The package I shipped from Florence with souvenirs and extras I didn't want to carry never made it

Sally,

I'd give it a some more time as the package was probably routed via "surface mail", which means it could be on a Steamer somewhere in the Atlantic. The Italian Postal system doesn't always operate too quickly, so that's another reason to wait a bit longer. There is a slight possibility that it could be "lost", so you'll also have to prepare for that eventuality.

Good luck!

Sally B.

I sent back home about 6 packages from different countries on my most recent trip this Sept. I had all but one waiting for me when i returned the last week of Sept. It turned out that one from hamburg was missing and that was more or less the 2nd/3rd week of sept it was sent. i had sent packages after Hamburg and they were all there.

If its lost there not much you can do about it unless you had it insured. And then you would probably only get some $$$ out of it, not the stuff.

I would give it some time. You never know when it will show up.

just a question. Is that the only package sent? Since you probably needed a return address did you use your hotel? if so, i would contact them to see if it was returned for any reason.

happy trails.

This won't help the OP now, but it's good to know how shipping ser ices try to recover undelivered packages: I disn't know this procedure at the time I shipped the packages, but when one package didn't arrive and I followed up with FedEx to track it ( made it all the way from Mailboxes Etc in Orvieto to Memphis and got lost in the transfer there), the relentlessly efficient agent told me they search for lost packages by photograhs of its contents and a list of key words identifying the contents. Two days later I had the package.

I mailed myself 3 boxes from Japan this summer, 1 air mail, 2 surface. Air mail normally takes 1 week, that one took 3. Surface is usually 6 weeks, those took 8 and 9 weeks. When I enquired at the post office, they told me that US customs has been incredibly slow processing mail recently. I wouldnt't give up hope yet.

Several years ago, the company I worked for shipped children's toys and novelties to a company in Canada. It was held up for weeks with Canadian customs. The reason- one of the items was an inflatable bat labeled "Flower Bat" on the packing slip. Customs thought it was agricultural. So be careful of what words you use to list the contents. You shouldn't use anything that will push the bureaucratic buttons.

Don't give up hope yet. I buy foreign language books from all over the world and the packages from Italy seem to take the longest. Occasionally I'll get one in a couple weeks, but usually I allow 8 to 10 weeks before I ask the seller if the item is lost. Only had one order go completely missing and that was because it wasn't well sealed; got the box but no books.

The Italian postal system is infamous for its inefficiency. That's a kind word to describe its operations. As others have said, it's too soon to give up hope. If you used a cc to purchase any of the contents of the parcel, you should check to see if the cc includes compensation for lost or stolen items. Many do. I'd phone the cc company to check on the following: (1) does your card have this feature, (2) what is the amount of time covered after purchase, and (3) how soon should you file a claim. Won't get your stuff, but it may reimburse some of the loss.

While in Florence this past June, we also decided to ship back some things we did not want to carry around on the next legs of the trip, and shipped it from a Mailboxes Etc. store as we were warned that the Italian postal mail is not at all reliable for overseas shipments. My MIL paid a hefty price for the shipment, but it was delivered within the week (we were actually still in Italy), so I guess it was worth it. Incidentally, we mailed some postcards from a Roman post office and still have not received it! I hope you get your box soon!

Did you have insurance on the package? We have a big piece of art work shipped back from Italy last May. The shipping was 150E but it was insured and we had tracking number via Italian post. The package was about 5'by 5' so maybe it was harder to lose. It was actually delivered by the US Post since it came through as regular Priority mail. The tracking number was very general and did not provide the hour by hour tracking you get via Fed Ex or UPS. And it took six or maybe eight weeks but we were beginning to worry. Give it a couple more weeks.

The last time I visited Italy was in 2001 but it sounds like the postal system hasn't changed at all. I mailed postcards to friends in this country and they all took about a month to arrive; I assumed they'd all gotten lost. So one month for a postcard may equal at least that for a package that has to go through customs. The package you received quickly sounds like a fluke in the postal service!

I used to live in Florence and I can tell you in no uncertain terms that the Italian mail system runs slower than the 1980's bread line in Moscow. My aunt who lives in Austria mailed a package to me, and one to my mother in the US on the same day. My mother received her package 12 days later. Mine arrived about 8 weeks later.

Things that I mailed home to the US from packages to postcards took an excruciatingly long time, and one package that I sent when I arrived in November didn't make it to me until I had already returned home in May. For some reason it took a detour through the Atlantic down the coast of Africa, up the coast of South America, and then spent some 6 weeks in customs somewhere in Alaska. The package was better traveled than I am.

I later learned that this is the norm for Italian Post the only exception being the Vatican Post Office. Apparently it is the only post office in Italy that is almost guaranteed to get you your stuff on time. I'm guessing a Vatican postmark is blessed by God or the Pope and is not to be trifled with.

Thank so much for the kind encouragement. I will be patient, and it was just stuff. Can't take away the memories.

You may have better luck next time with a private shipper, like UPS, FedEx, or DHL, where you can insure and track your parcel in real time. Still, I shipped an insured package through UPS a couple of months back, and it got hung up in customs. Because I could track it online, I knew exactly where it was, but it was an unexpected delay. I had to jump through a few hoops to get it moving again, and it finally arrived about a week and a half later than planned. I frequently get packages from Europe via DHL…never an issue. Good luck…hope it turns up soon.

I would wait a bit longer before getting too worried. I shipped 4 different parcels to the same address on the same day from Florence to Vancouver Canada. (Nieces and nephew gifts). 3 of the 4 arrived the same week - the last one took two months more to get there. It was my fault, I forgot to write "canada" on the address label. However someone in the Italian postal system had figured it our and written it on the label for me and it eventually arrived about 2 months later than the other parcels.

Hi Sally,

Also remember that it will have to go through the Dept. of Homeland Security Customs sorting area, which is just slightly better than the Italian Mail Service. We have had friends receive items we have sent, in different boxes than shipped in, items missing, and items we did not ship. (Once a shoe horn and Nascar binoculars.) It will have this bizarre colored tape, and a form letter that explains why it was opened, if they opened it. 6 weeks so far? Give it 6 more, then worry.