Expect delays and rejections due to more stringent security measures in Hong Kong, Singapore

[ScandaLeX]

Holy smokes, people are waiting on packages for orders in SEPTEMBER? What the heck fast tech? Gena any updates?

You lost me.
What does the month have to do with anything?

 

[szot]

My order USPS status was changed to "Processed Through Sort Facility", over 36 hours ago, a day and a half...and still again no movement or activity..my order, an ego starter kit (with 2 ego batteries) and a bunch of clearos...remember that Hong Kong's local times are 12 hours AHEAD (GMT+8) of EST in USA (GMT - 4)..so its not good to have an order processed through sorting (customs) and no updates, makes ya think the order hasn't departed for the US yet after 36 hours, but sometimes USPS tracking does that regardless of any customs issues..and I'm sure the planes and loadmasters are backed up and all loaded with cargo after such a lengthy delay through customs after 10-12 days of sitting at the customs terminal,....so positive thinking at this point, cuz it is what it is no matter what we wish for..

 

[szot]

UPDATE: From FastTech Forums...and a new thread started here.. http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...methods-14-september-2013-a.html#post10680561


As we've checked on the returned packages, we've found that battery comprises about 95% of the returns. Seems e-liquids are not their main object now, we are postponing shifting e-liquids to China Post for now. We'll monitor on the e-liquid packages.

Starting now, packages containing batteries may ship via China Post instead of Hong Kong Post and Singapore Post. This only affecting the "shaped" batteries such as 18650, 14500, etc. and cellphone/camera replacement batteries.

External Power Batteries and E-Cigarette Batteries such as SKU 1290903 (ego type) are not being affected.

For products that contains battery, only the ones with "shaped" batteries such as 18650, 14500, etc. are being affected.

 

[MarkFLL]

I just placed my first order with FT the other day for an SVD express, charger and batteries. The express was out of stock so I cancelled and purchased the full SVD kit. So now I have two separate orders. I hope this means at least the SVD will ship without problems.

 

[sbakercam]

I ordered 2 18650 batteries on the 8th and they arrived in SAN FRANCISCO this morning so some batteries are getting threw.

 

[zahzoo]

I just placed my first order with FT the other day for an SVD express, charger and batteries. The express was out of stock so I cancelled and purchased the full SVD kit. So now I have two separate orders. I hope this means at least the SVD will ship without problems.

Understand it may ship from FT... meaning it will quickly make it from their warehouse to the post office. But don't expect "normal" handling from that point forward.

Hong Kong Post is now x-ray scanning every parcel... which previously was maybe 10% or less. Orders with or without batteries or juice are being held up. Some from items FT "shipped" in late August through present are still stuck in acceptance meaning they haven't been released from HK Post or airport security to be placed on an outbound flight.

Some stuff is making it through though so there's a little hope.

I have an order with no batteries/juice that I placed on the 7th. It shipped from FT on the 9th. Showed up in acceptance status on the 11th and hasn't budged since. I've seen posts of others with similar that shipped from FT on Aug 27th... still in the same mode.

Set your expectations lower than a snake's belly in a tire rut for quick processing and you'll be ok...

 

[JRudey]

I ordered 2 18650 batteries on the 8th and they arrived in SAN FRANCISCO this morning so some batteries are getting threw.

I'm happy for you, but a little jealous. It's so arbitrary. Don't they understand sequential delivery. First in, first out. My simple order shipped on 09/02. It's stuck in limbo.

 

[zahzoo]

I ordered 2 18650 batteries on the 8th and they arrived in SAN FRANCISCO this morning so some batteries are getting threw.

Seen similar posts like this... it would appear things are not moving first in, first out. My order was placed a day before yours... still stuck in HK with no batteries/juice in the order.

 

[obodaour]

My order containing just a Kanger ProTank II is listed as...

First-Class Package International Service
Processed Through Sort Facility
September 14, 2013, 8:57 am
HONG KONG AIR MAIL CENTRE, HONG KONG
International Letter
Acceptance
September 5, 2013, 2:21 pm
HONG KONG

Here's what the hkpost site says...

