Any CONUS Buyers dealt with shipping from overseas during Covid?

kip595 · Apr 17, 2020

Hi guys,

I'm considering two different out-of-country watches, both located in Singapore, but has anyone dealt with shipping from overseas during the pandemic? That is, an order from a private party coming into the U.S. I've heard that some packages are now being held in customs and/or taking multiple months to deliver, but I've also heard some people have had no issues. I know I'm going on the third week of awaiting delivery of my contacts for eyesight, which only come from Toronto and usually arrive in less than a week.

Neither of these I'm looking at are overly expensive, just hard to find, but if there's a chance of one/both never arriving I'd rather just wait. So I'm curious if any stateside folks here have dealt with this firsthand as far as watch purchases go so far.

Thanks for any input!

dsacks30 · Apr 17, 2020

I ordered the Universal Watch Geneve book directly from the author (a private party), who is located in Italy. He shipped it with three-day shipping via DHL and it arrived in three days, so I did not experience any delay.

kip595 · Apr 17, 2020

dsacks30
I ordered the Universal Watch Geneve book directly from the author (a private party), who is located in Italy. He shipped it with three-day shipping via DHL and it arrived in three days, so I did not experience any delay.

Good to know, thanks! As an aside, how is the UG book? It's on my 'to-get' list but I haven't pulled the trigger yet.

dsacks30 · Apr 17, 2020

kip595
Good to know, thanks! As an aside, how is the UG book? It's on my 'to-get' list but I haven't pulled the trigger yet.

I'll let you know, I haven't delved into it yet but am excited to do so!

Also, more broadly, I would say that all the orders I've had issues with during Covid were due to fulfillment delays, not shipping itself. I ordered a few books over two weeks ago from the local bookstore to support it but they still haven't packed the box in their warehouse and shipped them out. For the things I've needed from Amazon and other companies with robust logistics they have reached my door in the same time as pre-Covid. So I don't think there are any major issues with FedEx, UPS, or USPS.

JanV · Apr 18, 2020

Ordered a nice Certina DS diver for my fiancé from Canada on Saturday last week, and received it in my hands on Wednesday! Must be a record of some sorts as it also needed to clear Finnish customs first. Shipment was thru FedEx, what i believe is one of the fastest and swiftest companies out there right now for owerseas shipping. I also opted for them to take care of the customs declarations, which speeded up things nicely.

abrod520 · Apr 18, 2020

JanV
Shipment was thru FedEx, what i believe is one of the fastest and swiftest companies out there right now for owerseas shipping.

FedEx is generally very quick, and you'll pay for that service (worth it IMO). However, the private companies are doing well enough in the moment (reasons why are for another thread I think) but they don't require government subsidy like many national post organizations.

Also a factor for postal services here in the US are where their hubs are compared with FDX or UPS - the USPS' main ISC on the East coast is in New York which we all know is a hot zone, and as such is not operating at its usual capacity. Meanwhile, EU shipments via FedEx are coming in thru Memphis most likely, and via UPS coming in thru Worldport in Louisville - neither of which are as particularly hard-hit as Queens.

BlueOtter · Apr 18, 2020

I have shipped from Singapore to CONUS during COVID twice - via DHL and the local Singpost service. No problems with both, but the Singpost shipment did get to the buyer a little slower than usual. You should probably discuss with the seller regarding the different shipment options, and that would probably be the best way forward.

connieseamaster · Apr 18, 2020

Have a watch coming into the US from the UK via eBay's Global Shipping Program is taking it's sweet time. It seems to be bouncing through every state in the union. I'll post the full tracking log when delivered (still within the initial estimate, thankfully).

chichi · Apr 18, 2020

You should not have a problem with a company like UPS FedEx who have their own planes. If the seller goes with a EMS service then that often relies on passenger aircraft and can be significantly delayed.

jshaw083 · Apr 23, 2020

Hi all,

Out of interest, has anyone actually used USPS recently? I've shipped two watches with UPS ground from Canada to US. No issues at all, arrived quickly within 3-4 business days, faster than I anticipated actually. That being said, I'm waiting on a watch to come in from US to Canada, shipped using USPS priority mail. The package was dropped off last Friday and label was created last Friday. But when I try tracking, it still says "label created, not yet scanned into system". So it's been almost 5 business days and it's still not scanned in? Does that seem unusual to anyone else or would you just rack that up to COVID?

