U.S. common not to give tracking numbers?

I ordered something from Japan to a popular shop in the U.S. and the item hasn't arrived by due date. That happens and it's okay.

My question is this. When I asked them if I could have a tracking number so that I could try to locate it on my side they answered, ''I wish I could, but we don't have any tracking information on our international shipments.''

Is this common not to give (have?) tracking numbers to customers? If so, why do you think they can't give it out? I can't imagine there is a delivery service without means of tracking and this is a shop with agents that is sending the item, not an individual.

They don't even seem to be trying to track it. All they say is that they are willing to give me a refund. I don't want to get upset or disturbed by this, and that's why I'm posting this question so that I could face it and get over with it. Thank you in advance.

My question is this. When I asked them if I could have a tracking number so that I could try to locate it on my side they answered, ''I wish I could, but we don't have any tracking information on our international shipments.''

It depends on how the item was shipped. UPS, FEDEX and other courier services provide tracking numbers and can usually be tracked internationally. However, many stores ship USPS to international destinations since it is considerably cheaper. Unfortunately USPS does not provide tracking services on any of their mail.

Is this common not to give (have?) tracking numbers to customers?

No, tracking numbers are always provided when the items are shipped by a courier service.

If so, why do you think they can't give it out?

It sounds to me as if no tracking is available. I'm sure if they had tracking info they would be happy to give it to you.

Anyway, do you know how the item was shipped, and how long have you been waiting? I often have stuff sent from the states and it is not uncommon for packages to take as long as 2 weeks to arrive. And since it is the holiday season I would expect it to take even longer.

The shop probably sent it via USPS.

I was visiting a friend in Hawaii last week, wanted to send a gift to someone in Mainland US, and when I took the parcel to the post office, they asked if I wanted tracking service at a small fee, I said yes, and I was able to track it all the way to delivery. Domestic was trackable.

Another day, I wanted to send something to another friend in Europe. The post office people put it on Priority (not Express) air mail, and when I asked them if tracking was available, they said it was not available (tracking was only up to when the parcel left the US).

So I guess unless the shop used FEDEX or other expensive service, tracking is simply not available from the States.

Currently the postal service must be flooded with Christmas gift parcels and cards, so I would wait a bit more. I hope you get your parcel soon!

I'm a bit confused here because the OP wrote:

I ordered something from Japan to a popular shop in the U.S.

So this has nothing to do with them shipping USPS if they ordered FROM Japan TO the USA.

The question should be "Japan, common not to give tracking numbers?" rather then "U.S.".

Either case, the answer is the same. It depends on the type of shipment sent. If they sent via Japan Post EMS it would have a tracking number, if they sent the package via regular Air Mail, paracel post, then the package is unlikely to have a tracking number on it.

Same for the USA, regular airmail is not trackable, only Express mail service is.

Domestic was trackable.

I just looked into it again and I think we're both only half right. According to the USPS site, both domestic and international express mail is trackable (point to point, international tracking may depend on the country of delivery), while other levels of services offer delivery confimation only (which has limited usefulness especially if you are the one expecting the package).

I'm a bit confused here because the OP wrote:
I ordered something from Japan to a popular shop in the U.S.

I was confused as well at first, but it seems to be a small typo where the from/to got switched, as the rest of the question is consistent if it were written that way. Otherwise, it doesn't make any sense. Why would Uco (a Yokohama resident) be sending something to a store in the US but request a tracking number from the store receiving the goods?

Whoops, I was not clear on my earlier post...

- For sending something domestic within the US, I chose Priority service, with tracking service at a fee.
- For sending something overseas from the US, I (again) chose Priority service, but tracking service was not available.

I don't know about Express service, either domestic or international.

Concerning the OP's question, I understood that as "I placed an order from Japan with a popular shop in the US," so I simply assumed that the shipment would be from the States :)

First of all, I appologize for the confusion. Yes, I am in Japan, I made the order, the shop is in the U.S. and they are supposed to ship the merchandise to me.

