Fun fact #1: Did you know that before the coronavirus pandemic, more than half of all air cargo traveled on passenger flights? (International Air Transportation Association)

Fun fact #2:  Did you now that fliers essentially subsidize the cost of many shipments? Prepandemic, carriers devoted roughly a third of their cargo space to letters, packages and commercial goods. (Aircraft Commerce)

Less than fun fact #3: For the past couple of months, Australia Post has suspended acceptance of certain international postal services, leaving your orders shipped First Class or Regular Post "aging" in a postal warehouse facility in Chicago, our nearest international point of postal departures. In effect, it's a postal blockade.

We at UMAi Dry do our very best to provide you with an excellent product, prompt order fulfillment and informed customer service. Truth is, we ship 97% of orders within 48 hours. Unfortunately, our control ends when the postal carrier, UPS or DHL pick up the parcel.

The past 18 months has seen nothing but shipping delays, increased lost articles and cost increase upon cost increase. When the pandemic hit, many countries upheld mail during lockdowns and quarantines. For Australia, we could track packages piling up once they landed in one or another of your three main international postal distribution centers. 

But that was early days of the pandemic, we were all willing to be a little more patient, a little more understanding, a little more tolerant.

Now, we are all bored to tears and we just want it to end. When you order something online to bring momentary hope, you just want it to arrive. When it doesn't, you want to tear your hair out. We get it. 

The Australia Post International service suspension occurred suddenly and without warning. We had dozens of packages that were en route to Australia that are now in customs purgatory. Since the postal systems in your country and ours have not seen fit to arrange for updates or returns or said parcels, some of you have rightfully expressed "displeasure" with us. Please understand--we are doing all that we can.

The only thing we could do to prevent your orders falling into "postal purgatory" was to eliminate First Class Post as a shipping option for UMAi Dry orders to Australia. Unfortunately, this leaves only breathtakingly expensive courier options--which some of you have colorfully called out as egregiously expensive.

Paying 2x the price of the item--or more--is insane. And we know it. Courier services ensure you get your parcel, and in a traceable, insured, timely manner--but they come at significant cost. 

There is an easy solution! Our resale partner in Australia, My Slice of Life in Wangaratta, VIC carries a wide selection of our products. Brent and his Team are expanding their UMAi Dry collection, and taking on the cost of courier shipping, import fees, stocking and handling fulfillment to you directly, domestically within Australia,

If you still want to order from us directly at this time, please know that UMAi Dry does not profit from shipping charges. Your shipping charges are the result of live links with shippers so that the rates are generally exactly the cost. 

We monitor "blockade" updates daily--and so can you, here (if you click the blue button near the center top labeled "View the suspensions", you can see Australia's current status).  When the suspension lifts, we will update our shipping options, but until such time, our sincerest apologies.

We are actively looking into alternative shipping options that are reliable and affordable. Should we find one, or the "purgatory" end, we will update shipping options and alert you.

Hopefully, regular affordable First Class Post will resume once this most recent  wave of COVID has subsided in Australia. Thank you Australia for your patience. We deeply value your loyal to UMAi Dry over the years. 

From our family to yours, stay safe.