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Country BearsHello to you All, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!! 
I sent 2 bears to the US by airmail on 13 December 2010 and they still haven't arrived. I have stamped receipts for both. Both ladies are understably anxious to know where they are and I'm living in the hope that the fact they 'both' haven't yet arrived is good news and they are just held up in the Xmas post. Looking at Royal Mail I can't start a claim for 25 working days from when the item was sent, so still a little while. I already asked them to wait until mid week this week, which they have and have let me know (getting a bit fed up now which I understand), they aren't going to wait much longer before reporting me to ebay - and if I refund monies and the bears turn up where will that leave me? What would you do..? 
Thanks, and Happy New Year xx
Bugger mate, don't know what to suggest, with all the hoo ha before Christmas I am guessing they have just got held up in the system somewhere, lets face it, it was chaos then wasn't it? Tell your ladies to be patient a wee bit longer and explain that you can't refund until you have claimed and then send them copies of all your emails and stuff so that they know you arent pulling a fast one!!!
I held on to my overseas parcels and posted them yesterday, hopefully that will avoid any cock ups, Royal Mail are crap at the best of times. I never told you but the Special Delivery parcel I sent to Carey (ages ago now) was all bashed and squashed when she received it, if the bear had been any bigger it would have been totalled! That does not give me a huge amount of faith when they are supposed to treat Specials like gold arent they?
Hope it all comes good hon, you ok for a visit next week? Bit busy this week, at hospital with Dave tomorrow and other stuff namely all behind like the preverbial cows tail when it comes to the bears!!!
Love
mexxxxx
Hi Clare
I have been having the same problem as you. It's horrible. I have spent a long time on the telephone with the Royal Mail, the problem is with the US as they have stepped up their security restrictions due to terrorist risk and the Royal Mail told me they have in excess of 200 thousand parcels waiting their turn to get into US and until the US lift this ban then post will be slow as they are only letting a few at a time in to check them, and they also told me that they are sometimes sending parcels by other means possibly slow boat to help move them but unfortunately it takes weeks. My parcels have eventually arrived so don't give up Clare, tell your customer about the problem. Give them the tracking number so that if they want to ring the Royal Mail up they have a tracking number to give, but they will just get the same answer. I do feel for you, it is an awful situation, especially if it is an ebay auction as it is so easy to get bad feedback. Fingers crossed your parcels will turn up soon.
Hugs
Pauline xx
Belper, DerbyshireI posted something to the States on 4th Dec and it hasn't arrived yet.
cheers,
G
puca bearsSame here with post - we waited WEEKs to get an ebay purchase FROM America - I think the Deutsche Post/Customs have stepped up securty here too. Add to that the appalling weather both sides of the pond, with airport closures etc, and post is just going to be slow.........
desertmountainbearI am waiting for a bear posted from the UK on 12/10. I think everything is fine, it is just the way it is right now.
Joanne
I'm in the same boat - I sent a bear to Australia on the 10th December and he has not arrived yet. I really hate to think of bears sitting in boxes in a cold depot somewhere. Next time I send one I am going to include a blanket, a shovel for the snow, and a large jar of honey!
Hugs
Dawn
Newcastle, OntarioClare, try and ask them to sit tight for a bit longer. It took over 3 weeks for a package I ordered Dec 6th to get to me and it was from only 60 miles away! I really think it's just the mail this time of year.
Country BearsThank you all sooooooooo much :hug: :hug: for taking the time to respond to my post. I have one lady who is fine to wait and understands, I think the other lady may be a different story unfortunately, although I understand I guess I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself lol as the bear sold for very little, I didn't charge enough postage and am in serious danger of bad feedback - all seems a bit unfair as we can't control the post system. Will let you know how it goes. 
Thank you so much again....x
The Littlest ThistleGood luck! It took from 6th December til yesterday for a package just to get to Sweden for me, and from the 13th til today for one to come in from the US. There's another US one I've been waiting for since the end of November that is still out there, I'm sure caught up in the 'new' customs system that slows EVERYTHING down - grrrr.
Relish BearsI ordered something from eBay, 3 weeks prior to Christmas. It took a month to get here...it came from the US to Australia. Usually it only takes 1.5 - 2 weeks for goods to get to me. Judging by what everyone is saying here, it's definitely a major holdup with the mail all over the place. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that they both turn up at their destinations really quickly.
"a bear by kim"dont panic, i posted a bear in november by international signed delivery and it only arrived this week, i think with xmas and the snow theres been a delay, dont worry xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Bumpkin BearsI really understand how you are feeling. I sadly sent a Bear back mid November (before all the snow chaos) signed for priority from Belgium to UK and he has not turned up. He has a tracking number but the last time it was scanned in was on Nov 17th at the Heathrow postal depot I am having to make a whole new Bear to replace, which of course puts me out of pocket majorly, but I felt so bad for my customer. I also have a few parcels I sent at the beginning of December to the States and they have not turned up yet either, it's all so much chaos and I hate customers to feel disappointed too. I hope your Bears will turn up soon Clare xx
Sophie Z'OursOh dear! I had no idea the chaos was so wide!
I bought something on ebay from USA and it was posted the 7th of december and took exactly 21 days to eventually arrive.
i ordered a CD from Maple music that is supposed to be posted from Maple music uk but it looks like it will take longer than planned. So I will just wait, which I do not mind, as there is no emergency.
I really hope that all the bears on hold somewhere between two places will eventually arrive and that the unfortunate customers will understand that you, artists, are not the ones to blame ofr the poor delivery system.
Beary hugs,
Sophie.
Posts: 108Oh there must be some awful delay with the UK mail this winter it seems! I placed an order for a little bear from Teddy Bears of Whitney in December- and I still haven't received it ;__; I guess all the Christmas stress + snow chaos is to blame? Hopefully all will be good in the end x
Country BearsThanks so much everyone, I've told my ladies that many of you are experiencing problems too hoping to ease their frustrations! What a fiasco. I do hope it won't put overseas buyers off in future
I found out that ebay (through whom I sold these bears) actually sent an announcement about the security issues holding up most parcels coming into the US - together with another about severe weather on certain parts of the US causing delays too.
Fingers crossed for good news for everyone soon....xx
Fingers crossed the post gets through soon for everyone....I hate to think of all those lovely furry guys stuck in boxes....having missed Christmas too! 
i posted to us and australia in november and theyve not been delivered yet,ive spent hours on the phone to royal mail,theyve told me to wait until end of jan to put in a claim as theres such a backlog,and that there are 100's of 1000's of people in the same boat,not much comfort for my poor customers 
Newcastle, OntarioWow, I feel really lucky that the parcel I posted in to Britain in December made it on time for Xmas! I hope everyone's parcels arrive soon.
Posts: 108Good things come to those who wait! :3 My little bear from Teddy Bears of Whitney arrived here today- FINALLY! And it was well worth the wait <3
So guess the mail service is slowly catching up with the Christmas post/Snow delay- I hope everybody else will be getting their bears soon x
Hi Clare, 
I know the mail is slow, everywhere - my daughter sent a parcel to her friend in Finland and that has taken over 4 weeks even though she sent it email.
I really hope that your bears find their new owners homes soon.
Hugs
Carolyn
:hug:
