International package shipping going nowhere

[y_p_w]

I'm still trying to figure out if it did clear customs or if it's been rejected. I've found about four different ways to track it, not including many of the third party websites that just tap into EMS with their own interface. So far I can enter the tracking at USPS, www.ems.post, www.ems.com.cn, and https://www.ems.com.cn/english .

I'm not getting the same information. USPS is the most vague only saying the customs processing has been completed and it's processed through the city EMS facility. www.ems.post gives me stuff I can read but the last bit of information is "Departed from destination import office" on 10-17. The direct English language version of the Chinese EMS website has a vague "Arrival at Regional Sorting Center" although I think it's 10-18 even though that date's not listed. I was a bit concerned because a previous entry says "Item Returned from Customs" (which was hard to figure out because some info says that's normal while others say that means returning to sender for inadequate documentation). But the Chinese language version (which I can't read) translates with the latest status on 10-18 as:

***** City, the mail has arrived at [***** ***** Investment Promotion Department] and will be delivered soon.​

I have no idea what this means. I guess I'll just need to wait for my friend to get it. Or not.

 

[Vil_Riker]

When I was there Google worked but with a VPN back to the US the search results were different. Similar to the information control like what we have in the US - unwanted pages get censored. I'm sure with the Android ban for Huawei, things are more difficult for them there.

 

[y_p_w]

OK - final update. Friend got the package on November 9 (was sent on October 2), but it wasn't without some weirdness. Didn't have to pay any import duties and they didn't reject it based on the content listings (even the "phone card" description). Previously I mentioned that it cleared customs on October 17. Or at least that's what I thought from various tracking info. The package also looked like a mess because the printed label was placed over the previous one, and a new pouch was placed over the remnants of the old one. That - and where I'd opened the envelope before to check the contents after it was returned to me, and the USPS clerk just taped it shut.

I suggested that my friend maybe go to a local post office in China to find out where this thing was. So after that they actually had the package at the city's main package sorting facility and could retrieve it. Turns out that the (thermal print) label was damaged, they couldn't read the address properly, and they more or less considered it undeliverable. But my friend was able to provide the tracking number and could pick it up with that and I suppose ID. I'm not sure why they couldn't just look in the pouch that had one of the duplicates of the original customs form, which also had the destination address.

 

[TheLastWord]

OK - final update. Friend got the package on November 9 (was sent on October 2), but it wasn't without some weirdness. Didn't have to pay any import duties and they didn't reject it based on the content listings (even the "phone card" description). Previously I mentioned that it cleared customs on October 17. Or at least that's what I thought from various tracking info. The package also looked like a mess because the printed label was placed over the previous one, and a new pouch was placed over the remnants of the old one. That - and where I'd opened the envelope before to check the contents after it was returned to me, and the USPS clerk just taped it shut.

I suggested that my friend maybe go to a local post office in China to find out where this thing was. So after that they actually had the package at the city's main package sorting facility and could retrieve it. Turns out that the (thermal print) label was damaged, they couldn't read the address properly, and they more or less considered it undeliverable. But my friend was able to provide the tracking number and could pick it up with that and I suppose ID. I'm not sure why they couldn't just look in the pouch that had one of the duplicates of the original customs form, which also had the destination address.

See my post #28.