# Portuguese post abysmally slow



## rasterboy

Hi all.

Sending a lot of stuff from Lisbon to the UK and elsewhere in Europe. I am very disappointed in the speed of parcels sent. A regular consigment (250gram package at 4 euros) sometimes takes more than 7 days to get to the recipient in the UK, and a disturbing amount of packages just seem to disappear.

The few packages I send tracked, can sometimes lay about for about 2-3 days before they even exit the country. I am used to the speed between Scandinavia and the UK, where 2-3 days is usually enough to get delivered to the recipient.

This is wreaking havoc on my Ebay rating, and frustrates me a lot.

What are your experiences? Any workarounds?


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## JohnBoy

I made a similar observation recently Rasterboy albeit concerning post in the opposite direction. Ordinary mail from the UK seems to be coming through normally at the moment but three packages that were recently sent from different parts of the UK took four weeks to arrive here. I have no idea where the holdup was but strongly suspect it had a lot to do with the wildcat stoppages at Lisbon Airport at with CTT. I still have one package outstanding but it's only been three weeks so far so time yet!

I sympathise with you as far as your eBay ratings go but from a customer point of view I would never make a negative feedback if the seller had been upfront with me from the off. While we are going through this patch of second rate service it might be an idea to warn your buyers that post leaving Portugal is subject to delays outside of your control. You could add an apology, ask for understanding and to contact you before posting any negative feedback.


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## rasterboy

I hear ya JohnBoy. 

I also seem to have had a problem with mail disappearing coming in from Scandinavia. If one does not answer the doorbell when the mailman arrives (usually asleep or in the shower at 11am), then the parcel will simply vanish into thin air, forever.

Re. the neg feedback I am getting. I am warning my clents that delays could happen, and most of them are tolerant. It is just that I am sending about 40-50 packages a week. At least one of those clients will have patience for 7 days, then give me neg feedback on the 8th day, without contacting me first. All part of the "we have decided that your customer is always right" policy that Ebay/Paypal thought out. Gawd, I wish they'd bring back the option of giving neg feedback to buyers.


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## canoeman

I find it the other way UK to Portugal takes longer a recent Ebay small packet posted 7/01 arrived 17/01 but a similar package Portugal to UK rarely takes +4 days as all our slow delivery issues are with UK posted articles believe it's UK end but without tracking very difficult to ascertain where problem actually is, little workaround from here your alternative are the courier services but without really high volume not likely to get an affordable price.

My best suggestion would be post from here early in the week rather than end


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## robc

canoeman said:


> I find it the other way UK to Portugal takes longer a recent Ebay small packet posted 7/01 arrived 17/01


I can beat that

Posted Dec 9th in UK, National market Leading clothing company

Still not arrived..............Thanks GLS

Rob


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## rasterboy

canoeman said:


> a similar package Portugal to UK rarely takes +4 days


Hey Canoeman. Is that a "normal" package, or is that a Correio Azul, or whatever it is called?


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## canoeman

You don't mean M&S? do you, we received a full refund +£5 voucher on a parcel not delivered by their their advertised 7-10 notified them at time and claimed 10 days later, eventually turned up a further 8 days later being honest we told them to get an email saying we could return, pay or telephone them, which I did said I was happy to return if they paid postage or pay but not postage, apologies from operator told to keep free of charge and another £5 voucher no wonder they're in trouble.
Don't believe M&S's new courier use GLS but the parcel was via UK Post Office and not via the courier company stated on their site

rasterboy I always post "normal" to UK never Azul basically because I found it made no difference as all post to UK goes straight into a specific box in the office


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## robc

canoeman said:


> You don't mean M&S? do you,


Sadly not...................the opposite to John O´groats actually !!!!!

Rob


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## maidentales

I've waited 5 months before for something that eventually arrived - perhaps because it came from China though and it took 4 months to leave Asia?

However, things going missing include from the USA but not the UK which arrives within 3-4 days by standard post. 

