How long does it take BestBuy to ship a phone?

How long does it take to ship a cell phone to Bogota, Colombia?

• About three months ago I shipped a cellphone, a blackberry, to Bogota, Colombia and it still has not been received. I know it can take a long time to ship a cellphone to a different country with it trying to get through customs, but I don't think it should be taking this long. How much longer will it take?

• Answer:

  I personally think you should have consulted with the Yahoo community prior to sending your package. Let's ask a few questions: A. How did you send your package? Via the postal service? Or via a service like DHL, UPS or FedEx. B. What service did you use? Most mail goes by air now and not by surface. I am hoping you did not send this package via first class mail. First class mail via the international sphere is among one of the hardest and complex services that exists from the US. Tracking a package is impossible and there is no guarantee for delivery times. Plus, if you declared the contents of your package as "blackberry" and other "cellphones," your item could well have been stolen due to the lack of tracking information. I have shipped mobile phone devices to Nicaragua thinking that things would be fine and there would be no problem. To my unpleasant surprise, telecommunication devices require (at least in Nicaragua, not sure about Colombia) a permission/license from the government telecommunications regular, TELCOR. This meant that the person receiving the package had to go all the way to the main center (in one case, one package had to be picked up in person in Managua and another in Boaco). They received it, but it took a while (considering that they had no idea where it was or when it arrived in the country.) Mind you, this was sent via priority mail. If I didn't get in contact with the Post Office, that package would have well been left as abandoned. Mail that stays under the TELCOR custody is returned to the sender after 45 days. I do not know the policies down in Colombia, but I strongly advise you investigate and inquire about the status of your package. If your package was sent via FedEx, DHL or UPS, it could possibly be in one of their logistic or pick up centers abroad. I would strongly recommend getting in contact with the courier here in the United States and call to whatever centers that are closest to Bogota (although I do believe some courier services have offices there). However, there may be the possiblity that the receiver has to pay a customs duty before accepting the package. This happens more so with the courier companies than the Postal Service. If your item was sent via First Class International (without restricted delivery) I would have to say that the situation looks pretty grim for you. After 30 days you should have gotten in contact with the courier or post office to initiate an inquiry. But 90 days? It makes the situation a bit more complex. Get in contact with the USPS International Inquiry Center at (800) 222-1811. If your package did not leave from the US, I'll be more than happy to find any information that you need. If your package has a tracking number from a CN-22 or a CP-72 form, give that to the agent that answers your call. Be informative as you can and find any receipts from your purchase. Also, please visit the International Mail Manual prior to sending any items internationally. The Postal Service sets the bar in terms of what can be imported and what can't. Consult with the manual first before sending anything internationally. When in doubt, ask. Click here for a listing of pre-requisites of sending items to Colombia: http://pe.usps.com/text/imm/ce_010.htm As you can see, there are a lot of restrictions and procedures that need to be followed prior to mailing an item. I suggest you open an inquiry with the International Inquiry Center immediately and also give any tracking number to the receiver and have them get in contact with the post office's main office in Bogota. Good luck! P.S. Remember, first class packages are left at the location of the address indicated. Meaning that it may have already been delivered, but it was left out in the open and someone may have stolen it after it was delivered!