Volks Int resumes international orders, temporary switch to DHL (UPDATED)

8 hours ago, growcian said:

The dates correspond to the last time the package was scanned, followed by the shipping status and package location. All packages are going from Japan to the US.

• Mandarake package #1: 3/16, Registered SAL, Posting/collection, Nakano post office
• Mandarake package #2: 3/21, Registered SAL, Posting/collection, Nakano post office
• Mandarake package #3: 3/25, Registered SAL, Posting/collection, Nakano post office
• Hobby Search package: 4/8, EMS, Arrival at outward office of exchange, Tokyo International

(Not everyone reading this knows the following so I'll add it here: Nakano is in Tokyo.)

So far, nothing was returned to sender. Yet.

Mandarake updated their page:

https://earth.mandarake.co.jp/help/shipping_suspensions.html

I don't know if this bit was already there before:

Quote

SAL is no longer available, regardless of country. Items that were already shipped with SAL prior to April 1 may potentially be returned to the store by the Post Office.
According to Japan Post, if your package has already gone through the export procedure then it will be held by them awaiting a possible flight.
If your package is returned to us we will contact you with possible shipping methods.

Amiami also updated some of their info. If a package is returned to them they will notify you and give you the choice of it being held or the order cancelled:

https://support.amiami.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041842712--COVID-19-How-Would-I-Know-if-My-Package-has-been-Returned-to-You-

[I know Amiami, Mandarake, etc. aren't strictly on-topic but I hope it's ok to discuss them here as I think all of these shipping issues for shops in Japan are relevant.]

On 4/15/2020 at 3:25 AM, cfx said:

[I know Amiami, Mandarake, etc. aren't strictly on-topic but I hope it's ok to discuss them here as I think all of these shipping issues for shops in Japan are relevant.]

You hit the nail on the head in terms of the relevancy, so I think we're OK there.

In the meantime, Japan Post says all three of my registered SAL packages were returned to sender.

From that Mandarake FAQ page, presumably they will contact you after they get the packages back and you will have to select one of the currently available shipping methods (EMS, Airmail, DHL) and they'll bill you the extra cost and then ship again. And then the waiting will begin anew.

My EMS package is still at posting/collection, of course.

Edited April 16, 2020 by cfx

I have my last month's AmiAmi order been sitting in Posting/Collection in Tokyo since 4/4 and it's still there. I had the option of shipping EMS or DHL and went with EMS because I hate DHL with a passion. The one time I used them they somehow screwed it up. It's been years so I don't remember the details but I do clearly remember the extreme panic attack they caused me. I went with EMS this time even though I had already read some of the original posts in this thread because it has the Nendoroids I wanted for Chibi Kyoya and Chibi Haruhi and certainly would never trust DHL with that. Every day I keep checking the Japan Post tracking page, just hoping they are safe and won't get lost in the middle of this mess but still no change.

I just got my payment email for this month's AmiAmi preorders and I'm so torn over if I should do DHL or not since they may be about the only ones actually shipping right now from what I can understand. I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them (not even a millimeter...) but I don't feel like I have a choice without things getting further screwed up. 

~J

Just to add something about shipping and the delivery companies still running...

 

I ordered stuff from Mandarake on Wednesday afternoon.  I got an email the next day confirming my order and giving me tracking info for DHL.  This morning I got an email and text from DHL saying my package was tracked to be delivered this coming Tuesday and they gave me options for how I wanted it delivered.

 

So DHL sure seems to be running on all cylinders thru the Covid problems.  I've used them before and while expensive, I've never had any problems with them and they always got stuff to me super quick and without damage.  If you're ordering from Japan I'd suggest using them if you're like me and hate waiting.  😉

 

I'm excited to get my package too because I blew half my stimulus check on outfits and shoes from there.  LOL  Maybe I'll try my hand at another box opening video this time around.

 

 

 

Billy

On 4/16/2020 at 6:39 AM, cfx said:

My EMS package is still at posting/collection, of course.

Tracking for this package has finally updated:

• 04/06/2020 15:30     Posting/Collection (Hino, Tokyo)

• 04/18/2020 06:19     Arrival at outward office of exchange (Tokyo International, Tokyo)

• 04/18/2020 06:20     Dispatch from outward office of exchange (Tokyo International, Tokyo)

Yay. Woohoo. While it will likely still be some time before this gets on a plane, at least it's to the state that it can do that. From what was on the Amiami page, once it has made it to this point it should be past the point of possibly being returned to sender as well.

In case people didn’t see it in the Volks News thread - the online Dolpa has been delayed until June which means the new items probably aren’t gonna be for up on the web store until then (or after, if they bother with an afterevent for an event that’s already online) either. So depending on how long the shipping situation lasts, we *may* still have a chance at being able to get those new items - I just wouldn’t count on it yet.

