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 Naiad0018
 
posted on February 24, 2006 02:04:35 PM new
Does anyone know if it is possible to track an item with the customs form number? I have a buyer in Canada that said she didn't receive her item that was mailed end of Jan. I asked the Post Office to check and see if they still have it, but I will have to wait until Monday....just wondering Thanks

 
 mikes4x4andtruckrepair
 
posted on February 24, 2006 02:36:11 PM new
With the new reg's the USPS implemented at the begining of the new year you should be able to now. Just go to www.usps.com, click on the tracking link and insert your customs form number. If they scanned the customs form bar code at the post office (as they are required to now) it should show in the tracking info and at other major stops along the way.


They say your memory's the second thing to go, I just can't remember what the first thing is.
 
 melissafan100
 
posted on February 24, 2006 02:52:11 PM new
Doesn't the scanning requirement only apply to parcel post mailings (air parcel post or economy parcel post)?
From what I understood, items sent via air letter post aren't scanned or covered under the new insurance policy. I could be mistaken though.

(I've tried checking with some of my recent letter post mailings to Canada and the UK which I know for certain were already delivered. When I plug the information into postal service web site, the item shows as having been accepted by the postal service, but never is scanned anywhere else along the way or when delivered.) For the light-weight and relatively inexpensive items that I normally ship, it wouldn't be worth the added expense to switch to shipping via air parcel post, but would be great if the postal service were to start scanning all letter post packages at the time of delivery, too.
[ edited by melissafan100 on Mar 4, 2006 07:03 AM ]
 
 Naiad0018
 
posted on February 24, 2006 03:02:43 PM new
Thanks for the responses.....I was just trying to print a shipping label for another item for Canada and the only options it gave was Global rates i'm confused

 
 photosensitive
 
posted on February 24, 2006 03:03:06 PM new
I mailed a sale to England by air letter post on Feb. 17. The customs number comes up as accepted with the time and date but shows nothing else. Seems to me a week should be enough time to show something. Maybe the US post office scans when it leaves but the UK does not scan when it arrives.



-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
 
 hwahwa
 
posted on February 24, 2006 03:13:01 PM new
I dont think local post office would scan customs forms coming from foreign countries,the format is so different from country to country,they would have to program their system how to decode and interpret each one,and it really does not do much for them.


I know with USPS,the only time they capture the information (not the customs number) is an express or certified or registered mail number and they will add a prefix to it ,like CE is Canada.
/ lets all stop whining !! /
 
 hwahwa
 
posted on February 24, 2006 03:14:55 PM new
[ edited by hwahwa on Feb 24, 2006 03:16 PM ]
 
 TheFamilyBiz
 
posted on February 24, 2006 03:30:44 PM new
They are only scanning parcel post - air or economy.

Check one of those and you'll see the additional info.


Wayne

Never explain -- Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe you anyway.
~ Elbert Hubbard
 
 hwahwa
 
posted on February 24, 2006 04:06:09 PM new
I have asked this question before but no one has given me an answer.
Just because we can plug that US customs number on USPS website where we enter the DC number,DOES IT MEAN PAYPAL WILL ACCEPT IT AS PROOF THAT WE HAVE SHIPPED THE ITEM?????
If you look closely at the tracking details,it just shows it has travelled from one city to another city of different countires,it does not give us any clue if it has been delivered to a residential address.
SO what does it buy us in term of PAYPAL SELLER PROTECTION??
/ lets all stop whining !! /
 
 tOMWiii
 
posted on February 24, 2006 05:01:46 PM new
"Just because we can plug that US customs number on USPS website where we enter the DC number,DOES IT MEAN PAYPAL WILL ACCEPT IT AS PROOF THAT WE HAVE SHIPPED THE ITEM?????"

Other than CANADA and the UK, who cares???

THOSE TWO are the ONLY countries (outside the USA) which are covered under the SELLERS' UN-PROTECTION POLICY!






