Current Mail / Postage situation due to Covid-19

holy ghost · January 10, 2021, 05:41:32 PM

I got a package from Sam/The Rita in two days last week where usually it's a week or two from Vancouver to Toronto. It's bizarre!

Potier · January 11, 2021, 08:39:11 AM

Tried ordering some records from Finland the other day and was informed that there currently is no shipping from Finland to Canada. Apparently US is still cool but not north of there...

FreakAnimalFinland · January 14, 2021, 10:08:16 AM

oh damn! Australia and NZ seems to be open today, 14.1.2021! Got a lot of shipping to do...

Potier · January 18, 2021, 11:24:59 PM

Quote from: Potier on January 11, 2021, 08:39:11 AM
Tried ordering some records from Finland the other day and was informed that there currently is no shipping from Finland to Canada. Apparently US is still cool but not north of there...

Apparently the issue has now been resolved - shipping from Finland to Canada back on - let's see how long it'll take to get here.

Meaning Corrupted · January 19, 2021, 12:54:54 AM

Quote from: Potier on January 18, 2021, 11:24:59 PM
Quote from: Potier on January 11, 2021, 08:39:11 AM
Tried ordering some records from Finland the other day and was informed that there currently is no shipping from Finland to Canada. Apparently US is still cool but not north of there...
Apparently the issue has now been resolved - shipping from Finland to Canada back on - let's see how long it'll take to get here.

I'm located in US right below you, order shipped 12/16, still waiting patient. Reminds me of ordering pre-internet, waiting waiting waiting... then one day randomly, your mailbox brings the !!!!!

Meaning Corrupted · January 21, 2021, 06:19:01 AM

And Arrival. 35 days, not bad, all things considered. Now to dig in ✊

totalblack · January 25, 2021, 09:18:52 PM

Just heard that a parcel shipped from Germany on the 4th January arrived in New York on the 23rd via regular Deutsche Post goods mail. Several other tracked parcels sent via DHL haven't had any update since the start of November however. It seems that the delivery for smaller parcels is becoming normalized and quick again, but things from before the holidays and US election are still backlogged.

holy ghost · January 26, 2021, 04:00:27 PM

182 positive cases reported at the Canada Post sorting plant in Mississauga, Ontario. Delays are happening but damn Canadian people please be careful handling your mail!

I'm a frontline healthcare worker so I am now fully vaccinated as of last week and even then it doesn't feel any different after a full year of being so overtly cautious.....

Also speaking of shipping I ordered a few records from Japan recently and they're all using DHL Express to ship packages out. 3 days in total from records being dropped off to being delivered. Pretty amazing for $30 USD. I pay on average $18-25 from the US for an LP and that takes 3 weeks pandemic, 2 weeks regular. Even DHL from the US takes at least 3-4 weeks (although that's significantly cheaper and well worth it!).

Urban Noise · January 29, 2021, 11:08:33 AM

Does someone knows what the situation with mail from Europe to the US?
A package I sent in December arrived in USJFKA in the 30 of December and it is still to be delivered to the destination. No changes in the tracking after that and now I have a dude asking me about it... As if I'm not in the other side of the damn Atlantic.

Duncan · January 29, 2021, 02:36:19 PM

Quote from: Urban Noise on January 29, 2021, 11:08:33 AM
Does someone knows what the situation with mail from Europe to the US?
A package I sent in December arrived in USJFKA in the 30 of December and it is still to be delivered to the destination. No changes in the tracking after that and now I have a dude asking me about it... As if I'm not in the other side of the damn Atlantic.

What control do you have over it at this point? You're looking at the same tracking information as he is presumably?

Urban Noise · January 29, 2021, 03:02:45 PM

If he's even looking at the tracking, yes, same tracking number as the pack left from Portugal.

My control over the pack is zero at this point, it arrived in the US so, basically, I can't do shit.

FreakAnimalFinland · January 29, 2021, 03:37:56 PM

This is very common situation.
It says in Finnish post site that "for example, custom clearance in the United States may delay. Due to the aforementioned reasons the shipments may de delayed for weeks".

Also, this is nothing new. For couple of years, there has been cases where cargo arrives to JFK, whole container remains unprocessed for weeks, even month(s). Then one day someone opens it and mail goes forward. Meanwhile, shipment done day before or after had no delays at all.

