 days were weekend days.

Docrwm · 08-16-2012, 07:15 PM

Originally posted by ChrisPlatt

"Processed through" does not mean it has cleared the facility.
The long hold at ISC New York was for Customs inspection.
But go ahead and blame USPS if you like. We're used to it...

Chris
USPS employee

Ok Chris, fair enough. Problem is that it made it to the NJ USPS facility at midnight on the 15th, but it's still not here.

I get shipments fron China roughly monthly. This one is taking a lot longer than usual.

**ChrisPlatt** · 08-17-2012, 04:04 PM

Unless it's express mail that's normal. As part of USPS restructuring
overnight delivery of First Class Mail now applies only to local mail.

Chris

Docrwm · 08-17-2012, 04:53 PM

Originally posted by ChrisPlatt

Unless it's express mail that's normal. As part of USPS restructuring
overnight delivery of First Class Mail now applies only to local mail.

Chris

Got it this morning. Never opened and no external indication that it was ever inspected (occasionally I have gotten stamps or notes or even attached forms on other items that have passed through customs). The case is in good shape and I am glad it finally arrived.

08-15-2012, 10:58 AM	#1
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285	Sometimes there's just no reason with USPS I ordered a lens case from China. Here's how it has progressed so far. Processed through USPS Sort Facility - 2012-08-15, 04:01:00, KEARNY, NJ 07032 Depart USPS Sort Facility - 2012-08-15, 00:00:00, KEARNY, NJ 07032 Processed Through Sort Facility - 2012-08-05, 16:45:00, ISC NEW YORK NY(USPS) Processed Through Sort Facility - 2012-07-31, 15:39:00, SHENZHEN Acceptance - 2012-07-30, 21:35:00 10 days AFTER it was cleared by Customs it leaves the NYC facility and is back on its way to me. Ten days just sitting in the ISC facility in NYC, not waiting to be processed - no, just sitting. Geez.

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08-15-2012, 01:29 PM	#2
Alliecat Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: East of Everywhere, Canada Posts: 740	Originally posted by Docrwm Ten days just sitting in the ISC facility in NYC, not waiting to be processed - no, just sitting. Geez. Well, sure. Big volume of packages to move; stuff gets chucked in a corner till they have enough to fill a container maybe. I dunno. Or it gets set aside & ignored for a while. Doesn't surprise me. I recently had an eBay buyer give me a neutral rating because her item took 3 weeks to come from Canada. The service is just plain slow. Well, it could be worse. Canada Post has lost some of my mail. Cross-country mailing rates are ludicrous. A friend bought me a little $2 joke gift. It was just a little too fat to go through the 2 cm letter-mail slot, so she had to pay parcel rate. It cost $13 to send it across Canada. You could send the same thing to the USA for about $5. I sent her something last week. I paid $12 for it; it cost me $13 to mail it. Now we're even. Postal service logic? Uh-uh.

08-16-2012, 06:03 PM	#3
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,694	"Processed through" does not mean it has cleared the facility. The long hold at ISC New York was for Customs inspection. But go ahead and blame USPS if you like. We're used to it... Chris USPS employee

08-16-2012, 06:11 PM	#4
kenafein Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Southern California Photos: Albums Posts: 4,082	I am having a similar issue, but with the UK customs. USPS got the item there quickly and now UK customs is just sitting on it. My buyer is rightfully upset. I am not used to this. Most stuff I have ordered from China or Korea flies through customs. I wonder if the Olympics are to blame.

08-16-2012, 06:48 PM	#5
Tom S. Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Michigan Photos: Albums Posts: 4,317	Customs and the USPS are both government agencies, but they are not the same agency. Your issue was with customs, not USPS. Be that as it may, do you have any idea how many parcels arrive in this country from China every day? US postal inspectors and customs have also been on the watch for counterfeit items coming from China, which I'm sure slows the process even more. Don't forget too that 3 of those 10 days were weekend days.

08-16-2012, 07:15 PM	#6
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285 Original Poster	Originally posted by ChrisPlatt "Processed through" does not mean it has cleared the facility. The long hold at ISC New York was for Customs inspection. But go ahead and blame USPS if you like. We're used to it... Chris USPS employee Ok Chris, fair enough. Problem is that it made it to the NJ USPS facility at midnight on the 15th, but it's still not here. I get shipments fron China roughly monthly. This one is taking a lot longer than usual.

08-17-2012, 04:04 PM	#7
ChrisPlatt Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Rockaway Beach NYC Posts: 7,694	Unless it's express mail that's normal. As part of USPS restructuring overnight delivery of First Class Mail now applies only to local mail. Chris

08-17-2012, 04:53 PM	#8
Docrwm Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Somewhere in the Southern US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,285 Original Poster	Originally posted by ChrisPlatt Unless it's express mail that's normal. As part of USPS restructuring overnight delivery of First Class Mail now applies only to local mail. Chris Got it this morning. Never opened and no external indication that it was ever inspected (occasionally I have gotten stamps or notes or even attached forms on other items that have passed through customs). The case is in good shape and I am glad it finally arrived.