"And then that little jerk Ralphie convinced all the sheep-herders to build a roller-skating rink!"
 
 hwahwa
 
posted on February 24, 2006 06:28:36 PM new
so,with UK and Canada,what does the customs number mean to PAYPAL??
/ lets all stop whining !! /
 
 tOMWiii
 
posted on February 24, 2006 06:51:42 PM new
Since they accept DELIVERY CONFIRMATION for proof of DELIVERY (only) (<$250) and SIGNATURE CONFIRMATION for proof of DELIVERY (only) (>$250), I would imagine they's accept the CUSTOMS NUMBER also, just as long as it can be tracked ONLINE...

Course, the fly-in-the-ointment with ALL of these scenarios is that NONE of these USPS offerings make note that the item is DELIVERED TO THE CONFIRMED ADDRESS, a new wrinkle...

BASICALLY, for Ralphie & I, there are just WAY too many iffy-boos involved with accepting PAYPAL for NON-USA buyers, and we DON'T!

Ya practically have to be a BARRISTER to figure out all the "ifs-and-or-butts" attached by PayPal -- Ralphie advises: "Screw it!"

We are now doing many more direct BANK-TO-BANK WIRE TRANSFERS with good happys! It costs us $12 which we happily pass along to the buyer, and there ain't no CHARGEBACK fears...I also had a long discussion with my bank about security (giving our checking account number, etc) and they were very re-assuring to me...

We are now pushing it for all our very EXPENSIVE sales -- just had a LABORATORY in ECUADOR the other day spend $1200...WHOO-HOOO!





"And then that little jerk Ralphie convinced all the sheep-herders to build a roller-skating rink!"
 
 LtRay
 
posted on February 24, 2006 10:43:55 PM new
Good for you Tom!

I ship Global Priority exclusively. My experience with Customs tracking is that the USPS site only shows tracking to the main export airport. Gives me proof of mailing as far as I am concerned.

And since USPS now provides $100 insurance, I am not concerned about claims of non-delivery. I am sure the PO will find the package or provide proof of delivery if buyer claims non-receipt.

Of course, if you are shipping something valued over $100, you need to weigh your personal risk tolerance should the package actually become lost or riffled. The Po will either find the package or just pay you $100 to go away.

I use a 3rd party insurer for anything over $100.
 
 mikes4x4andtruckrepair
 
posted on February 24, 2006 11:00:50 PM new
Ok, looks like it's time to beat the dead horse again

Insurance IS NOT A FLAT $100.00. It is based on the weight of the package. Please refer to earlier post about included indemnity coverage and international package tracking provided by the USPS.
http://www.vendio.com/mesg/read.html?num=2&thread=627670

USPS link to the new reg's. The indemnity coverage based on weight chart is about half way down the page.
http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/2005/html/pb22169/intmail.html#one


Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein [ edited by mikes4x4andtruckrepair on Feb 25, 2006 12:18 AM ]
 
 LtRay
 
posted on February 25, 2006 12:47:55 AM new
True Mike, I guess I should have said "usually" $100 <g>
 
 hwahwa
 
posted on February 25, 2006 05:49:59 AM new
Ltray said-
And since USPS now provides $100 insurance, I am not concerned about claims of non-delivery. I am sure the PO will find the package or provide proof of delivery if buyer claims non-receipt.

Of course, if you are shipping something valued over $100, you need to weigh your personal risk tolerance should the package actually become lost or riffled. The Po will either find the package or just pay you $100 to go away.
////////////////////////////////////////////
DONT HOLD YOUR BREATH that the PO will find your package,how?? from a foreign post office say in Rwanda or war torn Ethiopia??
And USPS giving away 100 dollars left and right just because the package is lost in the Peruvian forest or the Amazon??
EMS used to include 500 dollars insurance,then it is cut back to 250,and now it is 100,why?
Because some foreign nationals is making a living scamming ,500 US dollars is more than enough to feed entire family for one year.