Signed for post on special delivery takes much longer!???

As we live out in the sticks I'm sure that the postman collects it all for us instead of bringing it to the door on a day to day basis unless he's got to deliver to many neighbours that is and then we get a more regular delivery.


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## jellybean

JohnBoy said:


> I made a similar observation recently Rasterboy albeit concerning post in the opposite direction. Ordinary mail from the UK seems to be coming through normally at the moment but three packages that were recently sent from different parts of the UK took four weeks to arrive here. I have no idea where the holdup was but strongly suspect it had a lot to do with the wildcat stoppages at Lisbon Airport at with CTT. I still have one package outstanding but it's only been three weeks so far so time yet!
> 
> I sympathise with you as far as your eBay ratings go but from a customer point of view I would never make a negative feedback if the seller had been upfront with me from the off. While we are going through this patch of second rate service it might be an idea to warn your buyers that post leaving Portugal is subject to delays outside of your control. You could add an apology, ask for understanding and to contact you before posting any negative feedback.


There is definitely something amiss. GLS are awful but local CTT service was normally very reliable but recently that has definitely changed. I'm now waiting at least 3 weeks for packages to arrive FROM the UK to Portugal (Portugal to UK packages seem to be OK) and it used to take about 4 days. I asked my postman what the problem is but he said there is no hold up locally as they deliver everything they receive that day on the same day.

I think we should ALL send complaints to [email protected] and ask them why the service has deteriorated. I run a small internet based business and it's causing serious problems.


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## JohnBoy

Letter posted in Lincoln on 27th was received here on 29th. A package posted by the same person in the same post office in Lincoln took four weeks and two others are still outstanding.

I'm convinced that the problem is here but whether CTT or customs needs to be established.

Love your idea of us all complaining to CTT Jellybean.


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## jellybean

JohnBoy said:


> Letter posted in Lincoln on 27th was received here on 29th. A package posted by the same person in the same post office in Lincoln took four weeks and two others are still outstanding.
> 
> I'm convinced that the problem is here but whether CTT or customs needs to be established.
> 
> Love your idea of us all complaining to CTT Jellybean.


I just think that if they only receive one or two complaints, they'll brush them off. But if they receive several complaints they'll have to deal with it - even if that means them trying to resolve whatever problems might be going on at Customs.


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## canoeman

Personally I think it's UK end or how post actually arrives in Portugal, certainly have no problem with our post office/man like you
GLS are awful because although they might have new vans well we do locally they still have a minute infrastructure and without will remain same unless your close to a distribution point, I still make certain as much as i can that nothing from UK PO goes via GLS


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## jellybean

Well I've sent my complaint off to [email protected] and they do always get back to you when you complain, so let's see what they say. I've yet to ask my French neighbours if they are having any problems with their post, but I will, as soon as it stops lashing down with rain.....:-/


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## jellybean

OK, well my French neighbours haven't noticed a decline in postal service between France and the UK (in either direction). They say they don't receive many packages normally, but packages sent during the Christmas period were received both in PT and in France in less than a week. They are going to ask in French expat forums if anyone has the same complaints that we have. Will report back if so.

Someone on FB suggested there might be a dispute between CTT and the Royal Mail over giving GLS the registered post contract - and deliberately holding up UK mail might be CTT's way of protesting. Who knows...?


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## JohnBoy

In view of what you say about the French I think that your theory is very feasible Jellybean.

It is getting better though. A package sent by Amazon via Royal Mail/CTT on 20 January has just arrived so we're down from four weeks to 10 days.


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## jellybean

JohnBoy said:


> In view of what you say about the French I think that your theory is very feasible Jellybean.
> 
> It is getting better though. A package sent by Amazon via Royal Mail/CTT on 20 January has just arrived so we're down from four weeks to 10 days.


