HALLOWEEN ATART October 21 - 24

[sniisk]

Oh. I thought that US had rejected the envelopes.

US customs rejected the envelopes but they were mailed from Finland.

[mrubyjean]

Thank you Kristin! I agree- don’t feel you have to stop trading, Sanna. Your a-thons are so much fun.
I like the sharing and the interaction more than the received trades anyway and I will wait as long as it takes for any deliveries. You will never get a negative iTrader from me.

[somnia]

Ahhh, customs... that's probably just bad luck. I'd try again, sending 2 envelopes, and write "trading cards - no monetary value" on the envelope. Once 2 friends and I ordered something from the same US company - one paid no customs, one paid $6 and one paid $22. Unfortunately it can be random and completely out of our control.

Maybe when they saw 15 envelopes at the same time they got flagged because it looks like a business. I'd try again sending fewer at a time.

[sniisk]

Ahhh, customs... that's probably just bad luck. I'd try again, sending 2 envelopes, and write "trading cards - no monetary value" on the envelope. Once 2 friends and I ordered something from the same US company - one paid no customs, one paid $6 and one paid $22. Unfortunately it can be random and completely out of our control.

Maybe when they saw 15 envelopes at the same time they got flagged because it looks like a business. I'd try again sending fewer at a time.

Those envelopes were mailed in different times. First in August, some in September and one in October. Those were not even the trades I mailed in this a-thon so I assume I will get them back too. All my envelopes had a customs declaration form. It didn't help.

[somnia]

Oh no, that's not good. I hope there's a solution!

[sniisk]

This is going to cost a lot. 15*4.5 dollars + possible customs costs...

[theweavershand]

My husband died of covid at 7 am today.

Dear, sweet Heather. My heart breaks for you. Love and comfort to you, my friend. Prayers are being lifted.

[sniisk]

Well, I faced a new problem. I got a message that I have an envelope waiting in the customs here and I need to declare it. I should list every single item and their value of that envelope but I have no idea what's inside. Because it hasn't been "declared correctly" in the US, I need to declare it here. This mess is just getting bigger and bigger. Did you people know that if you send anything else than just a paper, you should fill in a declaration form electrically in the customs? It would be nice if these things weren't hidden somewhere. Should we get this information when we mail our mail in a post office? I didn't find any news about this or any instructions.

[KESagers]

Sniisk - I'm sorry. It is probably the envelope I sent you. In the US if an envelope meets the requirements for a "letter" it cannot be sent with a customs form. I checked on this a long time ago because I noticed that you send everything with a customs declaration. If an item is sent in a padded envelope or package then it requires a customs form. I even questioned my post office about the size of the envelope. They told me the "letter" requirements are very specific and if it meets those requirements I do not add a customs form. The post office can only process a customs form for a "package." I sent you & Hilla and Evelyn the same size envelope with the same contents as a RAK. Evelyn's took about 6 weeks to get to her but it finally arrived this week without any customs problem. There is something crazy going on between the US postal service and Finland right now. I am PMing you with more information.

[sniisk]

Kristin, I found some information that EU and US have this issue but no one knows the rules so people cannot do it right. It looks like some envelopes goes through without problems and others don't. Our postal service lady told me several years ago that every single envelope needs a customs form when it goes to US. And I got the same answer again on Friday when I called them again. But it's clear nor that they don't know how it should be done. And neither seems to know post offices at your end either .

[KESagers]

I think you are 100% correct. No one knows the rules right now. I just checked our postal web site and the published rules on this end have not changed but I will keep checking in case the rules do change. For some reason Finland has always required you to put a customs form on your mail to the US and the US has never required a customs form for my international mail - only packages. I never understood that and it seemed to me that it should be the same for all of us.

We are certainly needing a lot of patience right now! It's very frustrating!

[KESagers]

I just got an envelope you mailed in September! It reminded me that during this pandemic all the mail from Finland and some of the mail from the rest of Europe has been coming un-cancelled. It's been great for keeping the stamps in perfect condition for art but I'm wondering if it's starting to be an issue. I don't know why it would . . .

[Linda4atc]

I would guess that it is my envelope giving you trouble Sanna. It is a large manilla envelope. I think it was all paper and stickers except I sent a Disney princess Halloween soft cover book I found for Hilla. The post office said it was flat enough to go without the customs. I am so sorry about the problems. Can you just decline it?

[CastleQueen5]

Sniisk, you mail is always so perfectly filled out, So some postal was being picky. Wait a few days weeks or month. It should work out. Your mailings havent changed but some workers expectations has.

[sniisk]

I have filled a custom declaration form for eight envelopes. I try to mail them tomorrow. We'll see if any of those will get through. If not, then I won't try again. I will probably get many earlier mailed envelopes back during the coming weeks. I have now here even three envelopes for one person that means I have gotten my trades back from a long time period.

[sniisk]

For me the worst thing is that I have so lovely, wonderful, care taking friends here and you all make such delightful surprises for me and especially for Hilla. And now you need to suffer because you have been a perfect friend.

I also declared the envelope that is waiting in the customs. I made a guess and told that there are Halloween cards inside. If I get it, then good, if, not, then I've done my best.

[KESagers]

I am happy know you and Hilla through this site and that will not change. We'll get through this and be able to mail normally again.

[KESagers]

Sniisk, you mail is always so perfectly filled out, So some postal was being picky. Wait a few days weeks or month. It should work out. Your mailings havent changed but some workers expectations has.

Heather I've been thinking about you every day. I know this has been a terrible week and you are going through a heart breaking loss. How are you doing with the Covid infection?

[JavaZarf]

The envelope from you came today. It was kind of rumpled, but ok and had not been opened.
Off to leave iTrader.

[sniisk]

I have now received several iTraders that means we have a working mail connection again. It takes time to go through the registrations and declaration process when I mail something. It may limit the amount of my trades.