/ lets all stop whining !! /
 
 whatnot3
 
posted on February 27, 2006 08:56:31 PM new
To track packages to Canada including letter-post, just go to www.canadapost.ca and enter the customs number in the tracking box.

 
 mikes4x4andtruckrepair
 
posted on February 27, 2006 09:08:49 PM new
Holy (pardon the french) crap batman!!!! You da man whatnot3. I just checked a package I sent via USPS Global Airmail Parcel Post to Canada and I'll be darned. I can track the US customs form number on the Canada website. Better yet IT PROVIDED THE DIGITAL CAPTURE SIGNATURE WHERE THEY SIGNED FOR IT. That is fantastic. I had no idea I could track US customs forms numbers like that. Very, very handy info. Thanks so much.

edited to add the Canada post tracking link. https://obc.canadapost.ca/emo/basicPin.do?language=en&?sblid=DC
Just enter your US customs form number in the first search block titled Item Number.

Here's a copy of what it showed.

Date of Event Time of Event Location Description Retail Location Signatory Name
2006/01/26 PM ST JACOBS, ON Item successfully delivered to Receiver's address
2006/01/26 Signature image recorded for Online viewing JACOB MARTINS
2006/01/24 17:34 KITCHENER, ON Item accepted and entered into sortation plant
2006/01/22 14:59 International item has arrived in the destination country
2006/01/17 07:48 Item being processed for departure to destination country
2006/01/16 20:59 International item has left the origin country
2006/01/14 11:23 International item has been posted in origin country


Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein [ edited by mikes4x4andtruckrepair on Feb 27, 2006 09:30 PM ]
 
 irked
 
posted on February 27, 2006 11:09:25 PM new
Now all they need to do is make it like that for all countries. We would be more happy maybe even Payfeepal too.
**************

Without my ignorance, your Knowledge would be meaningless.
 
 photosensitive
 
posted on February 28, 2006 04:43:30 AM new
Is there a chance that the UK postal service can track a customs number? I am going to poke around their site but if anyone has tried it I would like to know your experience. As I said earlier I can see the air letter post package I send on Feb. 17 as accepted at my post office but nothing after. It is ONLY $200 but that is a pretty big sale for me. I am sure I should not have accepted PayPal on it but it is an item that has almost sold a number of times and I wanted to move it.

*Edited to say: Nope the Royal Mail site says items mailed abroad can not be tracked. Bummer!

-----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o
“The illiterate of the future will be the person ignorant of the use of the camera as well as of the pen.”
Maholy-Nagy, Vision in Motion, 1947
[ edited by photosensitive on Feb 28, 2006 05:35 AM ]
 
 hwahwa
 
posted on February 28, 2006 06:02:12 AM new
someone once posted a site where you can track mail in UK,but I think you have to use a service called Royal post?????or Royal Mail??
/ lets all stop whining !! /
 
 tonimar1
 
posted on February 28, 2006 06:19:32 AM new
When I spoke to my postmaster he said:
Once a package leaves this country that is the last time it gets scanned and that is all they track, there is no tracking after it gets on the plane, there is no way to know where it goes after that last scan

Also he said Registered Mail has a value limit of 44.00. meaning even if your package is valued 200.00 the post office only insures it for 44.00.

