Job Discussion Forums

seklarwia · Posted: Sat Aug 27, 2011 4:32 pm Post subject: An annoying post problem

So I have a package being sent from the UK containing something quite valuable. But the sender copied my address slightly wrong (they got one of the road number digits wrong).

Is there anything that can be done or is the package to be assumed lost?

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

If you're lucky, it may come to you anyway simply because it has a foreign person's name on it. What I would do is put a trace on it from the sender, and immediately notify your own post office. The local PO might be able to head it off if it has a middle PO to reach before it gets to them, too.

seklarwia · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 5:43 am Post subject:

I was hoping it would turn up eventually. It is coming to the right "chome" of town and the apartment name and number are correct which means it shouldn't be too difficult to work out especially since the area is full of huge family homes with only a handful of apartment blocks.

Royal Mail have already told me that once it left the UK, it was no longer their responsibility and that the only thing they are willing to do from now is a return to sender if it comes back to them.

I will try to get to my local post office on Monday. If not, I have a day off on Tuesday.

The item isn't worth such a huge amount of money, but it is irreplaceable... hopefully I will get it one way or another.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

It may no longer be the responsibility of Royal Mail, but can they help you track things? A package sent to me (with correct address!) never made it here from the U.S., and the dinky hometown PO gave us a Chicago address to contact, and from there we were able to track it a little more. Can't you do the same?

Or at least figure out where it goes in the shipping process with all the stops in between?

Go in to your local PO, but don't avoid the main one, too. They will probably be of more assistance. Local ones are more for just the final shipping step.

OneJoelFifty · Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Posts: 463

I'd go to the big post office as well as the local, in my city everything goes there first. Just give them a note with the address on the package and the address it should be sent to. Similar things have happened to me before.

seklarwia · Posted: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:30 am Post subject:

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

Actually, the Chicago office "lost track" of my package after it left the U.S., so in that way, it's identical to the UK.

However, at least Chicago would say where in Japan it stopped first, and gave me some kind of number to use to attempt a search. Sadly, the number changes when it hits Japan and gets reassigned a number.

seklarwia · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 9:19 am Post subject:

I couldn't be bothered to drag myself out of my apartment into the heat yesterday, but I went today after school. The local one said that they couldn't really help me but that any undelivered mail would go back to the main post office. They then told me that I could go there at any time to look for mail because it was open 24hrs Shocked

... I was certain that I'd misunderstood that bit.

Anyway went down there and explained to a very pleasant lady who told me to wait then disappeared out back. She returned with a big smile and took me outside and round the back of the building where there was indeed a 24hr service counter. I left a minute later with my package and a warm fuzzy feeling.

Then got home and found a delivery notice for the same package... they had indeed worked out the mistake themselves Rolling Eyes

Wasn't an entirely wasted journey though; now I know that if I have lost mail, I can take a long stroll down there to find it at silly o'clock at night Laughing

Thanks again to you both.

aynnej · Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 1:41 pm Post subject:

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I'm glad there was a happy ending. I was surprised when I initially learned of such a service, and now you can pass along this news to others. Congratulations.

seklarwia · Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2011 8:38 am Post subject:

The lady asked if I had an EMS number for my package. I didn't think to take the tracking number that was used in the UK. I just gave them my address, the wrong address that had been put on the package and a couple of possible name variations that might appear. The EMS number would have probably sped up the search (no biggy since they only took about 5 mins anyway) but they found it despite the name being different to both variations I gave (it completely slipped my mind that they might have used just an initial instead of my whole first name).

A small point to remember for people visiting a PO to claim mail: Don't forget to take your passport or ARC as they'll want to check it against the name on the mail before they hand it over... shouldn't even be an issue since you are supposed to have one of these on you at all times anyway, but just in case. Wink

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I've even used just my Japanese driver's license for such a purpose.

Inflames · Joined: 02 Apr 2006 Posts: 486

seklarwia · Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 8:51 am Post subject: