Comments on: How to Post things to Italy http://www.blogfromitaly.com/how-to-post-things-to-italy/ Life in the Living Museum Sun, 21 Mar 2010 00:40:36 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Alex Roe http://www.blogfromitaly.com/how-to-post-things-to-italy/#comment-21343 Alex Roe Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:07:55 +0000 http://www.blogfromitaly.com/?p=4091#comment-21343 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 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

]]> By: Miriam http://www.blogfromitaly.com/how-to-post-things-to-italy/#comment-21341 Miriam Sun, 31 Jan 2010 20:59:04 +0000 http://www.blogfromitaly.com/?p=4091#comment-21341 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! 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!

]]> By: Sim http://www.blogfromitaly.com/how-to-post-things-to-italy/#comment-21011 Sim Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:20:30 +0000 http://www.blogfromitaly.com/?p=4091#comment-21011 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... 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…

]]> By: Alex Roe http://www.blogfromitaly.com/how-to-post-things-to-italy/#comment-20977 Alex Roe Thu, 28 Jan 2010 13:24:50 +0000 http://www.blogfromitaly.com/?p=4091#comment-20977 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 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

]]> By: Heather Jarman http://www.blogfromitaly.com/how-to-post-things-to-italy/#comment-20966 Heather Jarman Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:14:11 +0000 http://www.blogfromitaly.com/?p=4091#comment-20966 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 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

]]>