Goods we purchased in Krakow 9/29 still haven’t arrived

I can’t speak Poland, but I did send stuff from London and it took about 10 weeks. I actually thought it was gone but it did eventually show up.

If it were me, I would email the shop to let them know you haven't received it yet and ask how it was sent. If it was sent by freight, it's very possible that it could take 2-3 months to get to you. It's the seller's responsibility so let them know and see what they say.

In fact, now that I think about it, isn't Gdańsk a seaport in Poland? If so, it's possibly held up by Customs or something.

We do not have an experience with Poland, but we shipped a package from the US to our friends in the Netherlands and it took well over a month. Tracking the package was hit and miss, but from Miami, Florida, it went to Taiwan (not exactly a direct route) where it sat for weeks and we thought it was lost. Several weeks later, it arrived in Soest.

Conversely, we had cheese shipped home from the Netherlands and the package beat us home. Also, our friends in Italy shipped a package to us and it was here in less than 10 days. So, varied experiences, but the packages ultimately arrived at their intended destinations.

I waited a couplea months for a package out of Krakow under "ideal" conditions ie. pre-pandemic.

Pre Covid- It took almost 8 weeks to get a package sent from Germany. Given the war in Ukraine and Covid issues/lack of workers, I wouldn't be surprised if it would take around 3 months.

Definitely contact the store though and ask them.

Our items from the States shipped in late August. We got them delivered three days ago. Give it another month or two. Did you specify air? If so, each box would be at least $50. Otherwise, the items are in a cargo ship somewhere.

Hi Gang, thank you for the responses.

Yes, I inquired to the store last week. They were very organized and provided me a photo of their postal record.

I then inquired to the Poland postal service where they responded with the tracking information already available. But hey, they responded. They said the sender would have to submit an inquiry.

After reading the experiences here, I will be patient. I went to US Postal and they have record of the package that mirrors what I see from the store.

I wouldn’t be as concerned, but we are moving to a new home and state next week! Oh well. I’ll figure it out. It will be a nice surprise when it arrives.

I had no idea it would take this long. Very good points. Ukraine, and a host of other issues that the EU is dealing with. I really appreciate the responses here. Thank you.

I was told years ago (I don't have direct knowledge about this topic) that the US Postal Service stopped offering outbound surface shipments to international destinations because items took so very long to reach their destinations, displeasing customers. Apparently a major part of the issue was that volume to many destinations was low, and items sat at the port of dispatch until an entire shipping container was filled for the destination. That could mean long waits. An additional wrinkle--or so I was told--was that those items waiting for others to share container space had to be stored somewhere at the port of dispatch, so they racked up storage charges, which drove up the cost of surface shipments to around the level of airmail shipments.

I'd think that those factors could affect inbound shipments as well.

I ordered books from Ukraine in October and received them in 12 days - yes, from the country where there’s a war. So I don’t see why things shipped from other countries in Europe would be affected by the war. My books went from Ukraine to Latvia and then to Canada. I had a tracking number and could see where the package was at any time.

Before the invasion of Ukraine (yes I remember Crimea), last year a simple envelope (tracked) with my tax return took over 2 and a half months from the UK to the IRS in Austin. All but 4 days of that was in the custody of USPS.

This year, after Ukraine broke out a "yes I'm still alive" form to SSA in Wilkes Barre PA took over 2 months. The last 5 weeks of that were between Scranton PA and Wilkes Barre - about 20 miles. A caterpillar would get there quicker.

Yet this year's tax return mailed in October (overseas folks get long extensions) only took 8 days.

If it only left Krakow at the end of September I'd be patient.

I had some Polish pottery shipped from Krakow to Seattle in late June, from the store Dekor Art. The store clerk said the pottery would arrive in two weeks, but it took about 5 weeks. The delay seemed reasonable, considering that everything is taking longer after COVID. I hope your package arrives very soon, if it hasn't already.

I ordered books from Ukraine in October and received them in 12 days - yes, from the country where there’s a war. So I don’t see why things shipped from other countries in Europe would be affected by the war. My books went from Ukraine to Latvia and then to Canada. I had a tracking number and could see where the package was at any time.

It sounds like you are the exception to the rule. Consider yourself lucky. The OP also has a tracking number and it's saying that the package is stalled in Gdańsk.

Status update:

We moved out of state 12/1. Our package arrived to the our local PO on 12/5. We just missed it. ugh!!! If it only got here a week earlier I would've been fine. If I used my office as a mailing address, I would've been fine.

I saw our package from Poland coming on USPS informed delivery on 12/2 with an estimated arrival date of 12/5. I attempted to intercept it so we could pick it up next week when we have to be back for business stuff. No--I was told USPS could not put it on hold, they will forward it.

Today I looked at my informed delivery--there was an attempt to deliver the package at our old address yesterday!!!! I had to make another call to the 800# because my local PO does not pick up the phone-- I have made numerous attempts at calling them to no avail.

I have to laugh, it finally gets here from Poland, clears customs and my local US Postal office is messing it up.

I have asked my young neighbor (who was our chief petsitter and house sitter) to go to the PO and try to get the package. They will have to talk to me via her cell phone!

I will get this package come heck or high water. All of you were right when you said be patient. It did get here, now to get it out of the labryinth of my local PO.

Woo hoo!!!! I got it!

Our neighbor went to PO and got it. It wasn't easy-- I had to write a note and present my Drivers License. I wrote a note. took a pic, texted it to our neighbor who was at the PO window, and she got it.

We are in Utah now, but have to be back in California next week for some events, so I will pick it up next week.

What a journey it has been. Very stressful but we make it work.

Just an FYI-- USPS informed delivery is a great way to track mail and packages. It's a free service on the USPS website. I would never have known the status of the package if it weren't for informed delivery and the ability to track it. Although it was mailed from Poland via their postal service, if it is being delivered through US Postal, the foreign tracking number apparently is picked up on the US postal system.

So glad you got your package. And that you happen to be going back to California so you can pick it up .

Glad you finally got it (or almost anyway). What a story some of our packages, and luggage, could tell about their adventures.