Coronavirus Shipping Experiences - UK

[Mozzie 26]

Hi,

Just wondered what people's experience has been since Coronavirus, particularly with RCJAZ, I'm awaiting a slipper clutch from them which I need really before I can begin my DF-03 build, proper desperate to get started!

They sent me a Hermes link on Friday which just says awaiting item, guess that will only show once in UK maybe?

Cheers

Tom

 

[Mad Ax 9285]

Shipping from China / Hong Kong / the east in general can take a long time.  I'm not sure if Hong Kong Post closed completely, stopped overseas shipments, or quarantined all outbound items for a while, but I waited over a month to get an order from 3Racing that I placed back in early March.  Things are getting through but understandably, with social distancing measures, reduced staff numbers and high global demand, things are taking longer than normal.  Passenger flights have been reduced too, which in some cases may also have carried mail.  Most HK sellers are using couriers other than Hong Kong Post, which is pushing delivery prices up.  Some things can be very quick and some very slow.

Experience from within the UK has been good.  Most UK stores are under a lot of demand, they are running on reduced staff and have had a lot of orders so they are running behind getting things out of the door.  I placed an order at Wheelspin on Friday morning and just today I had a confirmation that it had been shipped.  Normally they would ship same day.

Around a month ago I ordered some paints from eModels.  I'd never used them before but they were the only supplier I could find with UK stock.  They had a warning on their homepage that due to increased demand they wouldn't be able to handle order amendments or cancellations via phone or email - i.e. once you hit Buy, you've bought it, no going back.  It was only after completing the purchase that the estimated delivery date appeared as "within 30 days" which was a bit annoying as I'd hoped no more than a week, however they arrived less than a week later.

In late March / early April I placed two orders for bodysets at a UK supplier I've not used before (I forget the name), they arrived within days.

Be patient and relax, it will get here sooner or later.  Until it's in the UK you may have no updates on the tracking page.

[Mark_C 198]

Needed some flysky receivers, so looked on ebay as usual and found most sellers quoting long lead times (one said expected delivery date in August!) but there was one seller that had location of London although obviously Chinese, probably a drop shipper. Expected 29th May = 1st June, but they arrived yesterday. Worked out £6.50 or so each, so a bit more than usual but much cheaper than the £15 I saw uk model shops asking !

Received part of an order from time tunnel models today, the packing note says that the other bits I ordered will follow - "There is a container due in to the UK on the 25th May and we will have stock of parts the next week". So if you are waiting for bits from UK supliers they may turn up in a couple of weeks.

Had stuff from JK-RC and RC Bearings turn up in a few days, so no big deal there.

[Mozzie 26]

Thanks all, sounds promising 👍

[KEV THE REV 2307]

I've had stuff from China recently in the usual long time , but it got here ok  . I'm waiting on some damper oil , so we'll see how long that takes but I think it's all good

[VagabondStarJXF 350]

I've had some non-RC stuff arrive from China last week which were ordered the day after the Lockdown started. Shipping was via Freight only so it was going to take a long time. It still arrived sooner than the estimated mid-June date though so I guess it's all good.

Other places: (I know OP didn't ask but I figured I'd add my t'pence...)

German shipping dates don't seem to be too badly affected at the moment. I'd actually received my last Tamico order quicker (by a couple of days I think) than my last pre-Lockdown order which I found quite amusing. That order was right before Christmas though so I guess I shouldn't really be all that surprised that that one took longer.

The Americas... I don't order from the USofA unless I simply have no other choice.

[KEV THE REV 2307]

54 minutes ago, VagabondStarJXF said:

The Americas... I don't order from the USofA unless I simply have no other choice

Yes mate . Some of the stated shipping prices are like telephone numbers !!

[mongoose1983 3335]

Just today I got a note from a guy in CA, USA, and he's telling me the USPS is not shipping anything to my country anymore because of the covid. I was wondering what's behind that, because in here the covid isn't as strong as over there up in CA. TOTALLY GUTTED.

Here's the link: https://about.usps.com/newsroom/service-alerts/international/welcome.htm

[KEV THE REV 2307]

If it's urgent can you get it shipped to somewhere that they ship to , as in,  to another TC member that can ship back to you ?

[mongoose1983 3335]

5 hours ago, KEV THE REV said:

If it's urgent can you get it shipped to somewhere that they ship to , as in,  to another TC member that can ship back to you ?

It's for a single wheel cover trade, Kev. For five LONG years I have had three rears and only one front chrome wheel cover for my boxart Sand Scorcher. It's crazy, I don't even remember what's the reason for this. And it happened that a bloke in California it's in the exact opposite situation and sent a message telling me he's willing to do the trade. I had the thing packed, and while in the postoffice I got to know about this. Prior to that he said the USPS would not ship here. At least I thought they'd be able to receive my package but it wasn't the case, and now I doubt the trading will be possible. Sending it to another country would rocket the costs, and the timing involved in the process. This is completely negative for my intentions because when you're anywhere in a rich country you just click a couple of times your cellphone and you can have stuff like even a forty year-old piece of junk right on its way to you for almost nothing. Would you wait for a part from someone on the other side of the world to be shipped whenever the authorities want. I don't think so. And so I'm gutted. And I see how long it is going to take me, perhaps a decade before getting to complete the chrome wheels for the d*mn car. I feel it is totally unacceptable these Tamiya a.h.s would paint the car sporting chrome wheels on the box cover while including white ones in the kit. I mean the kit comes with chrome parts alright, doesn't it. You see door handles, VW emblem, indicators, and even a nice set of mirrors. I'm sure it wouldn't have been complex for them to include the correct wheels as well. Now I understand there's much bigger problems than this in the world today, but this thing sucks.

[Finnsllc 917]

On 5/20/2020 at 2:58 PM, KEV THE REV said:

Yes mate . Some of the stated shipping prices are like telephone numbers !!

Hey, shipping from china japan to USA is over $100 us dollars for a kit to ship. Just to add info