Long story short, it makes sense to me now, thanks to all of you. I don't necessarily agree to the system, but it does make sense. Now I realize what kind of a risk I was buying, and I can deal with it.

By the way, I buy from this shop every year, one item as a gift and another for me. This year, the gift arrived to Tokyo appropriately as usual but mine didn't, hense the situation. I also thought their expression wasn't professional for a shop with such experience and tradition, but now that I think of it, it may have been the writer's way of saying, "I don't agree with my company, but I have to tell you this as an indivisual."

Thanks again. You don't know how much I appreciate it.

the north american postal service is typically completely overloaded at this time of the year. packages that normally arrive in a week can take up to a month to arrive in december.

i run a business from japan sending packages all over the world; i've been hammered with complaints from north america from people who haven't received their packages despite ordering 2-3 weeks ago.

a bit frustrating but just hang on a bit longer. if you want tracking numbers you need to request one and it'll cost more money, usually between 200-600yen extra.

Sorry, I meant to say "I placed the order."

By the way, it's a Christmas item that I ordered. I always place my order in summer when the product is released for the year and this year wasn't an exception. Again, one of the two items I ordered at the same time arrived on Dec 11th and when I inquired, the store said that mine should arrive by the 18th. So this being the busy season doesn't really work as an excuse. But that's okay. I now know what I wanted to know.

winterwolf,

I'm wondering if should know this for next year but what do you mean by "if you want tracking numbers you need to request one and it'll cost more money, usually between 200-600yen extra."?

Do you mean that I should request the shop to send by a delivery service of my own choice? If so, they don't accept that kind of a request. And by the way, I asked them to give me both the tracking number and name of the delivery service and their answer was as I wrote on the original question.

Why would Uco (a Yokohama resident)

Because it is difficult to know who is the "real" (if that makes sense) Uco and someone using the same name.

My post being the case point.

Any way in the USA:

There are essentially three major ways of international post:

FIRST CLASS/ AIR MAIL - Not trackable.
**USPS Certified Mail and USPS Registered Mail are also forms of traceable mail but take longer to reach the mailing destination than Priority or Express Mail service.

PRIORITY MAIL INTERNATIONAL - trackable.
** Not available for Priority Mail International Flat Rate Envelopes or Small Flat Rate Priced Boxes.

EXPRESS MAIL INTERNATIONAL - trackable.

From my experience, airmail of course is the cheapest way to send something. Priority Mail: International is a more expensive, and Express Mail International is the most expensive offered by the US Postal Service.

If something was sent via Priority Mail International or Express Mail International they are trackable.

Form my experience, from the time it arrives in Japan into Customs (usually at Haneda or Narita), you can use the provided tracking number on the Japan Post EMS tracking site as well. Since at that point, the service becomes Japan Post's job to deliver the package and the barcodes are an international standard, so you can trace the packages on both the USPS website and the Japan Post website as well (in most cases).

As I mention, it is probably costs. They don't have international tracking because they probably choose to send their packages via first class/air mail service instead of the more expensive priority mail or express mail service.

Though you could ask them next time to send it to you via "PRIORITY MAIL" or "EXPRESS MAIL", though you will probably end up paying a lot extra to have it shipped over depending on weight.

I'm wondering if should know this for next year but what do you mean by "if you want tracking numbers you need to request one and it'll cost more money, usually between 200-600yen extra."?

Assuming the package was shipped by USPS and not by global express, then yes, you must request tracking at the time of shipment because it is not a free service and cannot be added after the fact. I'd suggest becoming more familiar with the different USPS shipping options. They have a lot of variation especially with respect to tracking, transit time, guaranteed delivery, insurance, etc. Express more or less comes with everything included, while cheaper delivery methods allow you to add limited services a la carte.

Do you mean that I should request the shop to send by a delivery service of my own choice? If so, they don't accept that kind of a request.