-J.

t_swiss_t · Apr 23, 2020

jshaw083
Hi all,

Out of interest, has anyone actually used USPS recently? I've shipped two watches with UPS ground from Canada to US. No issues at all, arrived quickly within 3-4 business days, faster than I anticipated actually. That being said, I'm waiting on a watch to come in from US to Canada, shipped using USPS priority mail. The package was dropped off last Friday and label was created last Friday. But when I try tracking, it still says "label created, not yet scanned into system". So it's been almost 5 business days and it's still not scanned in? Does that seem unusual to anyone else or would you just rack that up to COVID?

-J.

The lack of tracking info is not unusual for USPS coming in from another country, COVID or not. I have a strap coming from Japan and, like every other package that's picked up by USPS when entering the US from an international carrier, the tracking isn't updated (and won't be) until it magically ends up in my mailbox. Currently waiting for ~1.5 weeks on the strap, which is a bit longer than normal and may be due to reduced transpacific shipments; not sure about Canada. I don't use it for watches because of the tracking issue but also haven't had any packages lost yet.

NikoMartinez_SYD · Apr 23, 2020

In summary - international postage is a mess due to boarder restrictions and various protocol. Double the normal postage timeframes to set expectations for buyers. Cheers

CaptainWinsor · Apr 23, 2020

I’ve purchased a few things from Europe with no serious delays. USPS on the other hand has taken forever to deliver a magazine from California. Almost a month as it bounces back and forth between two cities and was here and then went back.

nickw · Apr 24, 2020

Don't use the Italian Post- but that's good advice under non-pandemic circumstances too.

Flintlock · Apr 24, 2020

jshaw083
Hi all,

Out of interest, has anyone actually used USPS recently? I've shipped two watches with UPS ground from Canada to US. No issues at all, arrived quickly within 3-4 business days, faster than I anticipated actually. That being said, I'm waiting on a watch to come in from US to Canada, shipped using USPS priority mail. The package was dropped off last Friday and label was created last Friday. But when I try tracking, it still says "label created, not yet scanned into system". So it's been almost 5 business days and it's still not scanned in? Does that seem unusual to anyone else or would you just rack that up to COVID?
-J.

You can create a priority mail shipping label at home and it goes into the system as "label created." You have to take it to the post or have it picked up by postman for it to actually be "shipped." IMHO if it was actually dropped off you should have seen that description. It's a US origin shipment, the Canadian destination shouldn't matter. There is no analogy to an overseas shipment that doesn't mesh to domestic tracking. Well that's my 2¢. I hope it is already in your hands.

Njnjcfp88 · Apr 24, 2020

I ordered my Chopard off the ‘Bay from a seller in Brisbane on April 1. . ...He used Australia Post ...they announced on 4/3 a Covid delay of up to two-three weeks on United States ( in/ out bound ) Express packages
(no more Economy Class apparently ). Right around the two week mark - it seemed like it was still in Brisbane ...then things speeded up nicely and I received the watch ( package was in great shape ) in New Jersey via USPS on April 18th.

Spetnaut · Apr 24, 2020

Depends on what shipping company is used.
I would say your best bet is DHL.
Have had multiple packages come from Asia and Europe within a few days

STANDY · Apr 24, 2020

Spetnaut
Depends on what shipping company is used.
I would say your best bet is DHL.
Have had multiple packages come from Asia and Europe within a few days

DHL and FedEx us freighter planes. (So business as usual.)

Most postage systems rely on a few air cans in a passenger plane daily (since this is not happening as much lately delays expected)

Evitzee · Apr 27, 2020

Just received a DHL parcel from Perth, Australia to central Texas.....total elapsed time 6 days from the time it left Perth airport to the time the DHL Express masked delivery man left it at my front door. Perth--->Singapore--->Cincinnati (cleared customs)--->San Antonio, TX--->my front door. Appears it travelled by ground from Cincinnati to San Antonio (1200 miles, 2 days). Really good time, no apparent delays due to COVID for the bigger guys like FedEx, UPS and DHL, but slower times if it is transiting through domestic postal channels.

Candle00 · Apr 27, 2020

I've received numerous personal packages from Sydney, Australia (not watch related) to New York City and have had no issues. Took around 10 days which is decent given the current conditions and the required distance.