DVDs via Air Mail

[foxinabox]

Hey guys,

We had friends in the US send us a couple of DVDs containing our wedding pics about a month ago, and we're still waiting for them to arrive. I suspect they're held up at Customs (not sure though, I don't have the tracking info).

Has anyone here experienced a delay in receiving DVDs from overseas (presumably due to the Customs screening procedure), and how long did it take for you?

Thanks for your help!

[nakatago]

This won't address the mailing issue but why not just upload the pics to some online cloud storage service?

[boffenl]

I've never had them held up for so long. We did learn one trick--on the US export slip make sure they write child dvd or family dvd. Those packages never get opened or delayed. Of course, all those dvd's were actually child or family dvd's.

[foxinabox]

Just received them over the weekend, whew. Thanks for the advice, will remember it next time around.

[x9200]

I don't think this is about DVDs. Typically it takes ~10 days to get a parcel from the Sates but within last year I had a number of cases where it took more than month. Same for HK.

[sundaymorningstaple]

I've had 5 small parcels come from the US in the past week. All were sent via International Priority Small Flat Rate Box or International 1st Class mail. All arrived between 9~14 days from posting. All were posted from different states in the US (all over the US).

The only time I've ever had one take over a month was because the dipsh*t who mailed it lied to me. Told me he sent it Int'l 1st class mail. It arrived 97 days later! BarSteward sent it seamail! Take that back, did have an envelope go mission for almost 6 months. The finally found it in a abandoned hijacked mail truck behind a barn in the desert in Arizona! Eventually it got to it's destination in the US. (It was going to the Washington DC area).

[boffenl]

Ouch, I had some DVD's sent from Best Buy (via my mom) and they took 8 days. Good luck! Next time get a tracking number--I think it's $.80, well worth it!

[sundaymorningstaple]

It only tracks to the point it leaves the US though.

I always use it if the value of the shipped goods are $15. But you must used Int'l Priority Mail. The USPS doesn't offer tracking on Int'l 1st Class Airmail.