posted on August 12, 2004 04:27:36 PM new
Jeez ... The hits keep coming! I have a customer who lives in Italy and purchased some patterns from me. These items were shipped via airmail on May 13th. She just wrote to me today to let me know that she hasn't received them yet. How should I respond to this? She received e-mails from me as to when they were shipped and that they were going via airmail and should be received in 6-7 days. I do have the postal receipt showing that a shipment went to Italy on that date to prove that I shipped it.
Please, I do alot of business overseas and this is the first problem I have come across. I ship to the UK and Canada with no problems. I'm just seeking some advice on how to respond to her at this late date. I have no idea why I haven't heard something sooner.
posted on August 12, 2004 04:41:03 PM new"Mama Mia! Dat's a spicey meatball!
Italy is TERRIBLE to ship to & your packie is probably sitting in Customs, ageing like fine Parmasan!
Prohibitions for Italy
Albums of any kind (of photographs, postcards, postage stamps, etc.).
Articles of platinum or gold; jewelry; and other valuable articles unless sent as insured packages.
Artificial flowers and fruits and accessories for them.
Bells and other musical instruments and parts thereof.
Cartridge caps; cartridges.
Clocks and supplies for clocks.
Compound medicaments and medicines.
Coral mounted in any way.
Ether and chloroform.
Exposed photographic and cinematographic films.
Footwear of any kind.
Haberdashery and sewn articles of any kind, including trimmings and lace; handkerchiefs; scarves; shawls, needlework including stockings and gloves; bonnets, caps, and hats of any kind.
Hair and articles made of hair.
Leather goods.
Lighters and their parts, including lighter flints.
Live bees, leeches, and silkworms.
Nutmeg, vanilla; sea salt, rock salt; saffron.
Perfumery goods of all kinds (except soap).
Playing cards of any kind.
Postage stamps in sealed or unsealed letters.
Radioactive materials.
Ribbons for typewriters. Live bees, leeches, and silkworms. Parasites and predators of harmful insects.
Roasted or ground coffee and its substitutes; roasted chicory.
Saccharine and all products containing saccharine.
Salted, smoked or otherwise prepared meats; fats; and lard.
Tobacco.
Toys not made wholly of wood.
Treated skins and furs.
Weapons of any kind and spare parts for them.
Live plants and animals.
Arms and weapons.
Human remains.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Restrictions for Italy
Coins; bank notes; currency notes (paper money); traveler's checks; jewelry; and other precious or valuable articles must be enclosed in an insured parcel post package in order to be mailable to addressees in Italy.
Postage stamps for philatelic purposes are admitted in registered letter-post shipments on condition that the package bears a completed Form 2976 and the addressee complies with the Italian financial regulations.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Last time Ralphie sent his autographed color glossy fan photo to Italy, it sat around for TWO WEEKS!
Yours sounds like it was just tossed or you are being subjected to "kaka-di-Medici"
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we! They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” ~ GWBush White House 8/5/4
posted on August 12, 2004 04:49:28 PM new
Tom -- What should I say to her? I mailed the patterns out, but don't know how I should respond. It's been 3 MONTHS since I mailed them!
posted on August 12, 2004 04:58:55 PM new
There's really not much ya can say!
Send her a scan of the receipt & tell her to check with Italian Customs??
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we! They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” ~ GWBush White House 8/5/4
posted on August 12, 2004 05:23:59 PM new
Thanks, Tom. I don't know why she waited 3 months to contact me, but I'll write her back with copies of the receipt.
On a different note, how is Ralphie handling the hurricanes?
posted on August 12, 2004 05:38:17 PM new
Dianne - I've sold quite a few postcards to Italy and I have to say that it is the country where I have had the most problems. I have received empty envelopes as payment (cash was obviously removed) and I have had several packages "lost" in the mail. If your package isn't gathering mold in customs it is probably at the home of a postal employee . I have never had a package take 3 months to arrive. If the cards didn't bring such nice prices I wouldn't sell there!
I have refunded the payments to my buyers for lost card or offered them other ones in exchange...it's up to you how you handle it. I have had many (as in 150) good transactions too. I don't think there is any way to find your package unless you sent it registered mail.
**********************************
Sig files are too much trouble! http://stores.ebay.com/Moody-Mommys-Marvelous-Postcards
posted on August 12, 2004 05:38:32 PM new
Good question!
As neither one of us drive, I have to start realizing that he & I need a good emergency preparedness plan if we're gonna stay in FL!
I know one thing: I ain't gonna evacuate, if I have to abandon him
Don't quite know what to do...
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we! They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” ~ GWBush White House 8/5/4
posted on August 12, 2004 06:09:27 PM new
Keeping Ralphie in my thoughts.
BTW, went through many Typhoons while living in Okinawa. Fun. Not. Although those couple days after the storm after all the Mosquitos had been blown off the island...that was nice.
posted on August 12, 2004 06:24:08 PM new
No, we're in JAX & probably OK this time...
“Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we! They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.” ~ GWBush White House 8/5/4
posted on August 12, 2004 06:30:06 PM new
Tom, I hope you and Ralphie are OK. I understand how you feel about not abandoning Ralphie.
Every time something like this happens you see someone on the news talking about being worried about their pets. They didn't have time to get them when they were told to evacuate. Well, the last hurricane we had little Gunther had his leash on the whole time. He was going to be the first one in the car. And if I had to go to a shelter that wouldn't let him in, I would have slept in the car.
Debbie
Be kind. Everyone is fighting their own secret battles.
...Author Unknown
. I have never had a package take 3 months to arrive. If the cards didn't bring such nice prices I wouldn't sell there!