So I would agree with LT,

But what I don't understand is how can the post office reimburse you if your customer says he didn't receive the package because the post office would have a record that it got on the plan, and they do tell us that its out of there hands once its on the plane

But thanks for the info on Canada Tracking, will come in handy.
[ edited by tonimar1 on Feb 28, 2006 06:23 AM ]
 
 mikes4x4andtruckrepair
 
posted on February 28, 2006 10:39:43 AM new
tonimar1 - My understanding of the new customs requirements was not only for the US but all UPU (Universal Postal Union) member country's. All incoming international Parcel Post items are to be scanned by the USPS or have that country's form manually entered and the other UPU member country's were supposed to do the same for incoming US mail. Use these USPS links for reference: http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/2005/html/pb22167/internationmail.html#two
http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/bulletin/2005/html/pb22169/intmail.html#one

The UPU's plan to include insurance on all international Parcel Post articles is one reason they are implementing the new scanning requirements. Now that the Postal Service is taking the responsibility for insurance they want to be able to have some kind of tracking on the items they are insuring. I think the way that Canada now shows US customs forms through their system is how it "should" be working for other UPU member country's. I'm sure it's not going to happen over night in every country but it looks like the change is in the works at least.

Links to almost every major country can be found here http://www.postoffice.com/ . If I get a chance this week I may try some of the other country's postal service websites and see if I can track international shipment's to some of the other countries I have shipped to recently.


Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
 
 hwahwa
 
posted on February 28, 2006 10:52:30 AM new
Insurance coverage for registered mail vary from country to country,you should state what country it is going to.
On the USPS indemnity by weight or content,I would assume content is declared value,so dont forget next time your bidder asks you to lie on the customs form say the item is only worth 10 dollars,think about it!!
Also,USPS is notorious in being slow in sending out claims checks,so with intl shipping,all that paperwork going back and forth and finally with USPS,it could be months and your customer may not want to wait months to get his money.
I would make them buy insurance with DSI or U-PIC if it is valuable.
/ lets all stop whining !! /
[ edited by hwahwa on Feb 28, 2006 10:54 AM ]
 
 mikes4x4andtruckrepair
 
posted on February 28, 2006 11:12:24 AM new
Well I just tried the UK site AND IT WORKS FOR TRACKING INCOMING US MAIL

Give them a try here

Just enter your US customs forms number and click the incoming international parcel box and then track. HOT DAMN!!! I can't wait until all the UPU countries get this up and running.

edited to add: Note the example tracking number on the UK site. It is in the format of the US Customs forms numbers, only with a GB at the end instead of a US. So from the looks of it all UPU member countries have changed the format of their customs forms numbers to the new format so all member countries can track between each other.

Here's the info I got with my US Customs form number. And you can view the digital capture signature on the UK site to.

Parcel number: EC760245605GB
Status: Delivered
Signed for by: DE BATES

Parcel tracks

Date Time Location Tracking Event
06-12-2005 13:19 Milton Keynes Depot Parcel delivered
06-12-2005 01:04 Milton Keynes Depot Out for delivery
06-12-2005 01:04 Milton Keynes Depot Arrived at delivery depot
05-12-2005 18:33 National Hub Sorted in hub
05-12-2005 13:09 International Hub Arrived in destination country
05-12-2005 12:14 International Hub Arrived at Hub
28-11-2005 18:45 CAPE FOREIGN CENTER JERSEY CITY NJ 099 Left origin country


Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein [ edited by mikes4x4andtruckrepair on Feb 28, 2006 11:22 AM ]
 
 mikes4x4andtruckrepair
 
posted on February 28, 2006 11:31:53 AM new
Was just on the Australian Postal website and they have a great page that has links to most large countries post offices. It takes you straight to the tracking page for each countries postal service. You might want to bookmark this one. http://ice.auspost.com.au/OtherTrackLinks.asp

edited to add: The US postal fee's increase was worth it this year. Looks like we are finally getting something for our money.


Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein [ edited by mikes4x4andtruckrepair on Feb 28, 2006 11:38 AM ]
 
 osusieque
 
posted on February 28, 2006 02:46:51 PM new
Everyone seems quite excited about the $100.00 insurance included, please make sure that you have your USPS rep. explain exactly what that means.
With Canada Post, I verified with 3 supervisors and the CEO of CP, all gave the same answer, surpisingly. To make a claim on lost OR damaged goods, we must provide the ORIGINAL bill of sale, specifically ebay is not the original bill of sale, it came from somewhere else before ebay. What they pay out is only based on the ORIGINAL bill of sale for the item.
In my case this is impossible as I am slowly but surely trying to sell much of our personal LP and reel tape collection. 99% of my items were puchased new 15-35 years ago, and no, I do not have the original bill of sale for each one, especially since we are talking near 20,000 items. For example I do not have the bill of sale for Beatles albums from 1965, BUT even if I did and I had originally paid $4.99 for it, no matter what I sold it for CP would only pay me the $4.99 as long as I had the original bill of sale from 1965. And then of course there are ones that I have purchased from record conventions, were there are no bills of sale exchanged. I'm not saying that this is the rules for USPS as I do not know, but you may want to confirm what their insurance claiming really involves.
As far as the tracking is, you people have no idea how lucky you have it. Canada does not have any kind of tracking associated with the customs forms. I can ship expedited which does have tracking but I also lost a paypal claim on that one. It could be tracked on CP but not on the USPS website. Paypal rep. said too bad must be trackable on USPS website see UA, I shared my thoughts with them on how hard it must be for them to type www.canadapost.ca and to see in fact it was delived.I must have got a real bright Paypal rep. as I also had to explain that USPS is not available in Canada and why. The only CP service that is trackable on the USPS website is Expresspost USA, how many of you would pay $11.43 for a CD to be shipped to you, or minimum $27.00 for 1 LP. No paypal here, more expensive items I ship expedited as I can type in www.canadapost.ca
Sorry for the long post, just hope USPS covers your back and not a false offer like CP or if you sell only new and have the "original bill of sale"

 
 mikes4x4andtruckrepair
 
posted on February 28, 2006 02:59:31 PM new
osusieque - You DO NOT need the original bill of sale you got when you originally purchased the item. Here's what you need as listed in the USPS international claims section.

http://www.usps.com/insuranceclaims/intlclaims.htm

Evidence of Value
The customer must submit acceptable evidence to establish the cost or value of the article at the time it was mailed. Examples of acceptable evidence of value:

Sales receipt, invoice or bill of sale, or statement of value from a reputable dealer.
Items valued up to $100 - the customer can submit a statement that includes the date and place of purchase, the amount paid, and wheter the item was new or used (only if a sales receipt or invoice is not available). If the article mailed is a hobby, craft, or similiar handmade item, the statement must include the cost of the materials used.
A picture from a catalog showing the value of a similar article (only if a sales receipt, invoice, or statment of value from a dealer is not available). The date and place of purchase must also be included.
Paid repair bills (not to exceed the original purchase price). For partial damage, estimates of repair costs or appraisals - not to exceed the original purchase price - from a reputable dealer are acceptable.
Receipt or invoice costs incurred for the replacement of nonnegotiable documents.
A copy of a canceled check, money order receipt, credit card statement, or other documentation indicating the amount paid. For Internet purchases, a copy of the front and back of the canceled check, money order, or a copy of the credit card billing statement is required.
For Internet transactions conducted through a Web-based payment network that offers payment services through a stored value account, provide a computer printout of the online transaction identifying the purchaser and seller, price paid, date of transaction, description of item purchased, and assurance that the transaction status is completed. The printout must clearly identify



I have filed USPS international mail insurance claims before and all I provided was a copy of the Vendio invoice. Never had a problem before.




Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
 
 osusieque
 
posted on February 28, 2006 03:05:19 PM new
Mike, I agree with you, as I stated, I do not know USPS rules for claims, I was giving Canada Post rules ie, shipped from Canada through CP.
Like I said, you guys have no idea how good you've got it.
 
 mikes4x4andtruckrepair
 
posted on February 28, 2006 03:08:03 PM new
Oh, sorry. I thought you were refering to doing a USPS claim. Sounds like Canada post is not as user friendly as the USPS.


Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. - Albert Einstein
 
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