Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Saito2

Stuck trying to procure repro bodies

Recommended Posts

I guess this is a rant/"what would you do" post at this point. On July 19th I ordered 4 bodies from TBG that I need to begin finishing off my collection. Estimated delivery was August 7th-14th. While TBG sent them out in due time, they promptly got "stuck" at the Chicago US, postal hub (according to tracking info) and haven't moved since. I contacted TBG 3 weeks ago and they said to give it a few more days as other customers had bodies stuck there but eventually received them and to contact them (TBG) again in a few days if they didn't show up. They didn't so I contacted TBG again. They said they were out of the office for 2 weeks. Two weeks have past and I just contacted them now and am waiting for a reply. Here we are, and still no bodies. I don't really know where to direct my anger at this point. TBG did send them out, but the USPS is under siege from the orange man at this point and have their own issues. I literally don't know what to do at this point. I want the bodies. I need the bodies, or the the chassis will sit bare on the shelf forever. TBG is pretty much the only game in town and I know I could get a refund, but what I really need is the bodies.

Edit: The bodies arrived today (09-08) and look good. Thanks to TBG for their work and the vital restoration service they provide for our community.

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Wonder if this is the same reason the parts i ordered from the US back in July have not still arrived. Stuff from Hong Kong and China is now turning up after a couple of weeks.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
19 minutes ago, Saito2 said:

I guess this is a rant/"what would you do" post at this point. On July 19th I ordered 4 bodies from TBG that I need to begin finishing off my collection. Estimated delivery was August 7th-14th. While TBG sent them out in due time, they promptly got "stuck" at the Chicago US, postal hub (according to tracking info) and haven't moved since. I contacted TBG 3 weeks ago and they said to give it a few more days as other customers had bodies stuck there but eventually received them and to contact them (TBG) again in a few days if they didn't show up. They didn't so I contacted TBG again. They said they were out of the office for 2 weeks. Two weeks have past and I just contacted them now and am waiting for a reply. Here we are, and still no bodies. I don't really know where to direct my anger at this point. TBG did send them out, but the USPS is under siege from the orange man at this point and have their own issues. I literally don't know what to do at this point. I want the bodies. I need the bodies, or the the chassis will sit bare on the shelf forever. TBG is pretty much the only game in town and I know I could get a refund, but what I really need is the bodies.

It’s not TBG fault. International packages are backed up at customs. Months and months worth of back up. It’ll turn up !

  • Like 2

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

have you reached out to the postal hub? since you have tracking perhaps they can give u info?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Things are royally messed up in the USPS.  I would not bother TBG or have them send more bodies.  Doing that will waste Jonathan's time and resources, and those bodies will get stuck in the already overloaded USPS system next to the first set.  Just wait.  Yes, it sucks.  But it is what it is.

In a similar vein, I still haven't received my Federal tax refund from the IRS.  It's still in "processing".  I mailed it in back in March and it sat in a mail trailer at the IRS for months due to Covid19.  They've finally acknowledged that they received it but that's it.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 9/5/2020 at 9:23 AM, rwordenjr said:

It’s not TBG fault

Totally agree. As I stated, TBG sent them out in due time. I have no animosity toward them. They're caught in the middle just like me. Just out of curiosity, how long should I wait before considering a refund? I've (we all, as well) never been in this situation. I need my bodies but if they literally wind up lost forever in Chicago, I want my $150 back.

Edit: The bodies arrived today (09-08) and look good. Thanks to TBG for their work and the vital restoration service they provide for our community.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
23 minutes ago, Saito2 said:

Totally agree. As I stated, TBG sent them out in due time. I have no animosity toward them. They're caught in the middle just like me. Just out of curiosity, how long should I wait before considering a refund? I've (we all, as well) never been in this situation. I need my bodies but if they literally wind up lost forever in Chicago, I want my $150 back.

Wait until Wednesday and if you don’t get response by TBG, dispute charge with bank, credit card company or PayPal. Dispute for merchandise not received and you’ll get your $ back 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Fully sympathise @Saito2

I’ve got a bulk order - bought piecemeal via a normally respectable Japanese broker -waiting to be packed for 6 weeks now 

And that’s before Japan Post shipping delays ...

