The package has left us, the tracking shows some vague customs code, and nothing is moving anywhere. A familiar situation. Customs is the kind of place where packages go to ponder the meaning of life – sometimes for quite a while.
No worries. This is usually solvable, and your headphones haven’t vanished forever into the black hole of bureaucracy.
Why does a package get stuck in customs?
There are a few reasons, and they depend on where the order is headed:
- Orders within the EU do not usually get held in customs at all. If you’re in an EU country and the package is still stuck, it’s most likely an internal delay at the logistics company that just shows up as customs in the tracking.
- Outside the EU orders go through customs. The destination country’s customs may require additional documents, inspect the shipment’s contents, or collect import taxes and duties before releasing the package.
- Missing authorization or commercial invoice – sometimes customs officials want more information from the sender or the recipient. This is where things usually grind to a halt.
- Peak periods – around Christmas and after big sales, customs handle vast numbers of packages. That’s when the line takes longer.
In short: Customs is doing its job, and sometimes that job takes time.
How to resolve the situation
- Check the tracking code. Go to the carrier’s (DHL, PostNord, local post) website and see what the tracking says. Often it states directly what customs is waiting for.
- Check your email. Customs or the carrier may have sent you a message asking for additional information or payment of customs charges. Check your spam too – important messages always end up there.
- Pay any import charges. Outside the EU, the destination country’s customs usually collects VAT and any duties. The package won’t move until these are paid. Unfortunately, we can’t influence another country’s tax policy – even if we’d like to.
- Contact the carrier. If the tracking doesn’t give a clear reason, call or message the company transporting the package. They usually have the best information about where in the process the package is.
- Drop us a message. If none of the above helps or the situation is unclear, contact info@valco.fi with your order number. We’ll dig up the details and sort it out on our end.
If that doesn’t help
Sometimes, rarely, a package stays in customs for a longer time – for example, if there’s an error in the documents or the destination country’s customs is particularly slow. In that case, we’ll handle it directly with the delivery company. Send us an email at info@valco.fi and include:
- Your order number
- Tracking code
- The country the order is headed to
- Any messages customs or the courier has sent
We don’t sit on our hands. If a package is stuck, we get it moving.
Customs processing is a bit like queueing at Alko on a Friday evening – you know you’ll get your goods, but the wait is still frustrating. Your headphones will arrive. And when they do, you’ll understand why the wait was worth it. Or at least that’s what we tell ourselves.