How to Post things to Italy
You might think that mailing something to Italy would be as simple as popping it in a letter box. You would be wrong though, for this is often when the trouble starts.
I’ve lost count of the number of stories I’ve heard from expats in Italy who have lost things in the post here. More often than not it is items sent to Italy which tend to disappear into the ether. I know, I have had direct experience of this. Two things which stick in my mind are a Christmas card which never arrived, and a few humble pairs of Marks and Spencer’s socks which my mum sent to me a few years back. Said socks never made it to my house in Italy. Yes, I know that these items were not life threateningly important, but losing them was annoying, and others have lost much more valuable items.
Other more costly items which I have heard of that have gone astray include a watch, and a Play Station, plus many other things which simply never arrived in Italy.
It’s not just sending things to Italy which can be haphazard, but also sending items out of Italy. Whether or not the letters, packs and parcels reach their destination tends to be down to chance. I cannot say whether it is Italian postal workers who take a shine to whatever people are sending to one another, or whether it is the postal people in the countries through which the post passes, but I have my suspicions with regard to Italy’s post people.
This how-to guide post, if you’ll excuse the postal pun, may help you avoid losing things to Italy’s rather erratic postal system.
Covert Operations
A Boring Envelope
Red envelopes shout ‘rip me open!’.
When sending simple things like greeting cards, do not use that flashy red or sky blue envelope that it came in from the card shop. No, pop the card in an envelope of the nice ordinary buff brown variety, like the one on the left.
If you like, you can put still put that card in its original glorious technicolor envelope, as long as both are placed in an anonymous boring brown envelope.
The dull brown envelope creates the impression that the contents are official, and thus of little or no value. This discourages tampering, especially when there are all those other nice bright red and sky blue envelopes to tinker with.
Mail workers are wise to the fact that colourful envelops from overseas may well contain cheques or, even better, cash.
Box It! Feel It!
If you can understand what is in a pack from feeling it, then you can be dead certain that someone else will too.
To keep curious hands from understanding whether something is worth stealing, pop items like DVDs, CDs or clothes in a rigid cardboard box, if you are sending them to Italy. Otherwise the chances of these things mysteriously evaporating will be considerably higher.
Hold your horses for a moment, do not rush off to the mail box yet, as you are still not ready to post something to Italy. Please read on.
Print that Address
Scribbling the target address on that ordinary envelope or parcel is a no-no. Hand written addresses are a dead give-away. They shout ‘personal’, ‘gift’, and ‘money’.
Instead, invest in those self-adhesive labels you can run through an ink jet or laser printer, and print that address. Use a formal looking font, too.
Printed addresses add to the ‘this is official’ impression.
In case you can’t be bothered to take a trip down to the local stationers or computer shop to buy those self-adhesive labels, a piece of white paper on which the address has been printed, and which is then taped or, better, glued to the brown envelope, could be used as a do it yourself sticky label alternative.
You could, of course, simply print the address directly onto your envelope, if your printer is able to do this.
Still not ready just yet though. There is the address itself.
Send it to a Business Address
From experience, I have discovered, well, my parents have, that sending a parcel, card or letter to a business address, which means a company name with ‘Srl’, ‘SpA’, or ‘SAS’ after it in Italy, tends to build upon the impression that the contents are probably boring stuff like brochures or a report. This little distraction technique keeps those who love to tamper from fiddling with the more obviously personal packages. You know, the ones in bright red, pink or pretty flowery envelopes, or the things that can be squeezed.
Cards disguised as official mail can probably be sent to home addresses in Italy quite safely using the boring brown envelope and printed label trick. Well, this works for me.
Register and Insure the Item
To add some icing to the cake, sending your item by recorded/registered post (and insuring it) also seems to help ensure (but does not guarantee) that whatever it is will arrive at its destination in Italy.
Oh, and beware of writing just what is in the package on it to help those nice customs people, who should have X-ray machines anyway. Write something anonymous like ‘books’ or ‘gift’, or whatever else you can think of which will broadly describe the contents without giving too much away.
The package containing the watch I mentioned at the beginning of this little how-to guide arrived at its destination – minus the watch, most probably because the sender wrote on the parcel just what it contained. Indeed, I know for a fact that the sender did write ‘watch’ on the pack.
Wait
Once you have actually sent the item off, be patient. Posted items can take up to two weeks to pop through that Italian letter box. Once the two weeks are up, start checking.
DHL, Fed Ex or TNT it
DHL it!
Last, but by no means least, if you really have to send something to Italy which is either highly important, very valuable, or extremely fiddly to replace, like a birth certificate for example, then use DHL, Fed Ex or TNT.
The cost will be high, but the chances of the package going astray will be greatly reduced. But never, I repeat never, send raw cash this way, unless it is fully insured, and even then, it may well become lost, resulting in the long drawn out process of making a claim against the courier service’s insurance.
Sending Money
Best avoid it, and simply do not send cash using normal postal services, especially not to or from Italy.
If you really must send money, either transfer it electronically, or use a service like Western Union. A non-transferable cheque can be sent, as even if this never arrives, not much can be done with it – although the information on the check could end up in the hands of identity thieves, which is something to bear in mind.
