International Tracked & Signed (formely Airsure) Delivery time to USA?

[Jamez Anderson]

I was wondering if anyone knows how long it takes for delivery to the USA as when the service was called Airsure it took 3 weeks or more!

 

[wayzgoose]

I think it's supposed to be less than 7 days. Not happening! We've sent a number of parcels to Denver - all been a minimum 2 weeks. The blockage does appear to be on arrival in the US though.

 

[deniser]

It depends on how long customs take to process the parcel. The delivery times never seem to take customs handling times into account.

We say 1-3 weeks to our customers as that's how much it can vary by.

Officially it's meant to be 5-7 working days.

 

[kulture]

I agree, 2-3 weeks is what we quote. Typically 24hours to leave the UK, and all the rest in the USA.

Airsure was not signed for, to it is equivalent to TRACKED. So Tracked and signed for is a new service.

 

[Jamez Anderson]

I wonder if there's anything we can do to make sure the item clears USA customs quicker?

Don't know why courier companies can clear customs instantly and I can send something to the USA in a few days whereas Royal Mail takes up to 3 weeks to the USA. I've even sent something to France that took 3 and a half weeks!

 

[deniser]

Because courier companies pay the charges immediately and collect them from the customer later whereas the postal services hold the item, send a letter out to the customer with payment details and only deliver once they have been paid.

Tracked and signed is the fastest postal service as far as I know.

The USA also impose additional security restrictions sometimes. At one stage they were only accepting parcels which had come by freight planes rather than passenger planes which led to a huge backlog. There have been other things from time to time but I don't remember the details.

 

[Jamez Anderson]

Because courier companies pay the charges immediately and collect them from the customer later whereas the postal services hold the item, send a letter out to the customer with payment details and only deliver once they have been paid.

I assume you're talking about the customs fee that the receiver may have to pay? The stuff I send via Airsure is several blank Bluray disc samples at £10 value and no customs fee is due, it still took 3 weeks!

 

[deniser]

I assume you're talking about the customs fee that the receiver may have to pay? The stuff I send via Airsure is several blank Bluray disc samples at £10 value and no customs fee is due, it still took 3 weeks!

In that case I guess it sits somewhere waiting to be assessed as to whether anything is due. The couriers clear things through customs themselves don't they to speed it up?

 

[Jamez Anderson]

Does anybody know what the free duty limit is for sending DVDs to the USA? For example I'm just sending DVD samples in paper wallets and I value the discs at £3 in total value. Shipping costs around £11 via International Tracked & Signed. I've used DutyCalculator but it seems to suggest the receiver would pay duty which the receivers of my packets have never had to pay before.