Slow shipping? Stuck in ISC L.A

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

Many times. You're in Canada, as am I.

My guess is that the shipper used a third party discount shipping service to send your purchase. This happens all the time with certain sellers in the western U.S. These types of shipments seem to bounce around between various sorting centers in the LA area, sometimes for a month or two. Sometimes, it just gets lost in their black hole and they furnish you with no information for 30-60 days. It's atrocious. Good luck in ever locating these shipments when they're in this state of limbo. My best guess is that USPS gives these packages the lowest of low priorities due to the discounted shipping rates, but again, that's always been my guess.

Another awful thing about these shipments is that the tracking number will only work within the U.S. Once it has been dispatched to the destination country, you'll never know where it is until it arrives.

If you are dealing with a seller who you know uses these methods, spend extra for UPS if you want to see your cards in a more reasonable amount of time.

[irv]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

Many times. You're in Canada, as am I.

My guess is that the shipper used a third party discount shipping service to send your purchase. This happens all the time with certain sellers in the western U.S. These types of shipments seem to bounce around between various sorting centers in the LA area, sometimes for a month or two. Sometimes, it just gets lost in their black hole and they furnish you with no information for 30-60 days. It's atrocious. Good luck in ever locating these shipments when they're in this state of limbo. My best guess is that USPS gives these packages the lowest of low priorities due to the discounted shipping rates, but again, that's always been my guess.

Another awful thing about these shipments is that the tracking number will only work within the U.S. Once it has been dispatched to the destination country, you'll never know where it is until it arrives.

If you are dealing with a seller who you know uses these methods, spend extra for UPS if you want to see your cards in a more reasonable amount of time.

USPS is exactly who it is but I am surprised, if it's true, that this seller would use the cheapest form of shipping, especially when shipping is $15 U.S. or $20 CDN?
I've had delays before, but nothing like this, and that was when their shipping fees were just $5.95 not that long ago.

Judging by your reply, it sounds like I am not the only one.

Thanks for the info!
I appreciate that.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I had a funny feeling I knew exactly who you placed an order with. Now I know for sure!

They're a great company, as we all know. They bumped their S&H charges significantly for Canadian shipments. It used to only be $1 more than their domestic S&H rate. Not sure what happened, and I too have wondered if this increased rate would translate to quicker shipping times. Guess not. I wouldn't know, as I have any of my winnings from them shipped to an American address, then forwarded on via untracked letter mail to Canada. This actually takes less time, in spite of the shipments having to travel over 1000 miles out of their way! My advice to you would be to find an American friend with whom you can make a similar arrangement.

[skelly423]

Fellow Canadian, I get the same problem all the time. There's a prominent ebay seller in southern California, and reliably his packages take 6 weeks to arrive. I had one wander from Carson CA to Los Angeles, and back again, four times before it exited the loop. I don't know of any solution, but you're not alone in your frustrations.

[irv]

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

I had a funny feeling I knew exactly who you placed an order with. Now I know for sure!

They're a great company, as we all know. They bumped their S&H charges significantly for Canadian shipments. It used to only be $1 more than their domestic S&H rate. Not sure what happened, and I too have wondered if this increased rate would translate to quicker shipping times. Guess not. I wouldn't know, as I have any of my winnings from them shipped to an American address, then forwarded on via untracked letter mail to Canada. This actually takes less time, in spite of the shipments having to travel over 1000 miles out of their way! My advice to you would be to find an American friend with whom you can make a similar arrangement.

Thank you. I have looked into a U.S. mailbox but with the nearest border crossing being 2+ hrs away, I decided just to continue on with what I am doing.
However, depending on when this card, and 2 others purchased after this one, get here, I may just try something different the next go around?

[maniac_73]

Canadian here and I'm used to it. I have one card stuck in Customs review and another stuck at the LA distribution facility. I've learned to not expect anything for a least a month coming the states.
Im actually looking at getting a PO box in Buffalo and just getting my packages from there once a month since Im only an hour from the border. Makes it easier for sellers too.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

I deal with another seller out of Colorado. They also use a discount shipper. All of their shipments go to L.A. first as well, getting this same pariah-like treatment from USPS. You'd think that a shipment from Colorado to more eastern Canada (SW Ontario) might actually move in a more logically eastward fashion, but no.

Again, talk to the seller and see if they can come up with something better. For my fellow Canadians, look into NetParcel. They're a different kind of third party discount shipper, based out of the GTA. A UPS shipment with them is practically the same cost as the $15 USD the one company now charges to ship up here via the terrible method. No matter where you are in Canada, with a free account, you can print off shipments from the U.S. to Canada and vice versa. Huge savings over retail, and none of the USPS B.S. The UPS shipments take the same amount of time as if you had paid full price directly via UPS. Perhaps ask them if you can furnish your own prepaid UPS label instead. I've had luck doing this with a few auction houses, and have been very content with the results.

[irv]

Originally Posted by skelly423

Fellow Canadian, I get the same problem all the time. There's a prominent ebay seller in southern California, and reliably his packages take 6 weeks to arrive. I had one wander from Carson CA to Los Angeles, and back again, four times before it exited the loop. I don't know of any solution, but you're not alone in your frustrations.

Originally Posted by maniac_73

Canadian here and I'm used to it. I have one card stuck in Customs review and another stuck at the LA distribution facility. I've learned to not expect anything for a least a month coming the states.
Im actually looking at getting a PO box in Buffalo and just getting my packages from there once a month since Im only an hour from the border. Makes it easier for sellers too.

Thanks guys. I don't recall dealing with something like this before but I guess there is always a first time.
Technically, it has only been a bit over a couple of weeks so maybe I am just being impatient, and seeing the estimated delivery date of today, didn't help either.

Originally Posted by BillyCox3

I deal with another seller out of Colorado. They also use a discount shipper. All of their shipments go to L.A. first as well, getting this same pariah-like treatment from USPS. You'd think that a shipment from Colorado to more eastern Canada (SW Ontario) might actually move in a more logically eastward fashion, but no.

Again, talk to the seller and see if they can come up with something better. For my fellow Canadians, look into NetParcel. They're a different kind of third party discount shipper, based out of the GTA. A UPS shipment with them is practically the same cost as the $15 USD the one company now charges to ship up here via the terrible method. No matter where you are in Canada, with a free account, you can print off shipments from the U.S. to Canada and vice versa. Huge savings over retail, and none of the USPS B.S. The UPS shipments take the same amount of time as if you had paid full price directly via UPS. Perhaps ask them if you can furnish your own prepaid UPS label instead. I've had luck doing this with a few auction houses, and have been very content with the results.

Great info again, Billy.

Thanks.