Package stuck in customs?

Yeah, customs can be a real pain, especially around the holidays. I've been through this a few times myself, so I'll share what I've learned. Honestly, which courier you pick matters a ton—DHL tends to slam through customs in a day or two, but FedEx can sit for almost a week before it even gets scanned as "inbound into customs." USPS priority is kind of a total wildcard—I've had packs clear in 48 hours and others stuck for two weeks. It really depends on which facility your package hits—Jamaica, NY is notorious for long holds, while Chicago or San Francisco seem faster.

Packaging is another thing people don't really talk about, but it's huge. If your vendor wrapped everything tight with vacuum sealing and multiple layers of opaque material, you're way less likely to get flagged for secondary inspection. Flimsy bubble mailers or anything that feels suspicious through the mail sorter can get pulled. I always tell newbies to ask for a "stealth" option if available, but even without that, a solid cardboard box with proper padding helps avoid damage that draws attention.

As for how customs actually works during the holidays: from November through January, volume spikes massively, so processing times double or triple. I've seen a package sit in "customs clearance" for 10 days and then just release without any seizure. Other times it's "clearance delayed" for a week, then suddenly moving again. The key is not to panic unless it's been more than two to three weeks without any status change. If you see a "retained" message or "government agency hold," that's different—that means they're actually reviewing it—but "inbound into customs" is just the queue.

So overall, here's my take on shipping speed this time of year: assume an extra week on top of the normal 10-14 day typical time. If you're on day 15 and still just "inbound," give it another 5-7 days before contacting the vendor. Most reputable sellers will have tracking insurance or reship policies once it passes a certain window, but they'll want to see proof of that hold. So keep an eye on the tracking, and try not to stress until it's been well over two weeks with zero movement. It'll land.

Mine sat in customs for 2 weeks once then showed up fine. Just be patient

If it's been over a month total then contact your vendor but you're probably fine