Stone got lost sending to LOGR....

[OTL]

My first time setting experience offically sucked...I won a setting from LOGR, then sent my stone through registered mail (about $20)to them.I never had a problem with registered mail to Thailand. But it has been three weeks, and they havn't received it yet. I used the tracking info and there is nothing updated since it left the country.

LOGR says if it is not Priority or express then it must be lost, registered mail got lost all the time. Post office there rarely deliver regular mail...which is beyond my knowledge...It sucks, so if anyone here is considering sending stones to China for setting, do use the most expensive option (about $70), other wise 90% your stone will not reach there.

 

[chrono]

Give it more time; it can take up to 4 to 6 weeks to arrive.

 

[ChrisA222]

OTL, I wouldn't presume lost after only 3 weeks. I once shipped a stone to Australia, and it showed up after 4 months! Both the buyer and myself had given up on it ever arriving, but sure enough, it did.

So hang in there....

Also, I did ship a stone to China about a month ago, and it hasn't been received yet. Instead of panicking---I am just going to give it a few more weeks.

 

[LD]

Oh no OTL I'm so sorry. Unfortunately this is one of the reasons why you'll always see us advise people not to send stones to them for setting. Anything that looks like it might be valuable or labelled as a gemstone for customs purposes will often go missing. Thailand is exactly the same.

Having said that, please give it a bit more time - tracking after it left the US won't be available so that's not an indication of it being lost. They also won't be able to track it. To give you an example, I'm waiting for a shipment from the US (sent USPS) and I can track it until it left the US but then there are no details after that. So it could arrive any time.

Shipping to China is either very quick or laboriously slow. Just before Christmas I ordered two things from China, they were posted on the same day, one came a week later and the other turned up 3.5 weeks after that! So don't give up hope.

 

[OTL]

Thanks Guys,

I can not find anything on EMS website either, now I know EMS only track prority or express mail. Not registered mail.

Just wondering if it does arrive sometime later, I am sure it will pass the 45 days of ebay's grace period. After that what if the seller ship you a very disappointed setting? You won't be able to open a case or leave a feedback...So all you left with is trust and hope everything is smooth?

 

[LD]

Thanks Guys,

I can not find anything on EMS website either, now I know EMS only track prority or express mail. Not registered mail.

Just wondering if it does arrive sometime later, I am sure it will pass the 45 days of ebay's grace period. After that what if the seller ship you a very disappointed setting? You won't be able to open a case or leave a feedback...So all you left with is trust and hope everything is smooth?

Tracking is impossible. What I suggest you do is start an email convo with LOGR. Explain that you're worried that if the stone is lost you won't be able to complete the purchase of the setting. Ask them to put the production of it on hold until the stone arrives. At the end of the day, they accept returns so if they haven't even shipped it to you, I'm sure they'll give you 100% money back (maybe less a small charge if this was a customised setting????).

 

[txgreeneyes]

In all fairness to the seller, 45 days to ship something to Thailand to get put in a setting (after you won the auction) and then sent back to you isn't really enough time.

If you open a case against the ebay seller, it counts against them even if they didn't do anything wrong.

I understand the problem. Wish there was more window of just 45 days.

How did you pay? Paypal funded by a credit card? Most credit cards give a 90 day protection window for chargebacks. Tho, you don't want to do too many of those.

I really don't have any advice. I wish you luck and hope that they receive it soon and that it's a beautiful setting!

 

[minousbijoux]

First, I am sorry OTL, that you even have to worry like this. That said, I agree with the other posters who say give it more time. I recently bought a stone from a Thai seller and was told that it might be delayed getting out of Thailand due to the "upcoming holidays." I didn't know which they were referring to, or for that matter, if they were making it up, but I do know that each country has its own holidays and if you hit at the wrong time, there can be considerable delays as a result.

The other thing I want to mention is that I had some problems when I bought from LOGR and they were so easy to work with. I firmly believe that they will honor their agreement with you and would be willing to extend the protection period if you ask, given your circumstances.

Good luck!

 

[LD]

Here are two more tracking links you may want to try.

http://app3.hongkongpost.com/CGI/mt/enquiry.jsp
http://en.4px.cc/

It's probably not possible to track at all but thought I'd post it on the off chance.

Isn't EMS post for Thailand? If so, that won't help with the Chinese system - unless they have a branch in China????

