US shipping suspended ...

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watchyouwant

·Oct 26, 2025

From today on, Australia Post incl. Courier EMS, into the USA is suspended . Can't even download the USA Customs Form ... Even normal slow shipment.
Reason : Again unclear Tariff situation in the USA ; how much, if at all ; what and from exactly ; looks like Christmas shipping is no longer possible.
USA Customs Website not updated anymore due to Govt. Shutdown .
So, no more shipping to Customers in the USA. That's a Bummer for our Customers/Repair returns and everything in between. Tried DHL; same in the moment. Any updated News from Others ?

 

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Evitzee

·Oct 26, 2025

It's likely due to the government shutdown which may drag on well into November. Although Customs and postal workers are considered critical workers absenteeism is starting to mount as their paychecks are not issued, they are working for 'free'. They'll get all the pay when the government reopens but a lot of the absenteeism is a protest. Can't blame them in many respects, they have mortgages, car loans and day to day expenses with no money coming in. Both sides are dug in, no one wants to make the first move. But the Ballroom construction continues!

 

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kfranzk

·Oct 26, 2025

I just did send a watch from Germany to the US, Michigan on Oct 23.
DHL allowed only DHL Express limited to the value of 1000€ incl. shipment.
So I wait now for the adressee to confim the arrival.
Obviously its just before arrival tomorrow, only 4 days ...
=> no customs delay???
What to do with higher values? Take the risc? Konrad

Edited: Oct 26, 2025

 

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watchyouwant

·Oct 26, 2025

Konrad, these restrictions happened today , Sunday . I can still download Customs forms starting with the Letter U ; like Usbekistan ... USA is no longer on the List at all . Before, I did sent watches to the USA via courier EMS.

 

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watchyouwant

·Oct 26, 2025

Btw: looks like there is a massive backlog of Millions of Parcels with US Customs. Which is not good for valuable Items ; beeing stuck in that Maelstrom....

 

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Pastorbottle

·Oct 26, 2025

watchyouwant

Btw: looks like there is a massive backlog of Millions of Parcels with US Customs. Which is not good for valuable Items ; beeing stuck in that Maelstrom....

The workers aren't getting paid but the arsehole politicians are still getting all their perks! What a pack of arseholes all politicians are regardless of political affiliation

 

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Evitzee

·Oct 26, 2025

Pastorbottle

The workers aren't getting paid but the arsehole politicians are still getting all their perks! What a pack of arseholes all politicians are regardless of political affiliation

Meh, it's been that way since Greek and Roman times. It's no coincidence that many politicians are also lawyers, another gem of a profession.

 

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glownyc

·Oct 26, 2025

Evitzee

It's likely due to the government shutdown which may drag on well into November. Although Customs and postal workers are considered critical workers absenteeism is starting to mount as their paychecks are not issued, they are working for 'free'. They'll get all the pay when the government reopens but a lot of the absenteeism is a protest. Can't blame them in many respects, they have mortgages, car loans and day to day expenses with no money coming in. Both sides are dug in, no one wants to make the first move. But the Ballroom construction continues!

My uber driver yesterday was a postal worker. He's using his vacation and sick days to drive an uber so he can pay bills. His sister who works for TSA is making food deliveries. I wouldn't call that a protest. His credit card company is alowing him to delay payment till the shutdown ended. One less bill to worry about but the intrest still keeps acumilating so he'll end up further in the red.

 

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kfranzk

·Oct 26, 2025

Are postal workers government employees in the US???
Customs yes, they are financial officers..

 

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kfranzk

·Oct 26, 2025

I attach my delivery history: only one night to be cleared in the US, the adressee obviously paid his duties immediately...
'Express' seems really to be a fast track.

Edited: Oct 26, 2025

 

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Paedipod

·Oct 26, 2025

good luck with this......I sold a watch to the USA about a month ago....it spent 3 weeks in limbo but was ultimately returned to me (without watch worksheet and pro-forma invoice). The courier people explained that they didn't want it sitting too long without delivery. It was not clear that the customs people even had a look at it. The buyer was notified several times of the shipping delay but only that it was being assessed.

Outcome is probably best....buyer did not have to pay exorbitant tariffs/duties/etc. and the watch is safe back with me instead of who knows where?

 

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gbesq

·Oct 26, 2025

You gotta love the USA. All crazy all day. 😀

 

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Larry S

·Oct 26, 2025·Color Commentator for the Hyperbole.

gbesq

You gotta love the USA. All crazy all day. 😀

Not so much….

 

M

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Mediocre

·Oct 26, 2025

kfranzk

Are postal workers government employees in the US???
Customs yes, they are financial officers..

Yes, the postal service in the US is a government agency.

Reading about the many people being expected to work without pay (and picking up extra jobs for ends meet) just makes me sad.

Edited: Oct 27, 2025

 

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watchyouwant

·Oct 26, 2025

kfranzk

I attach my delivery history: only one night to be cleared in the US, the adressee obviously paid his duties immediately...
'Express' seems really to be a fast track.

Yes, that was Thursday !

 

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watchyouwant

·Oct 26, 2025

Franz, if you talk to the Buyer , can you pls. Ask him, what he paid on Tariffs to the USA. And how exactly did you declare it ? Which Tariff Class ? That would be an interesting update on the USA shipping questions...

 

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Faz

·Oct 26, 2025

For those of you flying in and out of the 🇺🇸, don’t worry, you local air traffic controller will be in after his last pizza delivery

 

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pdxleaf

·Oct 26, 2025

View this content on Instagram

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gatorcpa

·Oct 27, 2025·ΩF InvestiGator

M Mediocre

Yes, the postal service in the US is a government agency.

Not exactly correct. USPS is a quasi-government agency and the largest civilian employer in the country. They are not affected by the shutdown. We are getting our domestic mail as usual.

However, mail coming from outside the U.S. has to be cleared by U.S. Customs before the post office can touch it. U.S. Customs is affected by the shutdown, so that function is definitely slower than normal.

Add to that to the following:

1. We no longer have an $800 customs exemption. U.S. customs now has to clear every parcel separately, where before, they would clear bags of small parcels in seconds.

2. Many of the customs agents have not yet mastered the Arbitrary Tariff Schedule, which can vary daily based on what advertising is purchased by a Canadian Provincial Governor.

Only then can you begin to understand the mess that is the U.S. Government.

gatorcpa

 

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Evitzee

·Oct 27, 2025

I had a custom strap (about $150) from the EU get hung up in customs three weeks ago. Normally they zip right through, no duty or anything. This time Customs wanted details on the material (cowhide) before they would clear it and I got a FedEx charge for $21.60 ( duty and/or admin charge). Not a biggie but it added to the cost and it took longer. Another hassle of life from the new tariff philosophy.