22 hours ago, cfx said:

Tracking for this package has finally updated:

• 04/06/2020 15:30     Posting/Collection (Hino, Tokyo)

• 04/18/2020 06:19     Arrival at outward office of exchange (Tokyo International, Tokyo)

• 04/18/2020 06:20     Dispatch from outward office of exchange (Tokyo International, Tokyo)

Yay. Woohoo. While it will likely still be some time before this gets on a plane, at least it's to the state that it can do that. From what was on the Amiami page, once it has made it to this point it should be past the point of possibly being returned to sender as well.

There's been a further update:

• 04/18/2020 11:06     Arrival at inward office of exchange (ISC, Chicago IL)

• 04/18/2020 11:06     Item presented to import Customs (ISC, Chicago IL)

So it sorta looks like those outward office of exchange scans maybe aren't happening until there's a plane available to take the packages? Whatever, now that it's in the US at least I am not worried about it. I've generally been getting domestic mail in a normal amount of time, though I don't know with international packages if customs may be slower than normal.

Anyway, I posted this info to show that for anyone waiting still for EMS packages to the US at least, it isn't hopeless, things are just slow.

On 4/18/2020 at 7:54 PM, cfx said:

Tracking for this package has finally updated:

• 04/06/2020 15:30     Posting/Collection (Hino, Tokyo)

• 04/18/2020 06:19     Arrival at outward office of exchange (Tokyo International, Tokyo)

• 04/18/2020 06:20     Dispatch from outward office of exchange (Tokyo International, Tokyo)

• 04/18/2020 11:06     Arrival at inward office of exchange (ISC, Chicago IL)

• 04/18/2020 11:06     Item presented to import Customs (ISC, Chicago IL)

Tracking on the USPS website now:

Quote

April 21, 2020, 4:54 pm
Departed USPS Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

---

April 21, 2020, 9:05 am
Arrived at USPS Regional Facility
CHICAGO IL INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION CENTER 

---

April 21, 2020, 9:05 am
Inbound Out of Customs

As of today (April 22) it is at the distribution center that should be the final destination before arriving at my post office, so I hope to have it soon.

So it's slow overall for EMS, but still, once it got on a plane in Japan it hasn't been too bad. The main delay in the US was sitting at customs for three days.

Anyway, for anyone else waiting, maybe that gives an idea of how long it might take.

Edited April 23, 2020 by cfx

My AmiAmi package from last month has not budged while the one from this month that I caved and paid for EMS shipping should arrive today by around noon.  I really wished I would have known or realized that AmiAmi switching me over to EMS shipping on last months package was something more than their usual of trying to suggest the cheaper shipping.

~JC

I see , So this why the latest collection not appearing in international web page ..

Does anyone know the estimated time things might be back on track? Also I have an ems package in post/collection that was sent out on the 17th, do you guys think it’ll just get shipped back? 😧

My EMS package has been stuck in Kyoto since the 8th. I also have one stuck in Seoul since the 17th. 

1 hour ago, Nemu said:

Does anyone know the estimated time things might be back on track? Also I have an ems package in post/collection that was sent out on the 17th, do you guys think it’ll just get shipped back? 😧

I don't think anyone can answer the first question.

If I understand this correctly, SAL packages travel on commmercial airline flights. As I expect the number of flights to be down even once things are back to some kind of normal, SAL would quite possibly forever be slower than it was previously.

EMS packages aren't supposed to get returned to sender; they're just very slow. As you can see from the tracking info I posted, my EMS package took 12 days to get from posting/collection to the next step.

3 hours ago, cfx said:

I don't think anyone can answer the first question.

If I understand this correctly, SAL packages travel on commmercial airline flights. As I expect the number of flights to be down even once things are back to some kind of normal, SAL would quite possibly forever be slower than it was previously.

EMS packages aren't supposed to get returned to sender; they're just very slow. As you can see from the tracking info I posted, my EMS package took 12 days to get from posting/collection to the next step.

12 days is way better than I was expecting. I was worried I was looking at up to four months maybe so that’s good news! Thanks for letting me know!!

Apparently the US has now joined the growing and long list of countries where EMS shipping from Japan has been suspended entirely. Even if they shipped out earlier in the month, anyone whose packages are still in Japan may not see them for months. 

There seem to be some countries EMS from Japan is still very very slowly shipping to but the list is getting smaller and smaller. 

2 hours ago, Monty said:

Apparently the US has now joined the growing and long list of countries where EMS shipping from Japan has been suspended entirely. Even if they shipped out earlier in the month, anyone whose packages are still in Japan may not see them for months. 

There seem to be some countries EMS from Japan is still very very slowly shipping to but the list is getting smaller and smaller. 

This seems to be correct. Oddly, there is no update on the Englsih side of the Japan Post site since April 9, so that information isn't there:

https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/information/index_en.html

The Japan side has further updates though:

https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/information/

This latest update:

https://www.post.japanpost.jp/int/information/2020/0423_03.html

As far as I can read, that says all EMS is supended.