 

[erinl]

Registered mail is really slow. I just had a nail biting experience where I was returning a stone to thailand. The woman at the post office did not add the insurance i had asked, so it was floating out there with no protection. It took over a month but got there. You didn't write gemstone on the package right, or put the value on the form itself? you can insure for an amount and not list it on the form, for china and thailand at least.

I have heard registered mail is slow but they keep it pretty safe all along the way. Just because it is not in the system does not mean it is lost. I also received a registered package from Australia before the holidays and it (as far as tracking) sat in LA for over a week. But I got in afterall.

Good luck, I bet it will be fine!

 

[pajero_exceed]

no worries OTL, I had a parcel which were sent from Thailand by air, registered too, it took 40 days to reach China.

 

[NoOrganic4Me]

I purchased an antique ring from a seller in England, when I recieved it said China on the inner band, so I returned it. Getting here from England took about 2 weeks, my return took a month and half and I sent it registered mail. I emailed the seller every week, she would reply, don't worry it will get here soon enough sometimes our international mail gets backed up... so if 6-8 weeks to england was long. I am sure your package will get there soon because it is being shipped to a business address.
good luck!

 

[OTL]

Thanks everyone, I shall keep waiting then.

LD, EMS is the express post service of China Post, not Thailand. Although its business does cover a large range of countries.

Now I know that only express mail shipped from USPS or Canada Post or UK post will direct to EMS, registered and regular mail will not appear on EMS's website, and no way to track it either. It just go to regular China Post service. Thanks for the url though!

 

[Lee Little]

Oh no OTL I'm so sorry. Unfortunately this is one of the reasons why you'll always see us advise people not to send stones to them for setting. Anything that looks like it might be valuable or labelled as a gemstone for customs purposes will often go missing. Thailand is exactly the same.

Hi LD,
I have to wonder why you think Thailand is exactly the same? I have stones and jewelry shipped to me in Thailand on a regular basis from many countries and almost nothing has ever gone missing, so far perhaps one. Customers from the states send me packages often by Priority International and many even by unregistered First Class mail and they have all made it and often in about 2 weeks. The only one that did not make it so far was shipped by regular mail out of Canada about 4 months ago and the customer filled out the customs form as the small package having a $300 value. Likely the value was enough for a postal worker somewhere to steal it but that could happen in any country when a high value is written on the package. Best regards, Lee

 

[LD]

Oh no OTL I'm so sorry. Unfortunately this is one of the reasons why you'll always see us advise people not to send stones to them for setting. Anything that looks like it might be valuable or labelled as a gemstone for customs purposes will often go missing. Thailand is exactly the same.

Hi LD,
I have to wonder why you think Thailand is exactly the same? I have stones and jewelry shipped to me in Thailand on a regular basis from many countries and almost nothing has ever gone missing, so far perhaps one. Customers from the states send me packages often by Priority International and many even by unregistered First Class mail and they have all made it and often in about 2 weeks. The only one that did not make it so far was shipped by regular mail out of Canada about 4 months ago and the customer filled out the customs form as the small package having a $300 value. Likely the value was enough for a postal worker somewhere to steal it but that could happen in any country when a high value is written on the package. Best regards, Lee

I have two good friends (both of whom are gemstone dealers) in Thailand and they have told me that every time I send them a package I must not:-

1. Identify it as having gemstones inside
2. Do not declare the correct value and state the value as $10 or around that amount
3. List it as "synthetic" or "glass" samples.

Otherwise they have told me they both have had (routinely) packages go missing. I follow what I've been told, then cross my fingers. Apart from one package all have turned up.

This does give me a concern because there's then a disparity between the customs form and any insurance the package may have but I'm a good girl and do as I'm told.

Oh and by the way, Sally from HoW who also works in Thailand tells all of her customers to do the above. There have been a number of posts from worried forum members as to whether they should do it or not.

 

[SB621]

I can confirm with LD on this. Sally basically tells you to lie on the form and put handicraft accessories or something like that and shove it between magazine if I remember correctly. Ok so maybe no lying but a far stretch for the truth.

Sorry OTL like other said I would give it more time. I bet it will show up in the next 2-3 weeks. Honestly I'm not sure why you sent it there to begin with. You have to pay LOGR to set the gemstone, pay for shipping and wait practically months for everything in between. I would probably have just paid a local person to do it for $100.

As far as the paypal/ebay issue it is not LOGR fault on shipping. This is completely outside of the auction so you are really stuck with no protection. You either like the ring or sell it on DB/ LT for hopefully what you paid or a little less. most LOGR have pretty good resale value on there. Regardless I think this is a valuble learning lesson for anyone reading.