Any CONUS Buyers dealt with shipping from overseas during Covid?

Mtnmansa · Apr 27, 2020

kip595
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!

I bought a watch from Rake X Revolution on April 6 and I am still waiting.
It is being delivered from Singapore, which is on a tight lockdown.
I have heard that other orders from Singapore have arrived within 3 days.

dougwhiz · Apr 27, 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.

I had a watch shipped to me USPS recently in the US, from the US. I was getting a similar message for a few days after it was supposedly sent. It turned out it got scanned in as a normal tracking number, but then the seller also shipped it Registered Mail, which then superseded the original number. Didn't seem to delay it, but having just spent several hundred dollars, I was a little nervous where it actually was.

alikara · Apr 30, 2020

A 1 day delay with FedEx customs but otherwise normal delivery coming into Florida

sonicosa · May 1, 2020

I had to send a watch back to Yema just before the pandemic really hit the states. The service took a bit longer than expected, but return shipping with DHL was smooth and I had my package in 3 days.

Shipping out of the US with USPS on the other hand... I shipped a package to Australia with priority international shipping on April 13. It arrived in New York the next day and bounced around NY and NJ for several days before departing Newark on April 20.

I assumed it had left Newark International Airport and was on it's way to Australia, but 5 days later I get a notification it has departed LA. I was like "Okay, DC > NJ > LA and then onto Australia, I guess that makes sense."

I got a notification this morning that it LAX just after midnight last night. So it's been over 2 weeks and it hadn't even made it out of the states.

This package contained records (vinyl LPs). Maybe people are less likely to ship watches internationally with USPS, but just a heads up if you do, you might want to let your buyer know it could take quite a bit longer than normal.

Togri v. 2.0 · May 2, 2020

chichi
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.

Yep, this is the issue for most normal post services. Even post that’s Intra continental is affected. I currently have two parcels from the US and one from Belarus, all of them have shipped more than two weeks ago and nothing is happening. The one from Belarus left the country 10 days ago according to tracking but haven’t been registered since. My guess is it is in a big pile with thousands of other parcels and letters at the airport in Minsk waiting for a regular passenger plane out of there.

The two from the US is without tracking but was ordered 3 weeks ago. And nothing... 🙁

chichi · May 3, 2020

For what it's worth, I shipped something from overseas to the USA using the local air post which again is not FedEx, UPS etc.
Normally it should take a week. As of now, it's been one month and it hasn't even left.

sonicosa · May 17, 2020

Njnjcfp88
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 ).

The package I referenced above arrived in Sydney on May 2 and the tracking hasn’t updated since. Buyer is being patient so far, but it’s been over a month since USPS picked up the package from me. (Shipped Priority International)

WatchCor · May 17, 2020

Togri v. 2.0
Yep, this is the issue for most normal post services. Even post that’s Intra continental is affected. I currently have two parcels from the US and one from Belarus, all of them have shipped more than two weeks ago and nothing is happening. The one from Belarus left the country 10 days ago according to tracking but haven’t been registered since. My guess is it is in a big pile with thousands of other parcels and letters at the airport in Minsk waiting for a regular passenger plane out of there.

The two from the US is without tracking but was ordered 3 weeks ago. And nothing... 🙁

Yeah, similar experience. Normal postage is significantly slowed down. My parcel has been registered/tracked as leaving towards US almost 3 weeks ago. Still hasn't landed on US soil.

Probably still waiting for that (rare) plane over the Atlantic.

eugeneandresson · May 17, 2020

I bought something (from here, US based) begin March, shipped two months ago to the day. Still nothing. It was shipped USPS. I wouldn’t do that either direction presently...but would have no qualms with Fedex/DHL etc.

2FiveOhs · May 17, 2020

I've seen a few watches on Chrono24 for sale out of Japan. The prices seem quite attractive! I don't usually purchase from overseas and my Speedmaster came from Huntington Beach. That being said, is there a customs procedure or should I expect extra fees on top of the sales price and shipping over and above what I am seeing as listing prices?

*Thanks for tolerating the noobie question! I'll get this think figured out.