I was wondering, given the international nature of what we do. How are people faring in terms of getting items shipped to them? My recent international examples (to the UK) are: Europe: Sweden. Fogas.se Service good. Service kits for Optimus lanterns arrived within a week. Germany. Hytta.de Service good. Glass for lantern arrived within a week. International: US. Ordered from West Coast Supplier in the US (3 x Items). Generally what seems to happen is that items arrive at LA Airport freight and the tracking information shows that as the last stop. They have then appeared in the UK (8 weeks later) with no tracking update. I have been informed that freight flights across the US are restricted thus orders are travelling overland from West to East Coast and flown from the East Coast. There is a back log. South Korea: Tried ordering from ebay a lantern needle set. The order was cancelled by the seller as he was unable to fulfill it. I'd be interested to know what others experiences with this are.
Orders from the UK typically take 1-2 weeks to arrive. Parcels and envelopes, it makes no difference. Good service everytime. Have no experience yet with supplies from different countries.
Yeah i had a refund from a S.Korean seller ...have asked to be kept in the loop but will probably just have to try again? Sounds like your Fogas service is better than our UK 'Door-to-Door' service?... How like them...
For folk posting from the Uk. I’ve recently sent a lamp to Oz, parcel force wanted £60+, reboxed into two two smaller parcels and sent Royal Mail small international parcel, under £40 for both.
I use Parcel2go which searches the cheapest rates of all the couriers. Last time I sent anything to the US it cost roughly £25but that was before lock-down. I haven't been to my closest drop off yet cos it's in Glasgow, a 2.5hr trip! The joys of living in the Highlands! Anyone would think we lived in Outer Mongolia!
@ColinG No mate, delivery is better in Outer Mongolia than it is in the north Highlands! What really pi**es me off are the online sellers with the ‘doesn’t deliver to the Scottish highlands’ Postal option. Within the UK Royal Mail is a flat cost, what’s wrong with them? Arrrgh! My nearest collect plus is forty five miles away.....
Canada Post has been a reliable force during the pandemic, and much faster and cheaper than the couriers like UPS, FEDEX, and Purolator. A lantern sent to a community in Iqaluit, Nunavut was there in 5 days. Purchases sent via courier from major retailers have been brutally slow and the tracking shows them getting tantalizingly close, only to be sent off to a further away terminal the next day. It feels like the couriers have been overwhelmed and are barely managing to keep up. Canada Post regular surface parcels to the US have been under two weeks, and a Taykit stove sent regular air parcel to the UK was just over two weeks. It was sent just days before the pandemic was declared. I've got a small packet headed to Japan so we'll see how Canada Post and Japan Post does. Yesterday, the clerk in our local post office was emphasizing that delivery estimates were very approximate and could take much longer. She really emphasized "much"! Mike.
Recently had an item shipped to me using Parcel2Go, would really recommend. Easy to book, really cheap and fast.
I ordered some parts from Old Coleman Parts and it didn't seem to take very long. Probably about a week. I live on the East coast and OCP is on the West coast, about three thousands miles apart! Service seems to move right along. Took me longer to move the parts from my family room to the garage then it did to go coast to coast! lol
From any UK destination, very good service with Hermes, parcelForce, UPS and Royal Mail to my address. Deliveries take about a week to arrive.
US to UK via Airmail, 18 days, which is encouraging. Item ordered on the 20 June, dispatched 23 Jun, arrived 10 Jul.
Another item from the US, West Coast this time (From Larry the Lantern Guy on the bay). Ordered 3 June, arrived 15 Jul. Slight delays, no real dramas, the tracking listed it as in LA between 5 - 26 June. Seller offered a refund when item wouldn't make its original delivery date, which was very good of him. A positive e bay experience for a change.
I have ordered from Julian's on eBay more than once, it takes about 6 to 8 weeks, I've also got a refund from south Korea, as they won't sent to Australia at the moment.
UK to US Shipping cost increases. Extract from the article in the link below: "The cost of sending mail to the US is to set to rise dramatically from July 1, as the combination of COVID-19 international flight restrictions and changes in US policies on postal rates for incoming mail combine to create a worrying precedent for international mail. Royal Mail in the UK is one of a number of international mail providers affected by the circumstances, with the price of sending International standard parcels to the US increasing by 49% on average, and the price of International signed and tracked parcels sent to the US increasing by an average of 38%." International Mail Prices to US Set to Skyrocket
I had some parts from Juliands in the UK and ordered on 5 June and the delivery was anticipated between 3 July and 16 July and I think it arrived at the earlier end of the date range. I ordered a Coleman tool from Taiwan on 5 June and it was cancelled and refunded by 7 June owing to his inability to ship it due to COVID restrictions. I would love to buy more stuff from the USA but the postage rate from there to Australia is astronomical for bigger things. I got a book and the postage was as dear or dearer than the book itself but I was committed! Should have been too! Stay safe
@Sedgman Now that is definitely funny ha ha mybe we all should be committed. I have also ordered from Juliands, but the delay is well over 6 to 8 weeks for me. I ordered from south Korea and the order was cancelled 1 day later, and I lost $13AUD in that transaction, also due to COVID19 as well.
@Sedgman I am wondering if you had the "Guide to Vintage Coleman Products" shipped over? I purchased a copy, and then wept as the shipping cost more than the book to get it here to the UK. All is well that ends well, it is a great book, and most enjoyable (I've nearly over the shock of the shipping costs!)
@Alex Smith Looks like I am not alone being shocked by the subsequent postage cost. Yes Alex, the Coleman book was the one involved. I agree, great book too.
I agree, it’s a top book. Mine arrived In Aussie well before the COVID stuff and wasn’t too bad postage cost wise. Cheers Pete
The current global situation has reversed my online buying stuff. I'm forced to get parts only from the US and Chinese sellers. They use to take forever to reach me from the two ends of the globe. Right now they take barely a week when i'm lucky. Sellers in S.Korea and Germany has rejected or refunded my orders. I do have a globe stuck in German post. And my R55 from Canada has been stuck in postage for weeks
Shipping rate are almost funny if it wasn't for the fact they are real! I think this B.S. about blaming it on this covid hysteria is just that: B.S.! I think these rates would have gone up anyway, this is just a convenient for raising them sooner! We are at the mercy of the postal system so I guess we better get use to it...
