USPS Lost My International Package With Orchids

[TOMMYMIAMI]

So, over a month ago I decided to actually try to order orchids from Thailand. I did place pretty nice big order, with some 20 plants in it, and paid pretty high postage - but postage comes with all necessary paperwork, certificates and also I chose Express so they will be here soon, and alive. Everything seemed just perfect, they were shipped from Thailand on 30th, arrived to Miami on 4th morning, on 4th evening they already cleared the customs (such a relief, I have never ordered international and was still skeptical about passing through the customs, even when certificates were promised). Than they went through Miami sorting center, which they left on 5th October. And since than they never arrived to my post office and they were never delivered. Today is 8th, and I do not have package. No one in the USA wants to help, the Post Office line tells me it must be shipper filing the trace, my package is lost literally blocks away here in Miami and my orchids are slowly dying I did try everything, called post office express line some 5 times, visited my post office 2 times, but no results, no help, no package. Pretty sad & upset about this

[cbuchman]

Oh dear. What a terrible story.... I am still hoping for a happy ending though

[Bud]

Your package must have been misplaced. But if you have 20 orchids then it must be a large package that is being overlooked....you just have to be diligent in going to the post office and keep on asking for your package.

[Corsetière]

Oh no! I hope they resolve it quick!

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Thanks all, Bud trust me, I am Eastern European, I know how to push and be diligent, I even know many people working actually in the post office (I own shipping business). They are trying to help, for last 2 days, no one seems to be able to find this huge package, it did left customs, than it was sorted and than someone scanned it as leaving sorting facility on Saturday morning, in the usual timeline, it would actually come to my post office already the same Saturday and would be delivered Monday latest, but this time, after someone scanned it in sorting in Miami, package vanished, they told me someone scanned it but than it was not put on the truck, and they do not know where is it, if stolen, or misplaced. No matter what is the situation, live plants are pretty much going to die, package may be find in week or 2 but that won't help me much:-(

[SJF]

[kindrag23]

Oh I am so sorry! I pray they get it figured out quick.

[jeremyinsf]

I learned that if I have something sent on Monday, with two day delivery, I will not get it on Wednesday. The driver in my area, just on that day, is nearing retirement and refuses to deliver Priority Mail packages. So they say "Out for Delivery" and they sit in the hot truck all day long, and into the next day, when I finally get them.

The moral of my story: I have little control over this, and well, one little snag in the process can delay something. But I usually get it and the plant(s) have always been fine. I'm wishing you the same.

[TOMMYMIAMI]

Thanks once more to all of you. I know that package is somehow lost, this was express and even people working in my post office told me this is wrong, if it was on the truck from sorting center on Saturday, it was suppose to be in that post office Saturday, sorting center is only some 20 blogs away. But the package shows as left sorting and never arrived to post office. I am still hoping and hoping, but with days passing by I am just loosing it:-(

---------- Post added at 07:14 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:11 PM ----------

I meann, how long can plants survive inside the box, they left Thailand on 30th, but the agricultural control in Bangkok was on 25th or 26th, at that time these plants were ready to be shipped, trimmed roots and no soaking wet, we are talking about some 13 days without water. I did expect to get them in some hard conditions, but there are so many bulbos that needs to be wet, porpax etc, which I am sure won't survive some 3 weeks in the box:-( Well, there is always risk to order from abroad, I just did not think it will all end up bad because of horrible job postal service in Miami does! It is killing me to know they are lost somewhere here and I can't help!

[pipsxlch]

I'm sorry to hear this. I don't trust USPS. I have bought and sold Windstone Editions (big heavy very fragile statuary/figurines), and they refuse to honor their insurance claims even when it's obvious the box was maltreated during shipping. My husband had some electronics stolen, all they found was part of the shipping label with his address and it went through a facility with a known theft problem (last place scanned), and they refused to honor his insurance. I don't use them when at all possible, but with international shipping they are sometimes it.

All I can say is hound them and make their lives miserable until they do something to shut you up- this (after 6 months) worked for me, though not my husband. Take it to the Postmaster General if you have to. And I had an orchid shipment delayed once, took two weeks to get here, but the plants were fine. I hope it works out for you!