At the moment I have successfully sent most orders and then again, couple items bending 2 months - probably at JFK. Not scanned at USA yet.

ConcreteMascara · January 29, 2021, 04:50:51 PM

Quote from: Urban Noise on January 29, 2021, 11:08:33 AM
Does someone knows what the situation with mail from Europe to the US?
A package I sent in December arrived in USJFKA in the 30 of December and it is still to be delivered to the destination. No changes in the tracking after that and now I have a dude asking me about it... As if I'm not in the other side of the damn Atlantic.

I think it's very possible that the package left JFK and hasn't been re-scanned but is in route. That happens to me with tracked international stuff I am receiving and sending fairly regularly. Once a package crosses the ocean the tracking used by one country isn't always used by the receiving one.

My latest international experiences have been: 1) a huge box of records from France arrived in 6 days much to my surprise and the seller's surprise; 2) I've been waiting for 20 days for 2 12"s from Germany; 3) one 12" took two and half months from Germany; 4) and media mail here in the US remains around the 1 week mark for arrival.

I'm still surprised by how slow post from Germany has been since they started shipping to the US again. I guess I should pay more attention to which carriers are faster but I can say stuff from Hardwax takes forever where stuff from Void Vinyl shows up in two weeks or less. The shipping costs are normally similar but there must be a carrier difference. Shit I've bought over discogs from Germany is always a toss-up.

deviated_septum · January 29, 2021, 07:32:36 PM

Quote from: ConcreteMascara on January 29, 2021, 04:50:51 PM
Quote from: Urban Noise on January 29, 2021, 11:08:33 AM
Does someone knows what the situation with mail from Europe to the US?
A package I sent in December arrived in USJFKA in the 30 of December and it is still to be delivered to the destination. No changes in the tracking after that and now I have a dude asking me about it... As if I'm not in the other side of the damn Atlantic.

I think it's very possible that the package left JFK and hasn't been re-scanned but is in route. That happens to me with tracked international stuff I am receiving and sending fairly regularly. Once a package crosses the ocean the tracking used by one country isn't always used by the receiving one.

This is very possible, especially for small registered packages. Recently had a single-tape trade package coming from Slovenia arrive at the international exchange office in NYC on Dec 17 (after leaving Slovenia on Nov 17) that didn't update tracking until it was in my mailbox in Seattle on January 23. I think there was a short time where all non-express/priority mail was still coming on boat if it was routed through Germany, which always seems to take far more time to process stateside than if it had arrived by air.

NerveGas · January 29, 2021, 11:53:59 PM

Quote from: ConcreteMascara on January 29, 2021, 04:50:51 PM
Quote from: Urban Noise on January 29, 2021, 11:08:33 AM
Does someone knows what the situation with mail from Europe to the US?
A package I sent in December arrived in USJFKA in the 30 of December and it is still to be delivered to the destination. No changes in the tracking after that and now I have a dude asking me about it... As if I'm not in the other side of the damn Atlantic.

I think it's very possible that the package left JFK and hasn't been re-scanned but is in route. That happens to me with tracked international stuff I am receiving and sending fairly regularly. Once a package crosses the ocean the tracking used by one country isn't always used by the receiving one.

My latest international experiences have been: 1) a huge box of records from France arrived in 6 days much to my surprise and the seller's surprise; 2) I've been waiting for 20 days for 2 12"s from Germany; 3) one 12" took two and half months from Germany; 4) and media mail here in the US remains around the 1 week mark for arrival.

I'm still surprised by how slow post from Germany has been since they started shipping to the US again. I guess I should pay more attention to which carriers are faster but I can say stuff from Hardwax takes forever where stuff from Void Vinyl shows up in two weeks or less. The shipping costs are normally similar but there must be a carrier difference. Shit I've bought over discogs from Germany is always a toss-up.

Lucky you've been getting media mail in a week. Seems like it usually takes about 2 weeks or more for me. I'm not complaining as I have plenty of new releases piling up. But does seem like as far as USPS domestic mail is concerned Media Mail is the most affected. Guess it makes sense given the price. If I buy anything remotely pricey these days I always shell out for priority. Not worth the stress. Especially when there's always the odd chance Media Mail takes a month or so. Which I believe I stated in previous posts has happened to me a few times.

Recently purchased some stuff from Sweden. First international purchase since maybe April. We will see how it works out. Happy to wait as long as it shows up.