Other views are also spot on re couriers - as they’re all overwhelmed atm

In short, mainstream stuff will continue to rise in resale value outside Japan

And rare stuff you can only find over there is either off limits for now or commands bonkers pricing for anyone not prepared to wait 12 months 🙄

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I'd be super patient in this situation.  I ordered a difficult-to-find static model kit from a place in Australia two months ago, and it took nearly six weeks to arrive even though it went by plane and not boat.  Customs was backed up quite a bit as shown in the USPS tracking status, so there wasn't anything to do except wait.  I didn't feel any disappointment with the seller, and the shipping situation just simply is what it is.  It's not like the package is lost or attempted delivery and returned.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Shipping times over the past year have been very inconsistent.

In May I had a package from Michigan sit at a local USPS distrubution center for 3 weeks.  Another shipment from Hong Kong took 2 months.  Last week I placed another order from Hong Kong and it got here in 3 days.

I suggest just buying more Hop Up stuff locally to pass the time until your package arrives.  If the additional order is delayed, get more Hop Ups.  It'll be like Xmas when all your parts arrive...

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Not that it was probably help in any way, but see if you can call the usps, provide the tracking number, and inquire as to the delay.  Maybe they'll see you are watching and push it along.  Snowballs chance in you know where, but the delay is all them and not TBG.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I would not dispute anything or attempt to get a refund.  You'd be pulling money out of TBG for something they cannot control, and they did make the bodies for you, so it would become their loss.  You know where the bodies are.  Wait.  They will come, sooner or later.  They are not being thrown away.  They are not burned.  They are not lost.  They are delayed.   They are waiting to be moved to the next distribution center.  It will happen, just a matter of when.

If you feel the absolute need to "get your money back" from TBG, then go ahead, but you better re-pay Jonathan once you get the bodies in the mail.   I don't understand the need to do this, however.   Go work on something else and forget about the bodies.

Oh, and after I made my previous post in this thread I checked my bank account.  There is a pending deposit from the IRS as of this morning.  It's my refund, finally, almost 6 months after I mailed it.   Maybe I'll order some TBG bodies.  ;)

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Just to clarify to any who have missed it. I do NOT blame TBG for any of this. They provide a valuable service to our community. I'm merely torn by the fact I have disliked the USPS for years due a number of issues from the past, yet in this current case, I actually feel sympathy for them and their situation brought on by the current administration and the pandemic.

On 9/5/2020 at 2:18 PM, Champ85 said:

I would not dispute anything or attempt to get a refund.  You'd be pulling money out of TBG for something they cannot control, and they did make the bodies for you, so it would become their loss.  You know where the bodies are.  Wait.  They will come, sooner or later.  They are not being thrown away.  They are not burned.  They are not lost.  They are delayed.   They are waiting to be moved to the next distribution center.  It will happen, just a matter of when.

If you feel the absolute need to "get your money back" from TBG, then go ahead, but you better re-pay Jonathan once you get the bodies in the mail.   I don't understand the need to do this, however.   Go work on something else and forget about the bodies.

 

On 9/5/2020 at 11:46 AM, Saito2 said:

Just out of curiosity, how long should I wait before considering a refund? I've (we all, as well) never been in this situation. I need my bodies but if they literally wind up lost forever in Chicago, I want my $150 back.

I should clarify this statement as well. I and many others have not experienced situations like this. I do NOT intend to seek a refund tomorrow, 2 weeks from now or 2 months from now or even 90 days from now. If I knew they'd be here in 4-5 months, that's fine. I do NOT feel the immediate need to get my money back. My question is, at what point do they become a lost cause? A year? Things get lost in the mail. I get that. That probably isn't the case here but if it turns out that way, I'm not eating $150 a year from now with no bodies, just to be nice. If I was a seller, there would be no way a buyer who did not receive their goods from me would say "oh well, he shipped it, he can keep my money." Yes, its not the seller's fault, but the buyer shouldn't pay for something they didn't get because the USPS messed up.

