Vitor Rodrigues

Originally uploaded by vitor.rodrigues.

Just as a folow up on The longest shipment in UPS history – Part I, here is the picture of the box.

The tape with red letters is from canadian customs. They taped the top of the box, but they forgot the bottom so I almost lost some of my clothes
I haven’t tested the used laptop and digital camera that were in the box, but I think I will never ship gadgets again. The only broken thing I found up to the moment was a photo frame. The laptop and the camera seem to be good externally, let’s see if they still work

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Originally uploaded by vitor.rodrigues.

One month, was how long it took for UPS to deliver my package from San Francisco, California to Toronto, Canada. I was just trying to ship some of my personal belongings, mostly clothes I will need during the winter here in Canada. Since I had no space in my luggage to fit everything, I imagined that shiping it would be a good option.
Long story short long, here are the episodes that made it take so long:

• October 17th: my package is shiped from California and i get my tracking number.
• A few days later, UPS Canada gets the package and asks me for copy of my passport and work permit. I faxed it right away. 3 days later, someone else from UPS calls again saying that the fax machine had some problem with the toner, so I had to fax everything again. I did it, twice!
• The package gets to Canada customs and someone calls me saying they need a copy of my passport and work permit. I say I already faxed it to UPS and they say it’s ok, they will get it from UPS.
• I call UPS on a friday saying I will be in the US for one week and giving them my US number in case they need any more information during that week.
• Canada customs rejects the package because they didn’t get my documents.
• UPS US calls my Canadian number asking for my documents. I’m not at the office during that week, so I don’t reply to them. They start the process to send the package back to the origin.
• I check the online status and see they are sending the package back. I call UPS and they forward me to the right department. I faxed all my documents to prove I’m legally in Canada and that I was legally working in the US before.
• Package goes to customs again and stays there for a week, without either UPS or Customs giving me any reason for that every time I called them.
• Customs releases the package. I call UPS to ask when will it be delivered and they say: "Today, at this adress….". The address was wrong. It had Branstane instead of Branstone. I told the UPS agent that the address was wrong and he said: "Oh, it’s just a letter, it’s ok.".
• Package is not delivered due to wrong address.
• November 15th, I pick up the package at UPS location.

I understand that an international shipment involves customs affairs, but if UPS employees had done their job well done, the shipment would only take the initial extimate of 7-10 days, and not 30 days as it did.

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