EMS and "real-time" tracking

[smalldog]

I'm expecting an important package from Beijing via EMS. The EMS website advertises its real-time tracking system (实时跟踪) so I thought I'd give it a try.

24 hours after I knew the package had been sent, the real-time tracking system still denied the existence of my mail, and I was starting to tear my hair out with frustration. I searched Google to see if lost EMS was a common occurrence, and only then did I discover that what EMS offers is actually, in the words of a Chinese poster, a "real-time tracking system with Chinese characteristics" (中国特色的实时跟踪系统) -- that is, a tracking system with a delay of several hours.

Anyway, you can follow the progress of my package here:

http://www.ems.com.cn/ems/chaxun.jsp?mailid=EO007629515CN

[wfujkramer]

Is this at all different than "first world" tracking systems? Try Fed Ex, which is probably the most expensive retail shipping company, and you'll find the package will show itself only as "in transit" until the day it arrives. or maybe not even that. I didn't notice anything especially different from the link you provided.

[trevelyan]

I had this problem during SARS. Two packages were stuck in customs and from my experience the express services didn't care and weren't aware of the situation. Calling and harassing them about it worked.