 

I know this was a half rant/half "asking for suggestion" type thread. If the general consensus is to wait, then I will continue waiting. 

Edit: The bodies arrived today (09-08) and look good. Thanks to TBG for their work and the vital restoration service they provide for our community.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I bought some tyres for my Kyosho DRX on eBay on March 26th, they went through the USPS distribution center at JA NY right as covid was running rampant through there and I believe it shut down. Then when it got to NZ it took NZ Post another month to get it to me, due to package backlog and I wouldn't be suprised if nobody wanted to touch it to be honest.

Mid July it turned up. 3.5 months. As @Champ85 said, carry on with other projects, and try not to worry, they will show up. 

Everybody in the world is getting different delivery times. What can take 5 days from X Hong Kong seller can take 4 weeks from the next Hong Kong seller etc

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I don’t mean any offence by this, but with everything that’s going on in the world at the moment a few model car bodyshells being sat in a depot somewhere is hardly going to be anybody’s priority, as frustrating as it may be for you. It’s not the end of the world, they will turn up eventually I’m sure. Be patient, and as others have said above, maybe buy some more bits and pieces to keep you busy.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
On 9/5/2020 at 4:18 PM, Why me? said:

I don’t mean any offence by this, but with everything that’s going on in the world at the moment a few model car bodyshells being sat in a depot somewhere is hardly going to be anybody’s priority, as frustrating as it may be for you. It’s not the end of the world, they will turn up eventually I’m sure. Be patient, and as others have said above, maybe buy some more bits and pieces to keep you busy.

I've already stated I'm not blaming TBG. I stated I feel no immediate need to get my money back. I stated I didn't care if it took 4-5 more months to show up. I've even stated I will take everyone's general advice to be patient and wait. How am I to take the above statement as not being condescending? How was it constructive? Ok, truth be told, I'll add, in the grand scheme of things going on at the moment, none of this matters, not my money, not the bodies, not our hobby. None of it. I apologize to anyone I've offended in this thread. Can we just delete it/forget it and move on?

Edit: The bodies arrived today (09-08) and look good. Thanks to TBG for their work and the vital restoration service they provide for our community.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Why me? said:

I don’t mean any offence by this, but with everything that’s going on in the world at the moment a few model car bodyshells being sat in a depot somewhere is hardly going to be anybody’s priority, as frustrating as it may be for you. It’s not the end of the world, they will turn up eventually I’m sure. Be patient, and as others have said above, maybe buy some more bits and pieces to keep you busy.

I know there's a lot going on in the world right now, but there will be a point when a refund will not be possible. I have been waiting for some items since before lockdown in the uk, which were stuck in london for weeks. I can no longer track the items, nor can I claim a refund as I waited too long, I am pretty sure they will never arrive. I then ordered some more items in july, the tracking info has never changed to what they call in transit, so I am pretty sure they will never arrive, it is past the 30 day refund period, but as I was patient and waited extra due to what's happening in the world, I have lost probably £80 in total, I know it's probably not a lot to some people, but it's gone.

If the op orders more items while waiting for the bodies to be delivered, will the new items get stuck at USPS too.

I know about what's happening in the world as I have a mum who works in the nhs in the uk, on a ward that dealt with covid19 patients, but my being patient with sellers and postal services hasn't paid off. I know in this case, it's not TBG as they have sent the items out as efficient as they can, but who do you go to when something does not get delivered.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If the shells never show up TBG can/will file a claim with the USPS. They won't be taking a hit money wise. No reason to feel bad about that. This isn't a normal situation, but it is something that happens and the seller has ways to sort it out with the USPS that the buyer doesn't.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I think it's just a case of being patient - I ordered a couple of parts from a very helpful shop in the States a while back and they took over 10 weeks to arrive. I could see there were sat at Miami Airport and just didn't move.

The shop owner really tried his best with the postal service but it was just plain backed up and they weren't able/going to do anything. 

I'm in a similar situation now with another set of parts I ordered from the US, placed the order about 6 weeks ago, tracker says they are sat at another airport in the States and have been there for over 5 weeks. I'm sure they'll turn up - just gotta wait. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...