Problem - pins stuck in customs :-(

Hi everyone!
I hope I'm posting the right category, but I need some advice.
I'm located in Europe and purchased two japanese Disney pins from Japan via ebay, paid via Paypal.
They were promptly shipped after payment, but tracking now shows them in customs since the 28th MAY! :-(
They won't move, I've phoned my post agency -> they tell me there's nothing they can do, I have to wait. One person there tells me they're likely lost and I should open a Paypal case, another tells me it might take up to 4 weeks (which have now passed). I have opened a case with Paypal now, the seller is communicative but also doesn't know what to do.
I'm completely lost and I have no clue what is supposed to happen now. The pins will have custom charges, so they need to go through customs, but why won't they move?
I also tried phoning customs directly but alas no luck. The post told me the pins will only be scanned again AFTER they left customs, so I habe no idea where they even are: still with the post waiting to be shown to customs or with customs.
I'm so frustrated, I ordered a pin from the US which only took about a week and a half. I waiting for these Japan pins now for almost 6 weeks
Should I escalate the Paypal case? Or wait a bit more? I just don't know what to do anymore.

Please any help or suggestion is appreciated!

Unfortunately, you may just have to wait. Sometimes things get stuck in customs for quite a while.
They will not be able to just go and grab your mail from everything at customs, you have to wait for it to be processed.

You can try keep calling customs. It's not very likely they'll be lost though, you just have to be patient. Your package isn't the only thing they need to process. Or you can keep pushing your postal office and customs. I pushed mine with two lost packages and they moved. They're just lazy asses, most of the time.

In either case, a Paypal case wouldn't be very fair to the seller. It's not their fault European customs are slow. And chances are you bought over the limit so they need to calculate fees and do paper work. But that's your choice, with the Paypal case. I would wait and keep contacting postal office and customs.

a4matte said:

Unfortunately, you may just have to wait. Sometimes things get stuck in customs for quite a while.
They will not be able to just go and grab your mail from everything at customs, you have to wait for it to be processed.

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I know that it takes time, just 5 weeks is way over the norm here :-(

OlafOlaf said:

You can try keep calling customs. It's not very likely they'll be lost though, you just have to be patient. Your package isn't the only thing they need to process. Or you can keep pushing your postal office and customs. I pushed mine with two lost packages and they moved. They're just lazy asses, most of the time.

In either case, a Paypal case wouldn't be very fair to the seller. It's not their fault European customs are slow. And chances are you bought over the limit so they need to calculate fees and do paper work. But that's your choice, with the Paypal case. I would wait and keep contacting postal office and customs.

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I didn't think about it being lost at first, but the postal clerk who told me it might be strongly advised I should open a case as long as I still could with Paypal.
Whenever I call they just tell me to phone the post agency...*sigh*

I already opened it, so I have not many choices anymore. I can still wait about ten more days but then I either have to escalate or close it. Problem is, if I close it (provided the pins haven't moved till then) I will have lost all protection - if the pins never show up I have no recourse :-/ If I escalate then, I suppose I will win(?) I will of course give the seller the money if the pins still arrive.
I just don't know if there's a third option for me as of now? I don't want to be unfair, but I also don't want to be out of the money AND the pins. (The seller can still file a claim with the post if the pins are lost?)

You can file the claim with PayPal and just let it do its course. Actually, what you should do first is a claim through eBay (which owns PayPal). <--although doing this will cost you the opportunity to purchase from this seller again.

I have no idea if eBay Japan has the same deal that ebay US has (the global shipping program) which is where the seller can ship to a central location and it's eBay's problem to deal with shipping.

It seems to be a postal issue / customs issue and not a seller issue. I've purchased through eBay from Japanese sellers and I get the items in one week (no customs to deal with or anything).

I shipped a pin to Germany at the beginning of May for a trade. As far as I know, it is still in
customs. That is close to two months. Just so that you know.

I have had things "lost" forever with the French customs. I think some people have sticky fingers over there. Especially when they know if it was insured/tracked or not.

Hi from Muenchen ... had the same problem with 2 trades from Hong Kong from end of April .. scan showed they arrived on may 12/13th and then they finally showed up last saturday .. the hotline of Deutsche Post told me they are flooded with football merchandise from Asia and this causes the delays .. don't give up they will arrive sooner or later ....

German customs seams to have trouble right now. I bought a thing from german ebay it it took 5 weeks for it to arrive to Sweden!!! It was stuck in german customs for 4 weeks. Crazy! They could not say why they just said they have much to do right now, so I might give it a few more days anyway.

momin.ator said:

I shipped a pin to Germany at the beginning of May for a trade. As far as I know, it is still in
customs. That is close to two months. Just so that you know.

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Update! Shipped package from US May 5, 2014 -- Arrived Germany today.