There, I hope that helps. The suggestions contained in this post are not foolproof, but should help ensure that the post to Italy really does get through, and arrives in one piece. Similarly, sending items out of Italy will also benefit from a little ‘camouflage‘.
Let me know how you get on, and if you have any losses to report.
I hope you found this post on the ‘post’ interesting. Let me leave you with one final thought.
Ever wondered why Amazon has never set up shop in Italy? Well, this post might explain why, in that I am willing to bet that Amazon would end up losing buckets of money as a result of high-ticket items never getting to where they were supposed to go in Italy. I could be wrong, but… 
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About Amazon. Therein lies the unfortunate part of all this. It makes Italy look second rate.
Have they tried cleaning it up?
Hi Alex,
“Have they tried cleaning it up?” – I do not know, but someone who has only recently arrived in Italy commented on the randomness of the postal service, so this probably means no.
Then again, I’m not 100% certain that the problem is in Italy – could just be a problem with international mail.
Best,
Alex
Hi Alex,
actually I have always received in Italy wathever I have ordered to Amazon. With some delay, maybe, ma never loosing anything. The quirks of Fate, in my experience, are instead on the side of the custom: you never know if there will be a nice add-on to the price or not…
Hi Giorgio,
Good to hear that Amazon ordered goods have always arrived. Thinking about it, I too have ordered stuff from Amazon USA, and this stuff arrived, and fairly quickly. Not yet been hit but the customs charges – but they worry me.
But have you ever noticed that there is an Amazon UK, Amazon USA, Amazon Germany, Amazon France, Amazon Spain, but no Amazon Italy. Strange, is it not?!
Best,
Alex
I too have not had any problems either receiving or sending stuff through the post, including receiving items from Amazon in the UK.
Maybe, I too, am lucky. I shall be crossing my fingers for the next item though, as I’m sure fate will take a hand now that I’ve said it’s OK!
Hi Andy,
Good to hear that you have not had problems. Long may this continue! Hope commenting here does not tempt fate!
Best,
Alex
Hi Alex,
First of all brilliant post, excellent advice! I have to say that things have greatly improved over the years (and forgive me for saying this – since moving North) I know, I know, all heck will break loose when people read that but the reality is that when I lived in Rome (15 years ago) I had ENDLESS problems with receiving packages and letters.
Since living in Milan I have had few problems and I order a lot of stuff on the Internet – mostly from the UK, but also from the US, Canada and Thailand. Purchases always arrive and I rarely have to wait very long for them. I also receive a lot of stuff from DeAgostini in the mail and their stuff always arrives. My sisters in Canada regularly send me things and I always get them. Perhaps I’ve been lucky lately, but I think your advice is spot on.
Glad you liked the post, Joanne. I hoped it might be useful to some.
Sounds as though you are one of the not so lucky ones, like me, or at least you were when down in Rome.
I’ve always been up north, and still worry about things getting through. Quite paranoid, I am!
Good to hear that recently things have been getting to you without problem, but I wrote this post after having spoken to someone who has only been in Milan for a few months, and has been having post related problems. So while the problem may be diminishing, it’s not been eliminated just yet.
As for the poke towards Italy’s south, I think it is warranted, as you will know if you catch RAI 3’s investigative documentary series Report.
Boring brown envelopes for me!
Cheers,
Alex
http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/10/31/italys-postal-embarrassment-vergogna-postale/ – ’nuff said!
Hi Dierdré,
Read that post of yours. Incredible! How could it possibly take longer to post something to a major town in Italy, then to some middle of nowhere hill station in India?
And I noticed that you ran the same post in Italian too: http://www.beginningwithi.com/comments/2007/10/31/vergogna-postale/
But then the words ‘Italian’ and ‘efficiency’ are not often seen together. RAI 3’s Report makes this very clear indeed. You may have heard that Italian managers have recently claimed to be some of the best in the world. However, there must be no world class managers working for Italy’s generally dire postal service.
Thought this post might have provoked a few mail related tales.
Best,
Alex
Couldn’t help but put my two cents in!
More Italian bureaucracy horror stories!
great post!
I cannot count the number of hours I spent in lines at the post office only to arrive at the front of the line and be told that the color of my box was wrong, or the lettering was too big or too small or in the wrong colour or the wrong place on the box, or the dimensions were wrong, or … whatever.
I did order 6 books from amazon once, to be sent to my Milan address, and after something like 3 months, when they hadn’t arrived, I called them and told them. They immediately sent another order, with no questions, which I received pretty quickly. Then, 6 months later, my original order arrived. Honestly, who knows….!!
Glad you liked the post, Madeline.
And thanks for telling us about your fun with the funny Italian postal system.
I’d not heard of people having problems with boxes before now. Incredible.
As for the Amazon tale, well, that’s a good example of how random the Italian mail service can be.
