Lost Coming from Germany and Never Arrived

[ww1czechlegion]

Here's a lost medal that was mailed from Germany on November 20, 2013, to the USA. It has never arrived at my destination.

Nothing rare, but I'd rather have the medal than the refund. A simple Reuss Silber Verdienste Medaille mit Schwerten on nice single parade style mount.

Seller did not have a tracking number for it, and I really butted heads with her over this. PayPal/eBay sided with me the buyer, and refunded me yesterday the full amount plus the paltry shipping she charged.

What happens to this stuff in transit? Does someone in the German Postal System really steal it, or someone in Customs steal the medal? Or does the package get damaged in processing, and the item simply never gets delivered or returned?

I lived in the Czech Republic for a year, and fortunately did not have any problems there, but heard lots of horror stories of stuff that got stolen in the Czech Postal system and in their Customs. I cannot understand it, don't these folks in Europe have stiff/lengthy jail terms if they get caught, like their counterparts here in the USA face if they get caught stealing?

As a side note, I have purchased from this seller in the past, and have not had a problem with her shipments before: eBay ID: 11katrin06 which is Anita Damm, from Chemnitz.

Best Regards,

Alan

[avensis2000]

Well... This happens. Relatively happy end for you though. I bought Zähringer Löwen cross from Germany, insured shipment it was. Package came to me (discreetly) opened and re-sealed. It was empty.

I contacted seller, eBay and DHL and Finnish post.

Result:

Seller sent me receipt of insured shipment. Ok.
Ebay said cant do nothing since it was paid by bank transfer. No buyer's protection.
DHL said insurance is valid only inside sending country (so it is worthless in that case in my opinion)
Finnish post (Itella Oy) believed my story of this since I complained in very good details, soon after receiving package and with pictures of package (proof it had been opened at some point).

Package had been "insured" for 450 eurs at Germany when sending.

Result: according to general international official "Montreal contract" (or something like that) it was refunded to me based on weight and currency basket value: 30 eurs. I was not very happy about that and complained so the amount was raised to 45 eurs....

I have experienced similar thing in my work with other stuff with TNT - that time shipment was worth 12.000 USD and got refunded 120 eurs (not insured, but they just simply lost the package between Hong Kong and Europe).

Insurance on post parcel while sending abroad seems to be bull**** if it's like that...

I gave up after a while after getting a "sorry, but that's it" -letter from Deutsche Post. I never buy anything worth more than 100 eur with bank transfer anymore.

[gregM]

I have had items take as long as 8 weeks to make it from
Germany. Most of that time, I believe it was stuck in
customs in NY.

[Chip M]

I have lost shipments from Germany at the rate of at least one per year. Even registered letters can only be tracked as far as having made it to the U.S., after that you are out of luck. Personally, I think registering things is a red flag for theives (please steal me). I also think that most of the things I lost were stolen here in the States, either at customs or my local P.O.

I've had the idiots at my local P.O. as me about foreign shipments, like (hey what's in the box?). You can imaging my response. Most of them, thankfully, are gone now.

Inquiries to Germany stimulate a response from the USPS, but it is only a form letter asking if you got the package or not. You mail it back and never hear another word.

Anyway, it's all a crap shoot and as avensis2000 says, either use PayPal or credit card, at least with those you have some recourse.

Chip

[ccj]

It happens, I still hope to someday see my WW1, WW2 Luftwaffe officer's ribbon bar that was a match to Rick L's bar and obviously from the same medical officer.

I have lost a few items but I had one situation where my package actually arrived about a year or so latter. The seller would not issue a credit of even half the amount so I was a happy man when the package finally arrived.

I had a cap from Austria get stuck in customs for 8-9 months once and that was a nightmare.

[streptile]

Sorry to hear your medal is MIA, but don't give up hope, as others have also advised. I had the single rarest and most valuable EK in my collection take almost 5 weeks from Germany to NYC, and I've other small items take just over 5 weeks.

My big lesson was: NEVER USE DHL. They suck to the USA. I'll never agree to have anything sent DHL again.

[Robert P.]

I have an Imperial Juncker EKI sitting, sitting, sitting in Frankfurt, Germany in customs. I get the same results when I look up its tracking number day after day - 'It is being processed at it's point of origin'. I don't know why some customs offices take FOREVER to move on a package, but it happens. It will be here I know, long after other items I have purchased from Germany AFTER this one arrives safely here with me. I've learned just to be patient, patient.

Robert

[Montgomery Burns]

common people ,,this is not you first day of collecting

99.9 % arrives within normal perimeters...

its terrorist suspect packages and NAZI stuff that have a big chance of being investigated and take a long time to arrive ..


If you're package takes a long time to arrive
its 99.9% sure you and the sender are under some kind of government investigation
(German or us side)

but hey ,,that happens only on 0.01 % of the packages .







watch youre computers carefully ,,, monty

[muzrub]

Don't give up.

I had an item sent to me last year (not from Germany)--- it was sent in August and it arrived on the 25th of November. http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...+packages+easy
I made the thread in the collectors forum about it.
The address was correct and clear--- yet, it went on a global joy ride.

The point is, all is not lost.
If you know the seller, allow for more time.

Cheers,

Jamie

[mchap]

Just had this happen with something going to California from Germany. Investigation filed, saw a bit of activity and then seller got a message from Deutsche Post saying its lost, case closed. Thats it...

I do not like using government run postal services, and I've shipped lots of things around the world from freight to small boxes, over the last 12 years. Never had a problem with FedEx or UPS, and I always over pack things I ship.

Its not a flawless system by any means, but when you know something works you typically stick with it. Any shipping griefs Ive experienced have always been with the postal service.

[pzrwest]

Shipping times can vary from extremely long to very fast. I had a parcel sent from England and it arrive two days later. I noted the date it was posted on the cancelation ink stamp to the day it arrived in my post office box and was amazed that it only took two days. It had to go from England to Canada then go through customs then into the postal service and go from Ottawa to the Cardiff post office. I have had letters take a week or more to 100 miles to my son's address. Go figure so travel time and customs etc can be a hit or miss on delivery time

[streptile]

I had an item sent to me last year (not from Germany)--- it was sent in August and it arrived on the 25th of November.

Interesting that they apparently have enough items "MISSENT TO TAIPEI" that they actually have a pre-made stamp for them

[muzrub]

Interesting that they apparently have enough items "MISSENT TO TAIPEI" that they actually have a pre-made stamp for them

Lol--- I never considered that

Cheers,

Jamie

[ww1czechlegion]

Thanks gentlemen for your encouragement and examples you've given on lengthy delivery times.

I had been "lucky" for a while, with no mail losses coming my way for almost a year, and then this one hit. Last December I lost a Braunschweig medal with the running horse device on a tattered ribbon, and Deutsche Post was unable to locate it.

As Chip mentioned, I also have lost about one item per year in transit. Usually it has been photo images coming from Germany.

The longest I ever waited on something was out of Bulgaria, taking 5-weeks a year ago, arriving a week or so before Christmas. I've given up hope on this one still coming, even with the examples that other members here have given.

As a side note: I've certainly seen the wide range of abilities in packaging things over the years. I am always amazed at how careless some sellers can be in packaging items.

All the Best,

Alan

[Thomas Craig]

I just bought a Imperial Kriegsflagge from Weitze in Hamburg. Was charged 20 Euros for shipping. They shipped it Fed-Ex Priority overnight. I got it the next day and was able to track it the whole way!!

Hamburg to Lufkin Texas in 24 hours.....I was very happy!!