Items lost in mail!!! what should I do?

Green · 7th January 2018, 08:20 PM

drac2k,

Many thanks for your suggestion. I have checked with Malaysian custom and the local post office and they confirmed that the package has not arrived in Malaysia yet.

Green · 16th February 2018, 04:52 AM

A happy update.

I have finally received the lost items!
Early this month the USPS managed to trace the whereabout of the items and resent back to the sender. It was unclear what went wrong but apparently the main reason I gathered from the communication was due to the custom declaration form was lost and the package was not shipped but sent to 'Dead mail center'.

To make sure it was not lost in the mail again I requested the auction house to resend to me using fedex (which I had to pay additional shipment fees) and it duly arrived last week.

To be fair I've not lost any shipment from USPS before and not sure whose fault it was in this case.

drac2k · 17th February 2018, 03:00 PM

Great news and congratulations; after a long lapse of time, the results are usually negative.

mariusgmioc · 18th February 2018, 05:52 PM

I am very happy to hear that you got your kerises!

Unfortunately, it seems there are more incidents like this (not necessarily with happy end) lately. I had two similar incidents (both with PostNL - Dutch post) during last few months.

The quality of services is free falling.

shayde78 · 21st February 2018, 04:43 AM

Happy to hear your situation had been resolved
As a tip for others, I have found that filing a claim with USPS often triggers a sudden delivery of 'stalled' items. In my opinion, always is a good idea to file a claim.
I'm glad your kerises ultimately found their way home and have earned even greater appreciation due to their journey.

GIO · 2nd August 2022, 01:35 PM

I have come to know of this post after so long tima has elapsed.
Once I bought a nice Madura keris hilt and received an empty envelope with a tear, indicating that the contents was stolen somewhere (I suspect after its arrival in Italy and after customs operations). I filed a claim both with the Italian customs and with the seller. I heard nothing from Italy, but to my great surprise I got an almost complete reimboursement from Indonesia. Unfortunately I don't remember further details as to the insurance or about who made the reimboursement (Indonesian Customs or Seller).

gp · 5th August 2022, 08:41 PM

Being a SME on physical distribution and customs, I can advise all shipping companies, regardless if you use the local / country's postal services like USPS, DP, post NL , B Post or carriers like FEDEX, UPS, DHL, Chronopost, DPD or whatever to:

- have it insured for 150% of the value or whatever higher level is indicated
- make a foto if you send or ask for a picture of the goods / package upon shipping to you
- do the same upon arrival
- sign with reservation
- claim within < 2 weeks, being the legal period
(attention: some carriers and or countries use a legal deadline of < 1 week to raise a claim
- preferably pay by a credit card as this also gives you some protection

it doesn't make a difference if you use f.i the Dutch Post or DHL: as long as you stick to the above rules.
I had a case were a package worth 2 K got lost by the postal services and as I could proof my case by complying with the above ABC, they paid after investigation.
On professional level I had a case were some boxes were stolen from a pallet to China and due to a mismatch between paper and physical qty I found my employer between a rock and a hard place.
Just because I had pictures of the outgoing shipment and could proof that upon arrival some tape to the plastic wrapping was added, my case was accepted by the quite strick authorities, goods cleared and an adjustment accepted, so a claim for the missing qty.

Just make sure you have it insured and proof available, regardless what you think or perception is. the latter doesn't count...
Take care and be smart !

18th February 2018, 05:52 PM	#4
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,906	I am very happy to hear that you got your kerises! Unfortunately, it seems there are more incidents like this (not necessarily with happy end) lately. I had two similar incidents (both with PostNL - Dutch post) during last few months. The quality of services is free falling. Last edited by mariusgmioc; 18th February 2018 at 06:23 PM.

5th August 2022, 08:41 PM	#7
gp Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 823	Being a SME on physical distribution and customs, I can advise all shipping companies, regardless if you use the local / country's postal services like USPS, DP, post NL , B Post or carriers like FEDEX, UPS, DHL, Chronopost, DPD or whatever to: - have it insured for 150% of the value or whatever higher level is indicated - make a foto if you send or ask for a picture of the goods / package upon shipping to you - do the same upon arrival - sign with reservation - claim within < 2 weeks, being the legal period (attention: some carriers and or countries use a legal deadline of < 1 week to raise a claim - preferably pay by a credit card as this also gives you some protection it doesn't make a difference if you use f.i the Dutch Post or DHL: as long as you stick to the above rules. I had a case were a package worth 2 K got lost by the postal services and as I could proof my case by complying with the above ABC, they paid after investigation. On professional level I had a case were some boxes were stolen from a pallet to China and due to a mismatch between paper and physical qty I found my employer between a rock and a hard place. Just because I had pictures of the outgoing shipment and could proof that upon arrival some tape to the plastic wrapping was added, my case was accepted by the quite strick authorities, goods cleared and an adjustment accepted, so a claim for the missing qty. Just make sure you have it insured and proof available, regardless what you think or perception is. the latter doesn't count... Take care and be smart ! Last edited by gp; 6th August 2022 at 05:58 PM.

7th January 2018, 08:20 PM	#1
Green Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Malaysia Posts: 320	drac2k, Many thanks for your suggestion. I have checked with Malaysian custom and the local post office and they confirmed that the package has not arrived in Malaysia yet.

16th February 2018, 04:52 AM	#2
Green Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Malaysia Posts: 320	A happy update. I have finally received the lost items! Early this month the USPS managed to trace the whereabout of the items and resent back to the sender. It was unclear what went wrong but apparently the main reason I gathered from the communication was due to the custom declaration form was lost and the package was not shipped but sent to 'Dead mail center'. To make sure it was not lost in the mail again I requested the auction house to resend to me using fedex (which I had to pay additional shipment fees) and it duly arrived last week. To be fair I've not lost any shipment from USPS before and not sure whose fault it was in this case.

17th February 2018, 03:00 PM	#3
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,255	Great news and congratulations; after a long lapse of time, the results are usually negative.

21st February 2018, 04:43 AM	#5
shayde78 Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 445	Happy to hear your situation had been resolved As a tip for others, I have found that filing a claim with USPS often triggers a sudden delivery of 'stalled' items. In my opinion, always is a good idea to file a claim. I'm glad your kerises ultimately found their way home and have earned even greater appreciation due to their journey.

2nd August 2022, 01:35 PM	#6
GIO Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Posts: 328	I have come to know of this post after so long tima has elapsed. Once I bought a nice Madura keris hilt and received an empty envelope with a tear, indicating that the contents was stolen somewhere (I suspect after its arrival in Italy and after customs operations). I filed a claim both with the Italian customs and with the seller. I heard nothing from Italy, but to my great surprise I got an almost complete reimboursement from Indonesia. Unfortunately I don't remember further details as to the insurance or about who made the reimboursement (Indonesian Customs or Seller).