[moonboy403]

So I bought a Manley Stingray off Audiogon. The seller shipped out the amp on July 27th from Canada via USPS and tracking shows that the package got to the US Customs in New Jersey on August 4th. So now 14 days have passed and I still don't have my amp yet.

I tried calling USPS and all they can tell me is that Customs can hold my package for up to 45 days. I also contacted the seller and he said Canada Post will try to find out what's happening within a few days but I doubt that I'll get any answer out of that.

It has been 23 days since the amp was shipped.

So what else can I do? Is it possible to contact US Custom and ask what is going on?

 

[SemiAudiophile]

i had a similar situation with my mapletree that was shipped from thailand. there isn't anything you can really do. i called USPS but the only thing they'll tell me is the location that it was last scanned (the same information that i can find online). i even asked to speak with the manager and ask for the customs telephone number, but they wouldn't tell me. USPS customer representatives are horrible and are so unhelpful. USPS works fine for me for domestic shipments but internationally they are only so-so. their tracking information is the worst.

if you are worried, the only thing you can do is contact the seller and have them start an investigation or inquiry about the package from their side. if your package is insured, there shouldn't be that much to be worried about.

my mapletree wasn't insured, it arrived in NY customs on June 10th and I didn't receive it til like July 17th and was a total shocker when it arrived because i was pretty convinced it was lost somewhere.

good luck with your package.

 

[The Monkey]

Not sure how much this helps, but here's a FAQ from Customs:

https://help.cbp.gov/cgi-bin/customs...i=&p_topview=1

 

[moonboy403]

So I guess I might have to wait another 22 days then.

 

[Canuck57]

That sucks! I hate to wait for things I've bought. So far I've been lucky, Canadian customs have not held up packages very long *knock on wood*

I hope it clears soon!

 

[shellylh]

Wow, that is bad luck. I hope you don't have to wait 22 more days.

By the way, I thought you were getting out of the tube amp world. Guess you couldn't stay away.

 

[tjumper78]

i work at a customs brokerage office. although i do not handle any small packages (only big shipments), i do know that many documents and/or shipments just sit at the cargo location without being examined or inspected, especially air shipments. when that happens, i call the customs and try to get through to the appropriate department.
i'll PM you the telephone number of the office i usually call for air shipments that are being held for too long. you can call that number and ask about your shipment. if they cant help you, they should be able to provide the phone number to the appropriate department.
i hope it helps.

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by shellylh /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wow, that is bad luck. I hope you don't have to wait 22 more days. By the way, I thought you were getting out of the tube amp world. Guess you couldn't stay away.

Unfortunately, the K1000 sounds amazing with tubes. I just had the get it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjumper78 /img/forum/go_quote.gif i work at a customs brokerage office. although i do not handle any small packages (only big shipments), i do know that many documents and/or shipments just sit at the cargo location without being examined or inspected, especially air shipments. when that happens, i call the customs and try to get through to the appropriate department. i'll PM you the telephone number of the office i usually call for air shipments that are being held for too long. you can call that number and ask about your shipment. if they cant help you, they should be able to provide the phone number to the appropriate department. i hope it helps.

Thanks for the number! I'll try to call them tomorrow morning.

 

[Konig]

Maybe they read "STINGRAY" and some dumb customs guy checked the dictionary and found it to be an extremely poisonous sea creature that rang up all the bells and suspects you of some exotic creature collector.

Not that Im underestimating their intelligence but I've encountered an incident at the border where I was detained for 20mins. I bought sashimi (japanese raw fish meal) and had 2 bags of ice on top of it to keep it cold before putting it in my car trunk. When I reached the border the customs guard checked my trunk and accused us of SMUGGLING fish. Im like..... yes I brought fish (if you are talking about sashimi) and that rang up all the bells. We were escorted into the office and our car was completely raped by the dogs and guards.

The officer asked us where we hid our fish im like "What??" I pointed to the sashimi and he insisted I reveal my asian exotic live beautiful fish..........it looks like they were focused on the 2 bags of water (melted from ice) and they looked like what smugglers use to contain the small exotic live fish they insisted me to show them.

sometimes I feel customs border guards should maybe go to the supermarket as part of training requirement

 

[moonboy403]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konig /img/forum/go_quote.gif Maybe they read "STINGRAY" and some dumb customs guy checked the dictionary and found it to be an extremely poisonous sea creature that rang up all the bells and suspects you of some exotic creature collector. Not that Im underestimating their intelligence but I've encountered an incident at the border where I was detained for 20mins. I bought sashimi (japanese raw fish meal) and had 2 bags of ice on top of it to keep it cold before putting it in my car trunk. When I reached the border the customs guard checked my trunk and accused us of SMUGGLING fish. Im like..... yes I brought fish (if you are talking about sashimi) and that rang up all the bells. We were escorted into the office and our car was completely raped by the dogs and guards. The officer asked us where we hid our fish im like "What??" I pointed to the sashimi and he insisted I reveal my asian exotic live beautiful fish..........it looks like they were focused on the 2 bags of water (melted from ice) and they looked like what smugglers use to contain the small exotic live fish they insisted me to show them. sometimes I feel customs border guards should maybe go to the supermarket as part of training requirement

Nice story! I guess the custom is hoping that by holding on to my Stingray for such a long time, it will eventually suffocate to death.

 

[Konig]

I think what happened is....

guard- "Sir, we got a stingray package, permission to inspect"
officer- "permission denied, contents dangerous, use X-ray to check status of suspect package"
guard- "Sir, we dont have X-ray"
officer- "ok, lets hire that australian crocodile guy to open this package"
guard - "sir, that guy is dead. In fact he was killed by the stingray"
officer - "ok, this is beyond our expertise. we will mail the package to the Navy's biological warfare research unit to have a look at this"

 

[s_nyc]

Couldn't help posting this one:


Five Germans in an Audi Quattro arrive at the Italian border...

The Italian Border Policeman stops them and tells them "It'sa illegal to putta 5 people in a Quattro."

"Idiot! Vot do you mean it's illegal?" asks the German driver.

"Quattro meansa four" replies the Italian official.

"Quattro is just ze name of ze automobile" the Germans retort unbelievingly. "Look at ze papers: ze car is designed to karry 5 persons."

"You canta pull thata one on me!" replies the policeman. "Quattro meansa four. You hava five peoples ina your car and you are therefore breaka the law."

The German driver replies angrily, "Schweinhund! Call your zupervisor over. I vant to speak to someone mit more intelligence!"

"I'ma Sorry" responds the Italian officer, "He can'ta come.

.....He'sa busy witha 2 guys in a Fiat Uno."

 

[Ub3rMario]

s_nyc, that was pretty good haha.

 

[moonboy403]

I contacted the seller and this was the reply I got yesterday:

"Canada Post contacted me today. They have confirmed that your amp is indeed at US Customs awaiting release, at which point it will be delivered to you. Unfortunately she had no way of telling what the delay was or when it would be released. We just have to be patient. In the meantime, I've signed you up for email notification at USPS. Anytime the item is scanned you will be notified of it's whereabouts. I hope this helps and again I do apologize for the delay."


However, I called the Customs at New Jersey today and the person on the phone told me that they don't have the capability to track down my package since they aren't part of USPS. Then he went on to tell me that he doesn't think they have my package since I would have been contacted if my package was held for 3 weeks. I was then given the number of the New Jersey USPS distribution center but nobody ever picks up the phone there.

 

[dcpoor]