Quote from: Johann on February 21, 2016, 05:21:23 PM
I think Italian/E. Europe labels get a bad rep. I personally have had bad luck with Italian post, I think I've ordered from Italy 4 times, one package was lost and resent (thank you soundohm, that was very kind of you). I had a one lost package from second sleep, and one I ordered after showed up fast and just received a package from Italy ordered in late November from Joy. So I think a lot of it has to deal with how the package travels (boat is always slower) as well as the level of corruption (is that fair to say?) within the local municipalities. I just suggest using tracking if ordering from Italy, Poland, Greece or other CIS countries. But though a lot of labels catch heat, I think a lot over there it really isn't their fault.
"Regarding the Italian problem"
I got my reputation almost shattered in the 90's due to mail related malfunctions. I lost so much stuff back in the days I had to close my old tape label "Soffitta macabra" because of that and took a long hiatus. Losses were not one-direction only, naturally and I had to face also real rip offs and thieves.
During the following years I was able to hook up and sort most "debts" I had. When I got back in business a few later with Ebay I forced buyers to pay for registered mail. Italian registered mail has these two peculiarities: extremely expensive, extremely slow. Until a few years ago, there was not even priority.
You cannot pay 8 euro for a tape that costs 6 euro.
For a few years things improved, and the only problems I encountered were seasonal postmen that stole material around August, when the actual postman was on holiday. We had three in about 6 years, and they hit the big news. After that, I got an expensive private PO BOX and losses decreases dramatically, yet I spend a lot for that privilege.
In the last two years, Italian postal service got shitty again, now things are even slower (some people of this forum has witnessed this in firts-person) and extremely expensive, this is why I use only "normal" surface mail. It is going to be slow anyway, so I'd rather not waste money on the postal system. But I suggest alternatives to people who buy. Another ridicolous thing is they have now created an international registered-priority service that, hironically enough, you cannot trace the tracking number ahas. When I asked explanation they told me it is valid on the web site of the destination country, which I tried and does not work.
Then, there are definitely many Italians that fit the stereotype of slowness - I am the first to be very slow wit releases with years of wait in the making for everything I do, which is unnerving for both myself and people I collaborate, but try to be quick with orders and trades - but there are several morons that are rip-off/liars and have a "fuck you" attitude when confronted with friends defending them with the weirdest excuses. But they tend to not last long.
