It's a bit of a saga, so let me explain in bits and pieces what's been happening.
1. In August, I contacted a German seller and asked them if they'd send a book which I'd been asked to get (very, very, very rare) to Australia. (The seller listed postage only within German.) Alternatively, I suggested, I could supply a UK address (vPost) which would forward the parcel on to me.
2. Seller replied; she agreed to send to the UK address.
3. I bought the book, forwarded the invoice and shipping information to vPost Europe. Arrival was estimated at 9th September.
4. Finally the item arrived (mid-late September); they matched it up to the shipping information, etc., etc., and issued me with the invoice.
5. I paid the same day.
6. I waited.
7. I waited.
8. I... waited...
9. Finally two weeks ago I tried to track and trace the parcel. Following its convoluted path, it seemed to be held by Customs.
10. I called Customs; they referred me to AP. I called AP and quoted the parcel number and so on. None of us could work out why a book would be held back like this since 3rd October. The man to whom I spoke promised he'd contact Customs and give the details I'd given him, and ask them to hurry it up.
11. In the meantime, I received an email from vPost (USA), telling me there was an item waiting for me from the seller XXXX (same seller), but I'd not sent them shipping info and invoice and so on...
12. I thought - "What? What is going on?"
13. I contacted the seller, asking if she'd sent a second parcel to me.
14. Seller replied; "No."
15. I checked the "new item" information on the vPost site; all the dimensions, weight, etc., were exactly the same as the item being held by Customs. I thought vPost must have inadvertently sent me an invoice for an item already sent.
16. I emailed vPost pointing out this identical information.
17. Today I received a letter from AP, thanking me for my inquiry about compensation, and advising me the parcel was lost. (I didn't inquire about compensation... but ... the "lost" parcel is this little 300 gram parcel with the German book in it. It's gone.) AP added that I won't receive any compensation but that the sender must sort out the problem - inquire with the overseas parcel service.
18. AAAARGH! I now realise that when Customs held back the parcel, they must have sent it back to vPost (only to the USA warehouse, not the Europe one. I can't even BEGIN to explain why).
19. I have passed on this information to vPost, in the hope that something can be salvaged from this comedy of errors. Where's my parcel? I'm getting regular phone calls from the women on whose behalf I bought it. I've paid for its delivery, but it's gone astray like a lost little lamb... and I feel like taking a Customs Officer by the shirt collar and shouting, "Why? Why? Why?"
There you have it. The long saga of the Lost Parcel.