Maybe...10 days is still worse than usual though. I'll only be happy when it's back to 3-4 days :fingerscrossed:


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## baldilocks

WE get some similar problems in Spain and I've heard that there are some industrial action sin UK that are causing problems. WE are not allowed to order from M&S UK any more and have to order through M&S EU which is, effectively, Ireland and that gets here within one or two days, likewise most Amazon stuff from Amazon UK. The funny things is, if we order through Amazon Spain and the item has to come from Scotland (same as Amazon UK) it gets here quicker.

Our biggest problem/delay is stuff from the US. Via USPS items will take four to six weeks if they are sent from a business but personal shipments are here within days.


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## JohnBoy

Very interesting Baldilocks especially about the Amazon Spain via Scotland deliveries. Bizarre to say the least.


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## maidentales

Talking of outside Portugal and hopefully it will remain outside Portugal!

Argentina Declares War on Amazon, Ebay - The American Interest

I'm not sure I could complain about our post as we live so far out - and the postman is so very, very nice to us, including leaving parcels out of the rain and inside a room that can be accessed if we're not in to collect.

I could however and indeed have had more than a few words with Portuguese Customs about what they will and won't allow in and the reasons why they don't without fiscal number documents etc.

We had a replacement part sent from Taiwan with all the details on an EMS that CTT Expresso continue to ask for but which was infront of them on the package.

Also wanting a physical copy of the Fiscal number which they already had and to cut a long story short it meant the item was sent back to Taiwain.

Delivery was re-arranged with additional postage costs to us of around 100 Euros, for the item to be sent to the UK and it cleared UK customs in 1 working day, duty paid in 4 working days and received by us within 2 weeks of being delivered to the UK.

Portuguese Customs took 4 months to return the item to Taiwan!

A complaint is now in the hands of the new Board at CTT Expresso as they have recently gone private although no response so far but they failed in all of their duty of care recently stated:

CTT Expresso - Mission, Vision and Values


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## travelling-man

We're in the central zone and our problem with all of the service providers, rather than just the post office seems to be that things get to Lisbon very quickly and then the delay occurs in getting the packages from Lisbon to Pedrogao Grande or the local distribution centre but then our local delivery guys now seem to be brilliant...... we now even get a phone call or a text message if there's any kind of a delay etc.

That said, until about 9 months ago, all deliveries from all servers were a super mega bugly stuff up here.


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## rasterboy

Original poster here again.

So now a bunch of my shipments are going out ok. A package door to door to Belgium took 3 days. World record.

By the way, anyone else having problems with getting care of "c/o" packages coming in OK? I import stuff from Asia, and now a package addressed to "my name c/o landlord's name", makes a letter to get sent registered from customs to "landlord's name". My landlord is not here to sign for it. Frustration...


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## baldilocks

Hey Rasterboy
You show your location as "Not sure" I'm not surprised you get delays in your deliveries.


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## canoeman

Take off the c/o landlords name


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## jellybean

baldilocks said:


> WE get some similar problems in Spain and I've heard that there are some industrial action sin UK that are causing problems. WE are not allowed to order from M&S UK any more and have to order through M&S EU which is, effectively, Ireland and that gets here within one or two days, likewise most Amazon stuff from Amazon UK. The funny things is, if we order through Amazon Spain and the item has to come from Scotland (same as Amazon UK) it gets here quicker.
> 
> Our biggest problem/delay is stuff from the US. Via USPS items will take four to six weeks if they are sent from a business but personal shipments are here within days.


Odd that I didn't receive email notification of this reply...

Anyway, do you have any more information about this industrial action? I've gone through the Royal Mail news archive on their website for the past couple of months and also the 'International Incidents' and not found anything.


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## canoeman

Ebay UK seller posted small packet Tuesday with Deutsche Post frank arrived Tues am


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## jellybean2019

*Avoid EMs and DHL*

I had EMS (CTT EXPRESSO) open my envelope sent by EMS that cost €50 to send to another country within the E.U. They gave me reasons that are questionable in legality, such as "not allowed goods" and apply "other manufactured items" category to it. Then when I proved that the items are legal to mail they changed their song and told me I did not insure the shipment. Then I asked them whether EMS insurance is MANDATORY? They are still to provide a reply to that! Thieves!

