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[playmysitardemy]

I don't know if this actually fits here.....

I don't usually buy costumes off the marketplace (though a few times I came close), but I pretty much fell for this one. It was moderately priced in my opinion for a used costume so I decided to get it. The girl seemed nice and answered all my questions on the costume.

This is where I get concerned. I paid for it on the 18th or 19th of October and she said she sent it out the 22nd. She lives in Australia and I live in the States. She told me it'd be about three weeks max to get here......it's now been over a month and still nothing. I asked her about two weeks into the wait if there was a tracking number and she said only express packages get one.

I sent another PM two days ago but her profile says she hasn't been on since the 12th, when I last sent a PM to her and received an answer. I also emailed her but still my inbox is empty.

Should I be worried? I've never had a package come from Australia but the ones from China or Japan only took a month since they would occasionally get stuck in customs. Also I noticed she only has 10 posts and has been a user for about a year, plus only 4 pictures (and no pics of the costume she sold me). I'm not accusing her but I am getting very worried about the situation.

[Lovelychristina]

All I can suggest is give her until Dec 1st to contact you. If she doesn't File a report with Paypal. (I would Think you used)

Customs Is a Funny thing they can hold items for a long while and it get annoying. China usually gets away with it since most of them mark the product as gifts. (Which I've noticed the few times I've ordered from China)

[Kitsoru]

Apparently, Customs is being very careful these days with international packages due to the recent airmail bomb attempts, so it may just be that it's being held up in Customs- but I'd definitely still file a chargeback with Paypal if it doesn't come in by the time the 45 days limit is about to be up (like said above).

[playmysitardemy]

Originally Posted by Kitsoru

Apparently, Customs is being very careful these days with international packages due to the recent airmail bomb attempts, so it may just be that it's being held up in Customs- but I'd definitely still file a chargeback with Paypal if it doesn't come in by the time the 45 days limit is about to be up (like said above).

Yes, I knew about that....but I think she sent it out (if thats true) before it happened, so I'm not sure if it would exactly affect it. The longest they've held a package that I know of is two weeks (my fiance's package). It still should have been here by now.

However, I am ready to open a dispute soon, that money I used could be used for other things if she isn't going to send me the costume.

[playmysitardemy]

Still no word and my 45 days were almost up so I went ahead and filed a dispute. Still no word from her, so I think she was a scammer....darn.

Edit: I got an email today saying she promises she sent it and will check in a week with the post office where it is. We'll see how this goes.

[playmysitardemy]

The final email she sent me was December 13th, with this as the context:

"The package was delayed on it's way out of Australia, and it's flight was interfered with by bad weather. It's been forwarded through sea mail, which is why it's taking so long, now. It wasn't with express, so... they couldn't give me a good enough period of time, the best I got was 'a few more weeks'. So, whatever happens from here I have no control of. I had no control over it once I sent it off. I'd appreciate it if the dispute could be lifted, as the delay is not my fault. You told me you didn't need it immediately anyway.
Thanks. x"

So....to recap, it's been 9 weeks since she said the package has been sent, no way to track it, but it has been sent out, according to her. I had expected this costume ready for ALA, which I leave January 6th for. I have this big feeling it's not going to arrive, if she actually HAS sent it out.

I'd advise in being wary of buying anything from Zi from here on Cosplay.com. There are just too many red flags, not to mention she seems to suddenly be very defensive when an actual dispute came forth. This costume has become too much of a headache now that if she IS telling the truth and it arrives, I'd rather send it back and get my money back.

[dizzylizzy]

I've had a package take 2 months before from Australia. : ( It was from my pen-pal so she shipped the cheaper way and with no tracking. I just thought I'd chime in with a similar shipping mishap from the same country.

Hopefully, it really was shipping and nothing else! Best of luck!

[playmysitardemy]

Originally Posted by dizzylizzy

I've had a package take 2 months before from Australia. : ( It was from my pen-pal so she shipped the cheaper way and with no tracking. I just thought I'd chime in with a similar shipping mishap from the same country.

Hopefully, it really was shipping and nothing else! Best of luck!

Two months? I wonder why it takes so long and why they don't track the packages either. It's been three for me.

Thanks, I hope it won't have to get to such extreme measures.

[angelbabycakes]

Just read on eBay that there is bad weather interfering with shipping and such in Australia currently. I'm not sure if it should or would pertain to your order, but it's possible. Seems everything is working against this order.

Thought I might add that bit of information as well.

Best of luck with your order!

[DaemonForce]

I would rather forefeit the one month wait from Hong Kong than to waste 3 months of my year waiting for anything from Australia. Any time me or my friends have ordered anything, the shipping was delayed by everything but customs. You aren't going to see any different.

[playmysitardemy]

Originally Posted by DaemonForce

I would rather forefeit the one month wait from Hong Kong than to waste 3 months of my year waiting for anything from Australia. Any time me or my friends have ordered anything, the shipping was delayed by everything but customs. You aren't going to see any different.

I figured as much now. I've never received anything from Aussieland, but I never want to try again.

[Eau de Decus]

I've ordered something from Australia, which took about three weeks (I'm in California). However, when people don't respond or seem to be reluctant to reply back, I always become suspicious. I just have an inherit distrust of a lot of sellers in the cosplay field I guess. Honestly, it sounds like you might have been scammed, but hopefully I am wrong and you get your item.

[playmysitardemy]

Originally Posted by Eau de Decus

I've ordered something from Australia, which took about three weeks (I'm in California). However, when people don't respond or seem to be reluctant to reply back, I always become suspicious. I just have an inherit distrust of a lot of sellers in the cosplay field I guess. Honestly, it sounds like you might have been scammed, but hopefully I am wrong and you get your item.

You're in Cali too huh? And three weeks to boot. Sheesh.

Yeah, she's stopped replying to my emails after the last one she sent about it "not being her problem".

[lollydove]

Yes, currently here in Australia there are some bad floods.
By bad, I mean whole communities evacuated and the water levels covering homes, and people going around in boats.
So that might explain the slight delay... However, it depends on which part of Australia the seller was from. Right now this problem is mostly in Queensland.
If she is in Queensland and she's not replying, she may have had to evacuate a home or something similar. There's really no way to know.

[playmysitardemy]

Originally Posted by lollydove

Yes, currently here in Australia there are some bad floods.
By bad, I mean whole communities evacuated and the water levels covering homes, and people going around in boats.
So that might explain the slight delay... However, it depends on which part of Australia the seller was from. Right now this problem is mostly in Queensland.
If she is in Queensland and she's not replying, she may have had to evacuate a home or something similar. There's really no way to know.

According to her page she lives in Sydney. I have no idea where Queensland is or if it's even close.