Topic: How long is a reasonable time to expect cards in the mail?

I'm currently waiting on a couple trades that were accepted around the second week of October that have yet to arrive.

I'm not sure how long I should be waiting on these, as it has already been about 3 weeks already.
Granted, one is from Canada, but I have yet to receive either of these trades.
I've been thinking that these might just be slow in the mail, due to how much political trash is being sent in the mail with the elections, but I'm starting to think that this isn't the case because 3 weeks is a fairly long wait for mail and I've received other trades in the mail since then.

I'm wondering if it's possible that they're stuck at the local post office since:

  • Both would have arrived at roughly the same time

  • My local post office has a 1/30 Points rating on Google Reviews, so I wouldn't put it beyond them to let something like this happen

Does anyone have any suggestions about how to deal with this?
Is there a way to check with my post office to see if they have any undelivered mail for me, or do I just have to keep waiting?
This is the first time I've had difficulty with the mail regarding trades, so I'm not certain what I should do about it.

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I'll sometimes trade things in my Inventory. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Re: How long is a reasonable time to expect cards in the mail?

Within the US, cards usually take like 3 days. From Canada I've waited 2-3 weeks before. Do the people you're trading with have good feedback? If so, it could just be slow mail. Even if they have low feedback, this does sometimes happen. Are they willing to compensate you if you don't get your cards? It is unusual for mail to take this long, and if you wait another week or two and it's not there it seems unlikely that they are coming. Especially for trades within the US.

Edit: You should probably check with the post office too. Due to their crappy rating though, I wouldn't expect them to be helpful.

Last edited by GoldSoundz (2012-10-31 15:41:10)

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Re: How long is a reasonable time to expect cards in the mail?

3 Weeks is obviously very long. Here are a few anecdotes from me that I've had over many trades.

  • 1 Trade was 2.5 MONTHS late. Envelope was postmarked from many months ago, nothing visibly damaged. Must have just gotten lost somewhere for a while, and then reappeared in the system

  • 2 trades (out of 400+)  just got lost in the mail and never appeared (one I sent, and another someone else sent)

  • One day, My downstairs neighbor accidentally got my mail and went away on vacation that day and didn't tell me until he got back. I thought it was weird that 3 envelopes I was expecting all went missing at the same time. I was worried the mail got lost that day, or stolen, until I finally figured it out when he got back.

  • Most international trades take 5-11 days, for me

By around the third week, my suggestion is to work with the traders to try to figure out an alternative and send new cards. If/when the old cards do reappear later, then work out a new deal. I think 3 weeks is long enough to figure they're probably not coming.

Not much the post office can likely do unless they have tracking on them. I didn't get much help when I called them, but they did offer to fill out a report for "missing mail" if I felt like it was stolen.

Re: How long is a reasonable time to expect cards in the mail?

Sadly, unless the tracked shipment is insured, the post office wont do anything beside tell you to wait longer. I have a current trade that should have gotten to be me a month ago and all the tracking says is that is left the processing center of the state it was sent from. Im still working with the guy to see if he will agree to send other compensation.

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Re: How long is a reasonable time to expect cards in the mail?

I'd give it a month to appear. Maybe this should help: http://www.ehow.com/how_6036461_lost-po … ckage.html

I'm waiting for something for a month now as well, and I'm working with the other trader to resolve it. I don't know how effective this way is but it's an option.

Re: How long is a reasonable time to expect cards in the mail?

HABS wrote:

I'd give it a month to appear. Maybe this should help: http://www.ehow.com/how_6036461_lost-po … ckage.html

I'm waiting for something for a month now as well, and I'm working with the other trader to resolve it. I don't know how effective this way is but it's an option.

That seems helpful. Thanks for the link!

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I'll sometimes trade things in my Inventory. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Re: How long is a reasonable time to expect cards in the mail?

On Magictraders, you are advised to wait 2 weeks for domestic mail, 1 month for international (Including from Canada to US or vice versa). For domestic, if it's been 2+ weeks, the other trader should resend or compensate you in some other agreed-to way. If it turns out that the Post Office screwed up somewhere along the way, and you end up receiving the first trade later, just send that one back or send back what you agreed to as compensation, depending on what you agree to.

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Re: How long is a reasonable time to expect cards in the mail?

In the US could be delayed due to the Hurricane.
I recommend always getting dm (delivery confirmation also includes a tracking number).
I usually add insurance for trades totaling $100 or more.

US mail generally takes 1 week or less, but it can take 2-3 weeks.

Last edited by MrSenium (2012-10-31 19:38:00)

Re: How long is a reasonable time to expect cards in the mail?

MrSenium wrote:

In the US could be delayed due to the Hurricane.

I considered that for a minute, but the cards were shipped weeks before the hurricane began to develop, so I decided to dismiss that possibility for the American trader. I would suppose that that can be the case for the Canadian trader though.

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I'll sometimes trade things in my Inventory. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Re: How long is a reasonable time to expect cards in the mail?

Did you trade US to Canada? Sometimes customs randomly decides to check packages which can cause delays.
I've heard of people having issues with that.