CDJapan has some information in English:

https://www.cdjapan.co.jp/info/20200401

Mandarake also confirming this, with DHL being the only way they are shipping to the US: 

https://earth.mandarake.co.jp/help/shipping_suspensions.html

I don't see any mention anywhere if items already accepted by Japan Post for EMS will still be shipped, or if they too will get returned to sender now.

I got my EMS package that was shipped 04/06 today, so a total of 17 days, which all things considered, I don't feel is bad. Silly me, because of that I was thinking about ordering something from Mandarake which I knew was a bad idea anyway and now I can't. (Based on a previous awful experience I refuse to use DHL, besides the outrageous cost for it.)

Edited April 24, 2020 by cfx

Volks will resume taking international orders 1st of May and are using DHL for countries where EMS isn’t happening. Like with Smartdoll there will be no increase in shipping price. 

https://www.volks.co.jp/cs/news/20200401_01.html

No idea what to expect with DHL at the moment, seems to be going ok for Smartdoll though.

Edited April 24, 2020 by Monty

Haha, I was just coming to post that. It's a bit odd that new info is only in Japanese for the moment so if you glance at the page without turning on the machine translation you just see the old English info about how they aren't shipping anywhere.

I'll add to that that the resumption starts on May 1st.

DHL: Based on what I have read here, it works well for most people. I've had only a single experience with it, via Amazon Japan, and it was an awful experience. However, at least part of the problem is DHL does not deliver where I live, so the package was sent to some central DHL warehouse in some other state in the US, and then sent on to me via USPS, a process that must be manual because it sat in their location for weeks and they put a new label on top of the original one with their warehouse on it, and it was a hand-written label. My package was ripped open and destroyed when I received it, so I choose not to deal with them anymore because I don't feel I can trust them.

I've received probably over 100 packages from Mandarake, Amiami, Hobby Search, Hobbylink Japan, Volks, CDJapan, HMV Japan, and a few others, shipped via SAL Small Packet, SAL Parcel, or EMS, and never had anything damaged the way this DHL package was. That's just a single data point and perhaps I was just unlucky, but I wanted to share my experience for reference.

CDJapan has added Fedex as well as DHL; I wish others would do that.

Edited April 24, 2020 by cfx

Oh lovely, I was really worried about Sailor Jupiter for a few hours lol I LOVE DHL so this is totally fine for me. Idk about other places, but every time I use DHL on Mandarake I get my stuff within 3 days. Lightning fast and totally worth it. 

Noooo DHL its the worst, i hate them ; ; , yes its very fast but if they make your custom papers its like 80-90 € plus tases, and if you say hey no thanks i made my own custom papers they say ok but its cost you 30€ becuase i say so if you want your paket ......... so no thx, one time its more than enought for me.

I just got a shipping notice from Volks.  They’ve shipped my 9S, and it is through their regular mail.  I can track the package through the Canada Post site.

It has been 20 days so far that I've been waiting for my EMS AmiAmi package from Tokyo. This month's DHL shipped AmiAmi package arrived safely yesterday. I'm glad it's here but I still don't feel like I can trust them. I don't like that they are my only option until regular shipping resumes, but having my other package in limbo is causing me a lot of stress that I don't need.  

In the end though I can't really get mad because I'd rather have my package delayed if that's what it takes for other people to be healthy.

~JC

I like DHL, they arrive fast and take requests for where I want the package to be left. Of course, they deliver directly to my house with no transfer, and I generally don't have to pay customs. I'm fine with this switch as long as I'm not paying the higher cost. But I'm guessing that will depend on how long this goes on, because I'm assuming Volks and also Danny can only eat the difference in cost for so long.

3 hours ago, kalisha said:

Noooo DHL its the worst, i hate them ; ; , yes its very fast but if they make your custom papers its like 80-90 € plus tases, and if you say hey no thanks i made my own custom papers they say ok but its cost you 30€ becuase i say so if you want your paket ......... so no thx, one time its more than enought for me.

While customs isn't an issue for me in the US, I won't be buying from Volks, or anyone else, as long as DHL is the only shipping option. It's good they're doing something so they can get orders to people, but I do not trust DHL at all and I will not use them.

Two other bits of info:

• The Volks page says packages will be shipped EMS or DHL. Since as far as we know, there is no EMS shipping available at all right now, I'm not sure why it says that, unless it is referencing the future when partial EMS may be available again and they'll ship that way if available.
• While the page suggests you can as of 05/01 order from anywhere, according to CDJapan, the following places are not being served by DHL either: India, Philippines (partial suspension), France (partial suspension); see here. Fedex has a larger list they aren't delivering too which is probably why others aren't using them, but I wish that was an option too since I'm willing to use them.

The fact DHL is a lot more expensive pretty much insures that no one will permanently switch to them, and will return to EMS as soon as it is feasible to do so.

Edited April 24, 2020 by cfx