A note on tracking numbers:

[Khnud]

A record I bought a while ago by a US dealer arrived today. Thing is, dealer gave me a tracking number, but the parcel was never traceable using the Swedish postal services website, only on usps.gov (where it only said the parcel had left the country). I asked the lady at the service point about this and she told me that (some, at least) items sent from outside of Europe won't have their tracking IDs tracked once they enter Sweden. This explains why I've been able to track parcels sent from other European countries all the way to my doorstep, but not items sent from the US or Canada.

I'm guessing it's the same situation the other way around (Europe - US/Canada). Can anybody confirm this?

Seen a few accusations regarding fake tracking IDs etc. Perhaps this can explain at least some of them.

[Glockose]

Ok.
As far as I know, If a package is sent from the USA using the postal service. The package CAN NOT be tracked from sender to receiver.

The package can only be tracked until it reaches the country it is being sent to. after that there is nothing.

[slayerhatesusall]

Depends on the type of number, a customs number sometimes updates and says when it leaves the United States, but it doesn't say when the package get's delivered. A registration number is supposed to update and say when it's delivered, but sometimes they don't scan it. There is also Express mail international which is supposed to track the cd all the way but I've never used it before due to the price.

[Khnud]

I didn't consider the customs number at all, since it only applies domestically. But I always thought a registered mail with tracking number was traceable all the way to delivery, but apparently isn't as stated above.

I haven't used Express Mail (or the Swedish equivalent) either, due to the price. Might try it with a 7'' sometime, perhaps.

[Stormspell]

The only trully trackable numbers issued by US Postal Services are on:

- Express mail EMS
- Registered letterpost

On all the rest of the services USPS keep sending "tracking numbers" when we purchase postage online, but they are utterly useless as US clerks are not required to scan those anymore. What's worse is, USPS sends those "tracking numbers" to the recipients too, and then they get frustrated after seeing "the sender notified us electronically for a package being prepared for shipment, more info will be added when available" note hanging out for days, questioning if the seller has shipped their package at all...

Sometimes Priority medium and large flat-rate boxes, as well as packages over 4 lbs (aka parcel post in the past) are trackable, but not always.

[Avenger]

I find the USPS to be very inconsistent lately... I don't know how it is when sending packages because I haven’t sent one registered in a long time due to the cost but when receiving something through Canada Post that was send registered, I use the postal website of the country that the package was sent from to confirm that it was shipped and then when it reaches Canada I use the Canada Post website to track it the rest of the way. I haven’t had any issues doing it this way unless of course the situation that Iordan explains from the USPS has occurred.