Bike shipped to USA via MBE lost, 6 weeks ago.

[Wayne of LaVerne]

6 weeks ago I shipped my bike home on September 18th from Santiago to USA thru Mail Boxes Etc, whereas I saw this recommended on other threads.
It is now October 31st. My apple tracker & the MBE FedEx track shows it in Madrid, as it has been for many weeks. The first excuse was they were very busy and other packages took priority. The second excuse 3 weeks ago was the weather. I believe it is damaged or destroyed. MBE is no help what so ever. I DO NOT RECOMMEND USING MBE!.
In an earlier trip I used a local bike ship recommended on this site & it was fantastic (& a lot less expensive).

 

[Tincatinker]

In an earlier trip I used a local bike ship recommended on this site & it was fantastic (& a lot less expensive).

Which makes me wonder why you’ve used MBE this time?? Their website doesn’t even offer a pick-up / drop-off location in Santiago. Why didn’t you use Correos?

 

[naplesdon]

Might it be a customs issue?

 

[ivar]

I guess MBE shipped it with a shipping company, have you tried contacting the shipping company? Also, I know bikes with batteries are not allowed on transatlantic flights... not sure if that is an issue or not.

 

[Tincatinker]

Might it be a customs issue?

If the bike is still in Madrid it hasn’t hit US customs. Sounds like the bar-code has fallen off. Remember that closing scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark…..

One more item for archeologists to excavate when they make a start on the Anthropocene a million years from now

 

[peregrina2000]

I have never used MBE to ship anything home, but I go there every time I’m in Santiago to buy bubble wrap to pack up the many liters of olive oil that I always bring home.

Until a few years ago, there were always a lot of bikes inside the store on Rua Santiago Guayaquil, not far from Plaza de Galicia. The last couple of times I was there, there were no bikes - when I asked about it, they said that their bike shipping business had gotten so big that they had to get another space for the bikes. I’m assuming that their business would suffer if there were many incidents like the one you report. I’m not doubting what you say, but you may be the victim of some very bad luck.

MBE is a franchise, so I wonder if you have been able to contact the store in Santiago directly. I assume they issued the paperwork and would be willing to help you. I’ve always found the staff to be extremely pleasant, even to a low-ticket customer like me.