Best regards,
Alex
oooh yes, boxes have stirred up some of the best Italian horror stories of all!
this is an excellent post! i found this in a search for amazon delivery problems – in rome over xmas they are now using SDA couriers to bring packages but – get this – if you happen to be out when the courier calls, you then have to call SDA on a very expensive number to request redelivery – unfortunately they cannot give a precise time and instead suggest that you stay in ALL day in case they call?! if you miss them – they send your stuff back to amazon!!
i’ve also had empty envelopes and packages delivered to me in rome – often with one side slit open or even roughly torn – once even a completely ripped open and unfolded amazon package was dutifully brought to my door…minus contents! i never had any problems when i lived in a rural area, however – only in rome.
Hi Deborah,
Glad you found it interesting! A few people seem to have, and I know that there is a .pdf guide out there somewhere with a link to it too.
I’ve not had any experience of SDA couriers, I have to say – sounds as they fall into the ‘are couriers, but not in the way you know it’ category! TNT and FedEx seem to work normally in Italy.
As for stories of empty packages, not a surprise. Interesting to hear that you had no problems in rural areas.
Merry regards,
Alex
Dear Sir I have send a Parcel (about 10 kg) to Italy 0n 23 of november and did not arrive The address is [address removed by Alex Roe] -The parcel was sent from 482 holloway Road Post office.- would be any change to find out what Happened to it? Many thanks. Mrs Franca Garcia.
Sorry Franca – this is not something this site does.
I suggest you ask the Italian addressee to speak to the Italian post office about this.
Best,
Alex
PS I have removed the address you mentioned because I don’t think it is a good idea to make it public.
Hello,
I checked this what you said about shipping items to Italy or out from Italy.
There seems to be just this kind of problem also. Even I had registered mail and simple package, Italy post workers had opened my package, took item out and just put case back in where the item was.
It is unbeliavable what those people can do there.
Hello Furious,
Very sorry to hear your story. As I mentioned above, the suggestions are not foolproof -but I have used these techniques and have been lucky -so far.
I’m afraid that while using registered mail helps, it is not always a guarantee -registered mail just means you can check that your item actually gets to destination and that you may be able to claim on insurance if something does happen.
The downside to registered mail is that it shouts ’something interesting inside’. Dishonest postal workers are well aware of this.
I’ll leave your comment here in the hope that it warns others of the dangers.
Thanks for writing.
Best,
Alex
Happy to report that my Christmas package sent November 29th from Los Angeles California to Bologna Italy arrived safe and sound on January 12th. That’s 44 days if anyone is counting.
At least you are happy to report that it took 44 days! I guess those mail men cannot cycle as fast as they once did, Julie.
It got there, that is the important thing!
Best,
Alex
Hi Alex
I received a Chirstmas card in a plain white envelope yesterday (27 January) posted in the Netherlands on 22 December. It confirms all your pessimism EXCEPT the handwritten address contained 4 lines: my name, my village, ‘Tuscany’, ‘Italia’. No house number, no street address, no province! A helpful postal worker had written ‘Lucca’ on the envelope. The postina had done the rest.
Best
Heather
Not so much pessimism as prudence, Heather. Experience teaches you things…
I’ve been in Italy for a long time, and the postal service has not really improved. Only the other day someone, a German, moaned to me about how slow the Italian mail service can be.
Still, not everything is bad. Some postal workers are nice honest people, I’ve no doubt at all. From the way the card had been addressed, you were pretty lucky to have got it at all!
Your story is a classic example of the way things are in Italy – the general problem is a lack of consistency. One day something will go well, the next day the same thing will be like taking the slow train to the moon. Painful.
Best,
Alex
In the end, the majority of the stuff I’ve had posted to me in Rome did eventually arrive. What gets me is the sheer randomness of the timing. My parents sent two packages to me, a month apart; they arrived on the same day. I imagine they put the first one in a corner where it lay forgotten until somehow jogged back into the system by the arrival of the second! Of course, if you keep them waiting they’ll charge you – if they hold a package for you at the post office until you go and queue for it they’ll charge for storage from day 6 onwards…
Hello Alex!
Great post! ♥
I have never sent anything to Italy and I’ve only ordered one thing so far (last Summer).
It was a lovely hand crocheted clochet hat, which arrived safely & quickly.
Anyhow, this is not the first time I read “horror” stories about the Italian postal service.
There’s a website where I like to shop for handmade items & there happens to be a forum & blog section where artisans get to discuss their experiences & I have to admit that a lot of them mentioned the problems they’ve encountered with lost packages and what not.
Some were worried about sending out their stuff but would still do so anyhow, others would resort to sending insured & registered only and another group of people would just refuse to send anything whatsoever due to the high amount of lost parcels & orders.
So, I can assure you that you’re not being paranoid.
There definitely is a problem.
PS: I run an informative website concerning the promotion of handmade goods and anything that goes with it (selling, packing, shipping, shopping, …).
And I would really love to add a link to your blog post
.
Let me know what you think!
Hi Miriam,
Glad you found this post worthwhile.
It’s always interesting to hear about other peoples experiences concerning Italy’s somewhat unpredictable mail service.
Very interesting to hear that artisans have noticed sending stuff to or out of Italy can be problematic.
Stuff does get through to Italy- I can vouch for that. And stuff does become lost too.
As for linking to this post, feel free. If it helps people avoid problems, then that’s great!
Thanks for commenting.
Best,
Alex