DB Cooper 12 Posted February 12, 2022 (edited) I'm new here and just ordered my first rep (right before finding this forum) and I'm wondering if this is normal. It's a seller in Hong Kong and they shipped my watch FedEx. According to FedEx tracking it spent a week going from Hong Kong to Dubai, sat there for a couple days, spent the next 5 or so days at the FedEx facility at the Paris airport, then went to a city one day away from me (in USA) by FedEx, sat there a few days, then went to a city on the other side of the country and sat there for a few days, now it's back to the first city for the last two days. There is no delivery date, FedEx says they can't deliver it until the date the shipper tells them. The shipper in Hong Kong said to wait and it will be delivered when I contacted them. Very cloak and dagger. I didn't want to ask too many questions because I'm thinking maybe this is an elaborate plan by the seller to stay under Customs' radar. Is this normal for shipment of a rep to USA? In three days it will be 3 weeks from date of order. Is this what you guys experience when you order a rep? Edited February 12, 2022 by DB Cooper Spelling Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Devil 2,906 Posted February 12, 2022 I can't speak for someone ordering to the USA, but you picked the worst time to order with all the Chinese festivals/holidays this time of year, maybe that's why It spent two weeks in Hong Kong... As long as you ordered from someone on the TD list, you are fine, they know what they are doing so could be a way to avoid customs issues etc... just be patient! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DB Cooper 12 Posted February 12, 2022 It only spent one week between Hong Kong and Dubai and I ordered a week before CNY to avoid delays. It's been almost a week in Paris and bouncing back and forth across the US that has me wondering. Hopefully you're right and I'm just having to be patient. I didn't order from a TD here a because I didn't discover this site until after I ordered it. I would have tried a TD here otherwise. But the dealer I ordered from has so far been really nice and responds to emails in minutes if during the night here when it's day in China. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FudgyDocker 3,504 Posted February 12, 2022 Who knows what you'll get? Can't bear the excitement. Post pics when it finally turns up! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Devil 2,906 Posted February 12, 2022 Welp, god only knows what will show up.. we just use TDs because there’s that many scam artists out there and will send you junk or a box of nails. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DB Cooper 12 Posted February 15, 2022 Well if it's a box of nails it should clear Customs easily... It's on day 4 sitting in the same FedEx site " waiting for clearance"... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadPickle 2,748 Posted February 15, 2022 Customs in any country isn’t without its faults, tracking can be very slow to update or it can just tell you nonsense. in my experience you just gotta wait it out. 2 examples which happened to me, once took over 3 months to get from USA to UK, although the dude got banned for being a scammer so might not have been telling the whole truth…. once got a parcel delivered before tracking says it had left China. just gotta pour a large one and wait best of luck pal what did you order Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
copperfront 6 Posted February 17, 2022 On 15/02/2022 at 17:10, DB Cooper said: Well if it's a box of nails it should clear Customs easily... It's on day 4 sitting in the same FedEx site " waiting for clearance"... Not entirely uncommon. Reps directly from the factories or dealers in China always take me about 3-5 weeks in transit and usually 3-4 days in customs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DB Cooper 12 Posted February 18, 2022 Pickledbeetroot - it's a GMT Master 2 in Coke version with Japanese Miyota movement. Copperfront- that makes me feel better. It's currently been sitting in a FedEx location about one day away for 7 days now "awaiting clearance'" wherever that means. It took a week from Hong Kong to Dubai, then spent another 5 days in Paris, then spent almost two weeks bouncing back and forth across USA... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mystery Shopper 5,887 Posted February 18, 2022 I think you just have to wait. The TD has little control over how FedEx moves things around within the USA. Take heart that it is in the USA and be patient. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadApple 13,081 Posted February 18, 2022 If you ask any of our TD's to ship FedEx they'd laugh at you - same with DHL TD's on here tend to use enhanced normal post. Here in UK my chosen TD sends out from China via Hong Kong and is 8-9 days from shipping to delivery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DB Cooper 12 Posted February 21, 2022 Yeah, I'm in the process of ordering from one of the TDs here and they use air post and say it takes a week to two weeks to USA. Sounds way better than FedEx. My watch is still sitting in the same FedEx location without moving for the 10th day. I guess I'll have to call FedEx today and ask why. I'll probably get the watch from the TD here before the one I ordered on Jan 25th... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DB Cooper 12 Posted February 26, 2022 Called FedEx Monday, asked why my box is sitting in FedEx HQ in Memphis for 10 days, they said they'd investigate and call me in 24 hours. Never did call. Called them tonight, asked why it's still sitting there for 14 days now, they said Customs has it and it's " being investigated". They had no clue what that means. Don't think it's been seized. Investigating paperwork? If they opened it and seized it , it would take 3 minutes, not 14 days. It's probably gathering dust on a shelf waiting for a beaurocrat to sign it off. Or they lost it. I asked if they lost it and they said no, it's awaiting Customs clearance. The saga continues... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philiusmaximus 5,064 Posted February 26, 2022 Mate I'm three months into a wait for a watch. Just wait. There's nothing you can do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BravoDelta 22,499 Posted February 26, 2022 1 hour ago, DB Cooper said: The saga continues... I think their going to keep it. This happened to me. It wasn't FedEx but US customs is the same...https://www.rwg.bz/board/index.php?/topic/164405-seized-by-customs/&tab=comments#comment-241131 Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadPickle 2,748 Posted February 26, 2022 On 18/02/2022 at 07:17, Mystery Shopper said: I think you just have to wait. The TD has little control over how FedEx moves things around within the USA. Take heart that it is in the USA and be patient. This would be applicable if indeed it were a TD, but this is one of those shonky websites and op is whining after the event. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BadPickle 2,748 Posted February 26, 2022 Seriously you’re wasting your time calling fedex or customs, you’re just gonna have to get to grips with the facts now. You’ve ordered some crappy fakes from a random website from a country on the other side of the world you know nothing about so chances are it’s lost/stolen/confiscated and if it turns up it’s a bonus. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CurioLeo 296 Posted February 26, 2022 You should be more worried about having ordered a GMT IIC with a Miyota movement than having to wait for it. Could be wrong but I am not aware of a Miyota based GMT watch which doesn't bode well.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NCRich 13,752 Posted February 26, 2022 2 hours ago, CurioLeo said: You should be more worried about having ordered a GMT IIC with a Miyota movement than having to wait for it. Could be wrong but I am not aware of a Miyota based GMT watch which doesn't bode well.... Dealers generally don't know the movements very well. Probably a 3804b. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DB Cooper 12 Posted February 26, 2022 Pickledbeetroot- A. How the fuck do you know what quality the watch is? There are probably many places out there selling watches the same quality as our TDs are. B. It has NOTHING to do with the seller. They have been great and faster and more responsive than the two TDs I've ordered from here. It made it all the way from China to Dubai to Memphis (via Paris) and is sitting in a FedEx location awaiting Customs clearance, not lost. C. If it does end up seized it's bad luck that Customs seized it,. not the seller's fault. Or mine. D. I'm not whining. Just sharing my experience with the helpful intelligent people here. E. Is your post a joke, because I don't think you're that friggin stupid? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DB Cooper 12 Posted February 26, 2022 PS: the "random website" keeps checking in with me and has offered a refund if I don't receive it by the end of the month. Know-it-all wankers... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DB Cooper 12 Posted February 26, 2022 CurioLeo- I'm not worried about the movement. If it's not a Miyota, as the factory told the seller, it's probably a cheap reliable 21J or whatever Chinese movement. As long as it's not a high-end CHS timebomb movement I'll be happy. I'm new at this but at least I didn't pay $100 more for a movement nobody will see and will explode in a few months.  Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Devil 2,906 Posted February 26, 2022 1 hour ago, DB Cooper said: Pickledbeetroot- A. How the fuck do you know what quality the watch is? There are probably many places out there selling watches the same quality as our TDs are. B. It has NOTHING to do with the seller. They have been great and faster and more responsive than the two TDs I've ordered from here. It made it all the way from China to Dubai to Memphis (via Paris) and is sitting in a FedEx location awaiting Customs clearance, not lost. C. If it does end up seized it's bad luck that Customs seized it,. not the seller's fault. Or mine. D. I'm not whining. Just sharing my experience with the helpful intelligent people here. E. Is your post a joke, because I don't think you're that friggin stupid? @pickledbeetroot has been on this forum long enough to know we get people coming here every weeks having ordered from non TD's and get sent dhgate junk watches if not anything... Although you may have been lucky, I would NEVER order from a NON-TD as it's just not worth the risk... if you order from a TD you know EXACTLY what you're getting Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CurioLeo 296 Posted February 26, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, DB Cooper said: CurioLeo- I'm not worried about the movement. If it's not a Miyota, as the factory told the seller, it's probably a cheap reliable 21J or whatever Chinese movement. As long as it's not a high-end CHS timebomb movement I'll be happy. I'm new at this but at least I didn't pay $100 more for a movement nobody will see and will explode in a few months.  That was what I was getting at though - if they say Miyota and use whatever, what else is not what they say it is ? That's also what pickledbeetroot was trying to tell you as well. It's a dodgy business by definition so you want to minimise the things that will not go as planned - hence sticking to TDs Edited February 26, 2022 by CurioLeo Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tribefan 6,768 Posted February 26, 2022 You asked if it was normal. FedEx and a Miyota GMT are two big red flags so don't get your knickers in a twist when folks warn you of what's likely coming..... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
