Has anyone sent packages to the US recently? If so, how long did they take to arrive, and is anyone experiencing delays? I sent a package on 9th Dec and my buyer is concerned that it hasn’t arrived yet - although I think 9 days at this time of year is actually not very long - but I’m not sure how long to expect it to take.
When I send it usually takes between 7 and 10 days. At this time though there is a huge influx of packages being sent so I would expect it to take 14 days. I always worry about a overseas orders though, so much harder to track through the system.
When I have sent packages to US it usually takes 7 days. I contact customer after about 8 days and they have mostly received them by then but it could take 2 weeks at this time of year.
I always say 7-14 days and find it’s usually around 9 at normal times of the year. I had a customer asking the other day after one that was posted 7 days ago. If I find out when that one has arrived (hopefully it’s there now, or it’ll be soon), I’ll let you know.
Thanks everyone, that’s reassured me a bit, it should hopefully turn up soon. Thank you @JoSara, I’d appreciate it if you could let me know.
I’ve got one currently AWOL in Seattle for five weeks.
Normally they take between 10 - 18 days for me, one took just 5 days, but that was unusual.
I’d say in December anything up to 4 weeks would be normal.
Sarah x
Heavens Sarah, I hope mine doesn’t take that long - he wants it for Christmas (this year!) 
I had one that was posted on the 28th November and only reached the customer yesterday, which was a lot longer than I expected. You’ve posted before the Royal Mail cut off dates so it should (hopefully) reach the customer in time - fingers crossed!
I sent loads last year to the US, even at xmas 2-3 weeks was about average … except New York, I often found anything New York bound took at least 3 weeks and quite often as long as 6 weeks because of customs.
Weirdly though, Canada - post on Monday, there by Friday, even the flipping boonies, no matter what time of the year. Go figure!
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I’ve heard about NY customs before - mine’s heading for Maryland. Would that go via NY customs, I wonder, or do they have their own?
New York were my eye twitch orders, I started to dread them. I’m not sure about Maryland but I’ve posted to Boston a few times and it always took less time than new York so I doubt Maryland would be effected by new York customs either … although I will say that Boston folk always had the least patience, no offence to any Bostonians reading but just from personal experience they would always be the quickest to send the “where’s my order” email … once 3 days after ordering:) I mean I’m good but I ain’t THAT good!
I’ll keep everything crossed that it gets there soon. I can’t do anything more as it wasn’t sent tracked - I did offer the buyer an upgrade to tracked but he chose not to, so he’ll just have to wait and hope.
I agree about Canada - always there within a week, really impressive!
I send to the US all year round, letters and parcels. It really does depend on where you are actually sending to within the US. Normally it will take between 7-10 days for a letter, and parcels take around 2 weeks. But between Thanksgiving and January, really you should send with at least 3 weeks to spare to be on the safe side.
I’ve recently send a couple of things off to NY and luckily they got there in 7 days 
so fingers crossed things will be ok.
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Well, there’s still no sign of my package, and we’re both getting a bit worried now that it won’t be there for Christmas. It’s nearly 2 weeks since it was posted, only a couple more days left, and I’m not that hopeful.
How long do you usually wait before offering a refund/replacement? And what happens if it then turns up - do you expect the buyer to return it? Who pays return postage? This is something new for me, I’ve never had to refund/replace anything before.
My recent orders to US from my E. store from November onwards have been taking 14-21 days to arrive, they’ve only been quicker if they’ve been sent Airmail Track/Sign.
If you posted after the Friday 12th Dec then it’s after the recommended shipping date for Christmas delivery to the the US. It’s really down to USPS now, so not much you can do.
You can claim against Royal Mail if if doesn’t arrive by 28 days excluding public holidays. Pick up a form at PO.
Debi x
It was posted on 9th Dec, before the last posting date. I know I can claim from Royal Mail, but I wanted to know how to deal with the buyer really - at what point should I offer to refund?
Just to update my US delivery posted on the 10th arrived in Pennsylvania today. Phew. Saw another email come through from my customer and was like, uh oh. But it was confirmation of delivery in one piece.
So, you’re only a day ahead of me there, depending on time differences, you’ve got half of today still, and 2 more whole days. I’d still assume it’s going to arrive, albeit a bit late.
I had a customer in the US a while ago that was really getting heated after 14 days and wanted a refund when her parcel hadn’t arrived. She’s actually started emailing around 7 days in and I’d told her to hang on a couple of times before she started asking for a refund. Nothing I could say would persuade her that the item could, and probably would, arrive if she gave it one more week. In the end I had to refund her as it’s her right to cancel. Turns out she was off on holiday for a week around the 14 day mark. When she returned after 21 days from posting had passed she emailed to say my parcel had arrived while she was away, and I invoiced her again. Lucky that she was honest enough to let me know. But really depends on your customer. If she ordered for Xmas I’d be tempted to say at least give it until the last xmas post to arrive.
Jo
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Two weeks really isn’t long enough at this time of year.
Unless you promised the customer that it would be there by Christmas I wouldn’t refund until four weeks had passed, particularly with the public holidays after Christmas.
I have the opposite problem with a US order on another site at the moment.
As it was a £28 order I paid to have it tracked.
It arrived within 12 days, I tracked it to the local PO in Texas four days ago, and it has been sitting there ever since.
USPS tried to deliver four days ago but no-one was home, so it went back to the PO.
The customer refuses to pick it up as she says she doesn’t have time.
Apparently, she also doesn’t have time to make a quick phone call to rearrange a (free) delivery on a date to suit.
So…I’m expecting my pirate to wing its way home in the New Year!
Sarah x
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