Bartertown.com

Just wanted to post to let folks in the US know that the LJ series of numbers that you get from your post office when sending parcels to Canada (or overseas I assume) are not tracking numbers.

These numbers are Customs numbers and are only used to indicate when the parcel has been accepted into the USPS system. It will not provide any other information and it can not be used for tracking.

It appears that there is a lot of confusion on the part of postal service employees in the US. The LJ series numbers are not the same as a tracking number and you need to explicitly ask for (and probably pay for) a tracking number of parcels to Canada.

Customs numbers only let you know if/when clears customs.
I've had items delivered and the customs number never showed it cleared.
Others have reported that they've been able to track delivery with customs numbers.

Like pixelgeek states, it's only to keep track of it in customs.

For items from the US to any other country threre are only 2 services that have tracking; Express Mail & Registered Mail.
Both are expensive.

In my experience from Canada the only information I can ever get from Canada Post or the USPS is that the parcel has been processed at the local postal outlet.

So at least it tells you that something has been sent but a lot of people think, based on what they get told at their post office, that it will track the parcel as well.

I have had it show delivery in Canada a couple of times. From what my main P.O. tells me, it's all dependent on whether or not the Canadian postal worker feels like scanning the barcode on the customs form. It's not required, so most don't do it, thereby defeating any real usage of it outside of the U.S.

Like kturok said though, the only two options that do offer tracking are fiendishly expensive in comparison.

YoungWolf777 wrote:I have had it show delivery in Canada a couple of times.

Are you maybe confusing it with times you've had signature confirmation?

YoungWolf777 wrote:From what my main P.O. tells me, it's all dependent on whether or not the Canadian postal worker feels like scanning the barcode on the customs form.

I think that your post office employees are mistaken. I have had a retailer confirm this from the USPS.

PG, my own experience supports YW777's. Although EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE, I have had the Customs number track a package from when I sent it until when it was delivered. I know this is not necessarily the intent or expected usage of this number, but I *have* had it happen on more than one occasion.
I know the difference between that and the other services. I've never used a Sig Conf (though I'm aware of it) and the above happened prior to my knowledge that Registered Mail even existed.

My disagreement with some is when they refer to "Registered" as being expensive. Registering a package is a $12 add-on. In my opinion, that is a very inexpensive option for the right trade.
If you're sending/receiving a couple blisters of minis in a trade then, sure, it's not worth it. For a deal worth multi-hundreds of dollars, though? I think it's almost a no-brainer.


Eric

pixelgeek wrote:Just wanted to post to let folks in the US know that the LJ series of numbers that you get from your post office when sending parcels to Canada (or overseas I assume) are not tracking numbers.

These numbers are Customs numbers and are only used to indicate when the parcel has been accepted into the USPS system. It will not provide any other information and it can not be used for tracking.

It appears that there is a lot of confusion on the part of postal service employees in the US. The LJ series numbers are not the same as a tracking number and you need to explicitly ask for (and probably pay for) a tracking number of parcels to Canada.

I receive shipments that are shipped this way all the time--virtually everything I get, in fact.

It IS true that this is NOT a tracking number, but it is NOT true that parcels can NEVER be tracked this way. In my experience, packages show up along the way when they are received into the USPS postal system, when they hit a major distribution center, when they hit Canada Customs, when they leave Canada Customs, and then when they are delivered.

For example: CJ458993938US

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmA ... _zipcode1=

You can also try the Canada Post website.

Is it the SAME as a tracking number? Categorically no. Is it a useful, cheaper tool for small trades/packages? Categorically yes.

pixelgeek wrote:

YoungWolf777 wrote:I have had it show delivery in Canada a couple of times.

Are you maybe confusing it with times you've had signature confirmation?

YoungWolf777 wrote:From what my main P.O. tells me, it's all dependent on whether or not the Canadian postal worker feels like scanning the barcode on the customs form.

I think that your post office employees are mistaken. I have had a retailer confirm this from the USPS.

No confusion on my part. I have never purchased signature confirmation.

s_o_r_r_o_w wrote:For example: CJ458993938US

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmA ... _zipcode1=

If you just go to USPS.com and click on the "Track & Confirm" link, you can input the # there, too.
You only get this, however:

Your Item's Status
Your item was delivered in CANADA at 1:13 pm on December 01, 2011.

Eric

MagickalMemories wrote: If you just go to USPS.com and click on the "Track & Confirm" link, you can input the # there, too.
You only get this, however:

Your Item's Status
Your item was delivered in CANADA at 1:13 pm on December 01, 2011.

That's because---you didn't click the "See details" button.

I know.
I was just detailing what you get at different points. : )

Eric