Destination - United States of America
The item (**********) left Hong Kong for its destination on 14-Sep-2013

To make further enquiry of this item, please complete the Online Enquiry Form or send the item number; the details of sender; addressee and contact information by fax to Mail Tracing Office. Our fax no. is (852) 2868 4723. You can also email or call our Mail Tracing Office at (852) 2921 2211 during office hours.Online tracking information on the delivery status of registered mail/parcels sent overseas is available for selective destinations. You can connect to the mail tracking website of the destinations below directly. For destinations not on the list, tracking information is only available up to departure from Hong Kong.

And my order containing the Vamo V2 kit with nitecore charger, 2 18650 batteries, 2 Kanger Protanks, and a case is listed as...


First-Class Package International Service
Acceptance
September 9, 2013, 12:00 pm
HONG KONG
International Letter

Again what the hkpost says...

Destination - United States of America


The item (*********) is being processed for departure from Hong Kong as of 10-Sep-2013.


To make further enquiry of this item, please complete the Online Enquiry Form or send the item number; the details of sender; addressee and contact information by fax to Mail Tracing Office. Our fax no. is (852) 2868 4723. You can also email or call our Mail Tracing Office at (852) 2921 2211 during office hours.
Online tracking information on the delivery status of registered mail/parcels sent overseas is available for selective destinations. You can connect to the mail tracking website of the destinations below directly. For destinations not on the list, tracking information is only available up to departure from Hong Kong.

Gah the waiting game is killing me... just wish they would get it out to the usa already!!!

 

[JRudey]

Gah the waiting game is killing me... just wish they would get it out to the usa already!!!

Placed an order with MadVapes Friday just so I could track something that actually changes it's status once in awhile.
Actually, I did need some CE4 Clearomizers.
STAM eGo CE4 Clearomizer 2.4-2.8 Ohm

 

[obodaour]

Yah I wish I would have know batteries would be an issue because I would of just ordered some efest ones from ebay and skipped the hassle, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that 2 batteries wont be a huge issue enough for them to return it. Time will tell, but I'm impatient and on such a tight budget I can't order anything else till I find out either way. I'll just continue checking my tracking number obsessively lol!

 

[ut1205]

This will pass but the damage HK Post has done to the businesses will not. Many prior customers will not place repeat orders due to fear of HK Post getting another "Feather up their .......". The only order that I have open with FT is 3 bottles of juice. I just wanted to try some China Juice to see if it was as bad as some say. It has shown "acceptance" for 10 days now. That is my normal time from shipping to arriving at my door.

HK Post.......return my shipment.......FT.........give me a credit.....then we can go on with our lives and do our purchasing elsewhere.

 

[Burnie]

You order from half way around the world and get upset because it gets delayed, by customs (HK Post), NOT the suppler, who shipped it promptly. Only thing I would fault FT on is not telling us ahead of time, but other than that, they are not at fault with the delays. Go ahead and order from where you want in the future and don't use FT, get it from local venders in 3 to 5 days, most of the time. But don't gripe when they are out of stock on something, because IT ALL COMES FROM CHINA. Just the USA venders order BEFORE THEY NEED IT so they have it in stock FOR YOU, but it still comes from CHINA. So IF you plan ahead like the venders do and aren't NEEDING IT NOW, then the wait is not a big deal, just expect a month for delivery and if you get it in 10 days so much the better. Enough of my rant, time for another beer.

 

[sawtoothscream]

k, says im processed through the facility. Hopefully it will only be another week now

 

[szot]

Great news....looks like orders are finally getting through now...my initial order (ego starter kit with 2 1300 ego batteries and separate package of clearos) was placed via USPS on Aug 31 and sat in Hong Kong customs from 4-13 Sept ( 9 days) but then made it through Hong Kong customs on Sept 13 8:34am and shipped, (remember HK is 12 hrs ahead of the USA EST) and arrived and sorted through US customs in San Fran about 24 hours later, yesterday 14 Sept at 8:30pm and now has since allegedly "Departed" for Massachusetts..so I should be expecting delivery status to be updated and posted Expected Delivery" at my home local post office, next at USPS tracking ,... and I presume it will be around Wed/Thurs this week at my home....I'm presuming USPS uses all "their local times "when posting activity, so hence my time lines based on USPS tracking notifications and activity....if this arrives Wed/Thurs, then this whole ordeal will have been about a 20 day process rather than the usual 10 day process...I can deal with that and would do it again in the future, knowing that ego batteries are not affected or illegal for air transport by USPS or HK Post...and I don't expect future shipments to go through this vigorous scanning like Hong Kong Customs Officials decided to do this time..and now FastTech offers China Post shipping for any questionable battery shipments in the future...

