Wondering where your stuff from overseas is? Shipaggedon!

[Manatee Diver]

I would imagine air mail is going to get worse. 3 months Germany to US this summer. I would guess it is going to double for Christmas shipping.

 

[Marie13]

I may not be the "typical" consumer but going to a target or walmart right now is about as appealing as dumpster diving in a hospital medical waste container. In short, no effing way.

I do occasionally order from them, but if you're ordering online then you might as well go with the guys who have free and reliable same-day delivery...

I meant if we didn’t have the stupid plague.

 

[kelemvor]

I would imagine air mail is going to get worse. 3 months Germany to US this summer. I would guess it is going to double for Christmas shipping.

Every time I've paid for air shipping from China to the US it's been 2 or 3 days from Shenzen to Largo, Florida, USA. They offer an overnight option but it's usually like 50 bucks or more...

 

[Marie13]

Every time I've paid for air shipping from China to the US it's been 2 or 3 days from Shenzen to Largo, Florida, USA. They offer an overnight option but it's usually like 50 bucks or more...

Is your air shipping FedEx/UPS or the postal service? Manatee mentioned air mail.

 

[kelemvor]

Is your air shipping FedEx/UPS or the postal service? Manatee mentioned air mail.

I think the Chinese typically are using Airborne/DHL but I take your point. I forgot that USPS does have an air service and confused that with the others.

 

[Manatee Diver]

I think the Chinese typically are using Airborne/DHL but I take your point. I forgot that USPS does have an air service and confused that with the others.

And there are two levels of service, priority air mail that is 3-5 days normally and saver that is 2-3 weeks normally.

I typically pay the extra few bucks and get shipping from DHL Express, FedEx, or UPS when I have the chance. It is faster, the tracking is better (ie packages don't disappear into blackholes for days or weeks at a time), and the packages don't look like they've been run over by a truck like all my air mail packages do.

 

[kelemvor]

It's funny we were talking about this. I just got a package from my mailbox that was shipped air mail. Transducer ordered from Alixpress with the free shipping option. Shipped on 9/29, received on 10/30. According to the label, it came from Singapore rather than China. The label says "air mail" on it.

I assume "Accepted by Last Mile Carrier" indicates that USPS got their hands on it since it wound up in my mailbox instead of at my door.

• 2020.10.19 08:23 (GMT-7): Accepted by Last Mile Carrier
• 2020.10.19 08:23 (GMT-7): Arrived at destination country
• 2020.10.19 08:23 (GMT-7): Shipment at local distribution center

• 2020.09.30 23:30 (GMT-7): Departed country of origin
• 2020.09.30 09:35 (GMT-7): Shipment accepted by airline
• 2020.09.30 09:35 (GMT-7): Shipment left country of origin warehouse
• 2020.09.29 08:55 (GMT-7): Shipment failed to leave country of origin warehouse
• 2020.09.29 07:22 (GMT-7): Shipment at country of origin warehouse
• 2020.09.29 06:52 (GMT-7): Shipment dispatched

 

[broncobowsher]

I know the local freight trains have changed. They are suddenly pulling twice the rail cars. Almost all containers. If I catch the rail crossing it is a long wait now. Forget the mile long train, they are 2 miles now. The economy is not stalled like some are saying. It is still thumping along just fine. A little bump in the road, but it is moving just fine.

 

[ibj40]

This is working both ways. I shipped some stuff to a buddy in New Zealand. It moved nicely through the USPS system, leaving Chicago as a point of departure and arriving in Tokyo very timely.

The box then sat in Tokyo from September 17 to October 10 before finally leaving for Auckland for a final transfer to Christchurch.

 

[Johnoly]

..Shipageddon!.

I can relate. I bring in LCL(1/2-1/3 load) in from Shenzhen to FLA. I used to be able to get it in 3wks. My current load is at 10wks and taking a trip to Shanghai, Busan, Panama,GA, etc,etc. Just like LA is backed, the canal is also. And prices have skyrocketed. Don't even get me started on the whole IMO bunker fuel excuses. My solution is zillions of helium filled Goodyear Blimp drones with containers mounted underneath..haven't figured out that "Air-Drop" part yet.. ............