Shipping to Italy

[luigi]

Hello,
I often order small merchandise from the UK and I've noticed that most of the time Small Packets Airmail
takes between two and three weeks to arrive. As comparison, similar shipments from Germany take between
3 and 5 days.

I was wondering if someone could give an insight on how international deliveries are sorted and what
path they follow.

Regards

[Sam43]

It depends on a number of factors. How fast the package gets to the airport for shipment to Italy, should reach UK airport same day, and how fast the Italian postal service sort the incoming package. Once it arrives in Italy Royal Mail don't have any control over the Italian postal service.

[luigi]

It depends on a number of factors. How fast the package gets to the airport for shipment to Italy, should reach UK airport same day, and how fast the Italian postal service sort the incoming package. Once it arrives in Italy Royal Mail don't have any control over the Italian postal service.

I realise that, but I was wondering if there was something else to explain the significant delay compared to mail arriving from other EU countries.
On the other hand, Parcelforce -> SDA parcels don't suffer the same fate, for some reason.

Anyway it's a mere curiosity.

[SpacePhoenix]

Could they be getting held up by Italian customs?

[Postman Plodd]

I wont ship to Italy. I had nowt but hassle from buyers asking where their items are whenever i have in the past.

[mazza111]

Agree with above, I can send to germany with no probs, but anything I've sent to Italy always goes astray. So have had to stop selling or sending there If you look on the ebay boards, u will find many more sellers are the same, unfortunate, but.....

[luigi]

Could they be getting held up by Italian customs?

I was under the impression both countries were in the EU customs union.

[mazza111]

Could they be getting held up by Italian customs?

I was under the impression both countries were in the EU customs union.

Wouldn't really matter, anything going in and out of different countries, especially by air, will go through customs I would imagine. After all anything could be sent through the post otherwise, including drugs etc. After all I have to go through customs when I go to other places in Europe, so will the parcels I would imagine :)

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Could they be getting held up by Italian customs?

I was under the impression both countries were in the EU customs union.

Wouldn't really matter, anything going in and out of different countries, especially by air, will go through customs I would imagine. After all anything could be sent through the post otherwise, including drugs etc. After all I have to go through customs when I go to other places in Europe, so will the parcels I would imagine :)

Correct - Whilst the EU allows Free Trade and Free movement of it citizens throughout member countries, the individual countries themselves have to protect the EU, and their own country, from illegal trade even within its borders. This means that sometimes even innocent items are delayed.