My order has shipped by postal airmail hasn’t arrived and is probably stuck in the postal system. What are my options?

This information and policy applies to those orders that were shipped after March 15 by postal airmail.

As you may have read or guessed, the coronavirus pandemic has caused havoc in global postal logistics. Airmail flies on commercial flights as cargo to destination countries, and international flights have all but disappeared. In successive notices, Japan Post itself has stopped accepting shipments to most countries, and as of April 24, that even includes the USA.

More about how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the tea industry and international logistics here.

We have been following orders submitted in late Match / early April carefully, and suspended postal airmail on April 10. It has taken a month, but 25% of tracked orders from late March / early April that have tracking have moved on from Japan and into the process of being shipped to destination countries. 75% of tracked orders are not even being processed at the post office's Tokyo international sorting center. I believe many of these orders will be returned to us.

What we would like to do is remind everyone that Premium and Express Airmail orders have our Yunomi Delivery Guarantee. However, we would ask for your understanding of the situation, and give the postal system some time to find a solution

For all orders shipped by Standard Airmail after March 21st onwards, we will also be extending this Delivery Guarantee (originally Standard Airmail is a method where customers bear the risk of a lost order). Since there is no tracking, we will depend on your honest feedback. Again, we would like to give the postal system the opportunity to find a solution.

How long do I need to wait?

While this is an unprecedented situation, I have hope that Japan Post will find a solution within 2 months. Anything longer than that, and we will consider the package lost. 

What are my options?

We believe that there are two scenarios in play here. 1) Japan Post returns your order because they cannot find an immediate solution for delivery. 2) Your order is not returned, but has taken more than two months to reach you (has not arrived). Here are your options for these scenarios:

SCENARIO 1: Your order has been returned to us by the post office. We will contact you about it.

1. Your order will be reshipped at no extra charge, this time by a reliable method.
2. If Yunomi cannot reship it,
1. Request that Yunomi hold the order until the postal system is operational again.
2. Request that Yunomi cancel the order and refund it in full.
3. Request that Yunomi cancel the order and refund it in Reward Points + 20%
4. Request that Yunomi cancel the order and send the refund + 10% to the GoFundMe Covid19 Relief Fund

SCENARIO 2: Your order has not been delivered within 2 months from shipment, and has not been returned to Yunomi. Yunomi will consider it lost.

1. Your order will be reshipped at no extra charge, this time by a reliable method.
2. If Yunomi cannot reship it,
1. Request that Yunomi cancel the order and refund it in full.
2. Request that Yunomi cancel the order and refund in Reward Points + 20%.
3. Request that Yunomi cancel the order and send the refund + 10% to the GoFundMe Covid19 Relief Fund

In scenario 2, if the original order arrives eventually, please keep it at no extra charge. If you can help us out by paying for it again, please contact us. We would really appreciate it!!!

Please contact us at support@yunomi.life to implement any of the above options.

Best regards,
Ian Chun, Yunomi Tea Merchant