Overall I believe Fasttech did all they could and did finally get a fairly quick resolution to an issue that could have been a disaster to their company and all of us customers..and I really don't think we know the whole truth and story why this situation was created by HK Customs...I think there's much more to this story than we may never know...politics etc...who knows....and I am sure US officials and USPS officials were putting pressure on HK officials to quickly resolve this issue..my HK Post and USPS tracking timeline below...my USPS tracking# LK0388888888HK ended in HK which identified Hong Kong Post as the original shipper before transfer to US air transport and USPS control..

First-Class Package International Service

Depart USPS Sort Facility
September 14, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94128
International Letter


Depart USPS Sort Facility
September 14, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94128

Processed through USPS Sort Facility
September 14, 2013, 8:22 pm
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94128

Processed Through Sort Facility
September 13, 2013, 8:27 am
HONG KONG AIR MAIL CENTRE, HONG KONG

Origin Post is Preparing Shipment



Acceptance
September 4, 2013, 2:13 pm
HONG KONG

 

[Gena]

plumes Looks like their may be some movement on one package. It says it has left the sort facility. But this package only has drip tips. I really wanted my new battery.....haha

 

[JRudey]

plumes Looks like their may be some movement on one package. It says it has left the sort facility. But this package only has drip tips. I really wanted my new battery.....haha

I'm watching my first FT order. It has departed the USPS Sorting Facility in Bethpage, NY. Not sure why it was routed through Long Island, New York to get to Minnesota. Order was placed 08/31 and shipped 09/02.

My other three orders are "Despatched to overseas (Country code: US)" with a "Origin Post is Preparing Shipment" status on USPS side.

 

[szot]

I received another update from USPS tracking today...it appears they are having fun with my order and like it so much they decided to SORT it again for a 2nd time (26 hours later) in San Francisco at the same facility...lmao....USPS must need to get their package count up so they can ask for more money...lol...I remember years ago I worked for USPS at a bulk mail center sort facility and the control room would have us load a truck completely and then drive the same newly loaded truck around to the other side of the building and have guys unload it, and then have us reload it again, just to get their counts up so they could go to Congress and ask for some monies due to their high counts of processed and sorted packages...yep I see it "departed" TWICE too between the 2 sorts at the same facility...yeah it departed alright, from "inbound" side of the building back to the "outbound" side again and back to "inbound" again and then sorted again...lmao..hopefully next will be arrival in Massachusetts...this shipping of this order has gotten kind of comical now and cracks me up..lmao....good thing , I'm in no rush...the USPS shipping is as bad as the HK Post...lol

First-Class Package International Service

Processed through USPS Sort Facility
September 15, 2013, 10:45 pm
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94128
International Letter


Depart USPS Sort Facility
September 14, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94128

Depart USPS Sort Facility
September 14, 2013
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94128

Processed through USPS Sort Facility
September 14, 2013, 8:22 pm
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94128

Processed Through Sort Facility
September 13, 2013, 8:27 am
HONG KONG AIR MAIL CENTRE, HONG KONG

Origin Post is Preparing Shipment



Acceptance
September 4, 2013, 2:13 pm
HONG KONG

 

[Ref Minor]

I think the record is 8 aborted attempt to leave the SF hub.

 

[Zedayn]

I have 2 packages being held up - one since 9/4 (contains 18650s), and once since 9/7 (contains no batteries or liquid), and oddly I've seen zero movement on either. They're both still showing just acceptance. I understand delays, but given that I've heard people with packages accepted both before and after my two being received in the US, I just want to see some type of movement so I know that they weren't lost.