Conclusion: stay away from EMS and DHL. They are a shady club of mail thieves!


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## PicoAzores

*CTT Portugal no longer delivers any mail*

CTT Portugal, where is all our mail? Goods ordered online, including living plants, essential medications and food and consumer goods all did not arrive in the past month (March and April 2020). Please deliver our mail or return it to the sender(s) so we can claim our money back.

I also was sent a parcel via EMS international (CTT EXPRESSO - EMS) in January 2020 and it never arrived. The sender told me the "EMS" "lost" it and she never was able to receive a refund from the EMS. It is called "Express Mail Service" and they seem to advertise in post offices. It was a very expensive birthday gift to a child. We paid €255 plus €65 for shipping via EMS! Never arrived. What's going on around the world?

I also am receiving information that mail "loss" in the United States in particular has increased ten fold and the US Postal Service corruption is rampant.

We always thought that CTT Portugal (do not confuse with CTT EXpresso!) was a safe method of mailing and our local postal delivery person is very hard working and extremely nice, but perhaps they become sick and we have not seen them for several weeks now. I am told the EMS parcel may have been lost overseas and not in Portugal. Yet the CTT EXpresso is another matter. CTT Expresso is known as unreliable even confiscatory of mail parcels under false pretenses.

Please any expat who received any mail deliveries in April 2020 please post here. I want to find out what is going on with mail delivery this spring 2020 in Portugal.


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## hktoportugal

We have had 7 deliveries in the past few weeks. Items that we ordered from Amazon.de, Amazon.es, Portuguese websites (two different animal supply shops), China and a Portuguese garden shop (but the delivery came from Germany). With the exception of the items we ordered in China (they were stuck in customs Portugal for a considerable time) all packages were delivered in the expected timeframes. Delivery was made through DHL, CTT and local courier. So no problem here (Porto area)


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## PicoAzores

Perhaps Azores and Portugal now two different countries since honestly we did not see or hear our postal delivery person for a month now and ALL the online orders from within the EU and beyond, none arrived and some have been shipped to us 2 months ago and others have been mailed to us over a month ago, from another EU country. CTT responded to me today via email stating the following:

"Informamos que não sendo possível mais informação sobre o objeto deverá contactar o remetente para que seja apresentada reclamação junto do operador postal de origem. De acordo com a Convenção Postal Universal, é o remetente (pessoa que contratou e pagou por um serviço de transporte e entrega de um objeto) que terá direito à respetiva indemnização."

OK, but I wrote to the CTT that not one or two, that could be "lost" (usually not the case) but ALL our mail, letters, parcels, everything, even advertising sheetlets that are usually found in the mail are not there, so clearly they have stopped all mail delivery if not in Portugal then in the Azores or in our island, or perhaps only in our town. But CTT does not have the desire to find that out...

If I was CTT I would inquire the local Azorean CTT on what's going on and what is he situation, why they are not delivering any mail. I guess CTT does not want to go the extra mile and they would rather place the work on the sender. Yet the tracking shows the live plant has been sitting in Lisbon for the past 26 days.


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## macosta2021

jellybean said:


> Well I've sent my complaint off to [email protected] and they do always get back to you when you complain, so let's see what they say. I've yet to ask my French neighbours if they are having any problems with their post, but I will, as soon as it stops lashing down with rain.....:-/


CTT have now BLOCKED all emails sent to [email protected] and all pther email addresses of theirs, so if you send an email to [email protected] it will bounce with a microsoft block message. Looks like criminals and thieves took over CTT. I stopped buying online and only use FedEx for delivery. Parcels do not arrive yet for weeks even after paying Customs duty. Portuga has become a THIRD WORLD ****hole again.


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