Do they at least give you a choice between shipping speed? Most stores let you choose between global priority and global express, but many don't let you add extra services to priority shipments. The idea is that if you want extra services like tracking then you have the option to choose express shipping. Its not ideal but may be necessary for large volume retailers to streamline their shipping.

And by the way, I asked them to give me both the tracking number and name of the delivery service and their answer was as I wrote on the original question.

Their answer sounds to me as if the information simply isn't available to them (not that they are prevented from giving it to you by corporate policy), which would be the case if they shipped by USPS and didn't request a tracking number when sending.

Because it is difficult to know who is the "real" (if that makes sense) Uco and someone using the same name.

Haha, good point. And all the more reason you should register your username!

Sorry, one more post

By the way, it's a Christmas item that I ordered. I always place my order in summer when the product is released for the year and this year wasn't an exception. Again, one of the two items I ordered at the same time arrived on Dec 11th and when I inquired, the store said that mine should arrive by the 18th. So this being the busy season doesn't really work as an excuse. But that's okay. I now know what I wanted to know.

In this case it is extremely late for your package not to have arrived. It's a little hard to give exact advice since you're not specific with respect to the item, store, shipping method, etc. but is it correct to assume that its some kind of limited item that is only available from one seller?

Since you have contacted them and they offered you a refund instead of a replacement, I would go ahead and take the refund. Hopefully the one in transit arrives eventually, but at least you have your money back in case it doesn't. And good thing the one you ordered as a gift arrived on time.

In the future consider requesting a faster shipping method, or even express mail which is trackable, and has guaranteed shipping dates. The less time things are in transit, the less chance that they get lost along the way.

First of all, just so that you'd know, I the OP didn't post 2011/12/23 09:03. I have my name registed but I usually prefer not to use the registeration.

Secondly, as I've mentioned, the problem is solved and I am not frustrated at all. I can even have this thread closed if anyone wishes.

Third, I'm sorry for not posting details as it would be such a long story, but only if you're interested, here goes.

As I've mentioned in the beginning, I am not at all frustrated by the delay. Mistakes happen and that's that. What I was frustrated by was the fact that they weren't giving me enough information, or in other words the way or their attitude of them giving the poor information they can provide.

I sensed that by asking the original question I posted, I can solve the rest, and I was right. I see everything clearly now, I appreciate the shop's attitude now, and I know how to do my annual shoping next year.

The shop is like a hundred years old and have been expanding their business greatly in the past decade or two, and bottom line it seems that they can't handle it. I suppose they are trying to cut down shipping costs knowing the risk they might lose an overseas customer or two.

But they now have a sort of a branch in Japan so the customer they lose can turn to the branch in Japan. The downside is that the Japanese branch offers higher prices. But I might try buying from them next year. I like trying different things.

All in all, I don't care if it doesn't arrive by due date. I just want it once a year, that's all. And if there is an airline that provide poor safety for cheaper prices, I can well understand that there is a delivery service that doesn't provide tracking.

By the way, they give customers the choice to have their item delivered "immediately" or "for Christmas" and I chose the latter as it seemed reasonable. Indeed, one of the two items I ordered was delivered appropriately.

Thanks again. Further questions are still welcome, but do know the case is solved.

Because it is difficult to know who is the "real" (if that makes sense) Uco and someone using the same name.

We don't require people to register, however posting from a registered account helps protect your identity and makes our job as admins a little bit easier. While we take efforts to try and prevent username hijacking, we can't catch everything. Be aware that guest posters may not be who they claim to be.

My post being the case point.

Expresstrain, point taken, but please refrain from doing that in the future. We consider it a serious offense.

The item arrived safely today. They weren't using USPS. It seems that it was stuck at OCS (Overseas Courier Service) before being shipped out of the U.S. They had too much to handle this year and couldn't get the job done in time.

OCS does tell me that they don't have a tracking "number" as they handle this merchandize in bulk amounts, but they told me that the sender could have told me they were using OCS. Then I could have contacted OCS, and by telling them my name and address they could have tracked the parcel and told me where the parcel is at the moment.

Happy Holidays!