update from 11 months ago: Spain transit has got

postal not courier

thats slower than usual

if you query a missing parcel, be factual and patient. the good suppliers respond to that

tracking going dark for a week or ten days at a port is common and resolves on its own most of the time

paying for a faster service does not speed up customs. it speeds up the legs either side of customs

the same address every time is fine. a different address every time looks worse, not better

be patient with support

tracking going dark for a week or ten days at a port is common and resolves on its own most of the time

winter shipping into a cold country risks freezing, which is a different problem from heat and gets discussed less

got a seizure letter, what actually happens next

thats slower than usual

customs charge came to £72, is that normal for the UK

vat is usually charged on declared value plus shipping, and the handling fee is often more than the vat

signature requirements slow things down and do not obviously reduce loss

postal has been better than courier for me every single time. couriers are more thorough

mine took 16 days