I think credit should be given where credit is due, as my experience is that usually USPS is the main culprit in slow deliveries. I have purchased everything from minis to books to training materials from the UK and received them consistently in one week or ten days or less. By contrast USPS deliveries take about twice as long.
i ordered from england before christmas via air mail and it took 3 weeks and the postal stamp was 2 days after i ordered then over 2 weeks to travel by canoe
across Canada
I'm waiting on a US and a UK shipment but should not be too bad now the Christmas rush is over.
I once had a package from Japan. From first tracking to Vancouver was almost overnight then over a week to Calgary and another day for the last 52 kms.
In all fairness they have a limited number of mules to choose from since they must all speak both horse and donkey!
The post in UK got really messed up just before Christmas and they're only just now clearing the backlog (we had some snow and the whole country ground to a halt!). Apparently they had the best part of a months parcels stacked up at Heathrow and Gatwick. So much so that they actually started to redirect post via ship as it'd be quicker.
Buy yeah, post I send to Vancouver often takes a week with the longest bit being the time it takes either end. But post in UK takes a week to get anywhere anyway.
Recent issues with Royal Mail delivery are more due to new security constraints, at least according to their website:
Update 28th January 2011:
The United States Department of Homeland Security is continuing to require increased security measures for items carried on passenger airlines. As a result, some mail entering the USfrom around the world, and including the UK, that would normally be sent via passenger aircraft must now travel by other means, including ships and cargo planes.
Most items, including personal letters and cards, magazines, CDs, DVDs and lightweight packets, will be delivered in the USwithin a few days of posting. However, there are delays of about two weeks for some heavier packets. These delays are currently affecting stamped items, franked items, and items posted under contract, with the exception of Destination Sort and/or M-Bag* items.
Royal Mail is very sorry for these unavoidable delays. We have implemented a number of contingency plans to ensure as much of our customers’ mail reaches the USas quickly as possible and are continuing to work to minimise disruption to our customers, whilst ensuring we comply fully with the USdirectives and regulations.