Shipping Delays on tea

[S_B]

I'm sure that through the calamity some of us have still been determined to go through with our tea-related purchases. With so many changes happening so quickly, some may have more difficulty than others in tracking down reliable information on delays and other related information. I figured this might be a nice place to put down related info. I'll start by attaching a few links that may be of some use to curious readers based on recent conversations with @Victoria about Japanese shipments:

March 20th: International mail disruptions multiply with COVID-19 impact (USPS)

April 17th: U.S. Postal Service Status on International Mail Shipments

Updates up to April 15th: How will the coronavirus pandemic affect Yunomi and the shipment of Japanese tea?

Update from Ocha April 17th: Delivery Information & Shincha news

As I'm sure many of you are aware as you browse your normal tea-stops, many vendors and collectors are updating their shipping status related to the current pandemic.

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It seems like shipments out of Japan (based on order tracking history of my own packages and others I've discussed with) are delayed in Tokyo with 0 updates for about two weeks. If you are anxious about a lack of updates, hopefully this information helps stop the alarm bells from going off in your head!

Everything from e-packet to EMS is seeing these delays. My understanding is that currently (4/17) DHL is still moving along very quickly. This maybe your best option should you want tea quickly, and have the funds to shell out for the extra costs of DHL. Who knows what further delays could be added, or what services may resume normal function in the upcoming weeks.

Please feel free to post any other information on delays of any international or domestic shipments! Of course, we'll all see our orders soon enough, but it may be nice to track what changes and impacts this will have on the rest of our year for tea. This will be a great lesson in patience for those like me who get that itch to constantly check tracking numbers

Finally, for those who are looking for reliable tracking aside from whatever origin and domestic post you will be tracking, please consider 17track.net

[Victoria]

Thanks for starting this thread, it’s good to have this information consolidated. My EMS ceramic shipment from Japan had been stuck for the last two weeks in Tokyo and now suddenly seems to be moving along and is finally in LA customs. This virus has upset world wide shipping, luckily for those in North America and parts of Europe we are still receiving shipments (an essential service), many other countries are not due to country wide lock-downs.

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[Bok]

I can add the view from Taiwan: shipping to all of Europe and most other countries is suspended, excluding the US so far, but not Canada. That affects every service up to EMS.

The only way to still ship is using fedex, DHL and the like, with substantial fees. Sending a teapot is at least 80$ shipping only with their cheapest option! But it’s still quite fast.

[Victoria]

And my package arrived today. After sitting in Tokyo for two weeks, it took less than 2 days to get to my door.

[faj]

And my package arrived today. After sitting in Tokyo for two weeks, it took less than 2 days to get to my door.

I have something on the way too. In my case, it reached the "Arrival at outward office of exchange" status quickly, but has been stuck there for a week now. Last time I ordered from the same vendor (when the pandemic was not on the radar), the package was still showing as being in Japan when I received it. Interpreting international shipment tracking details seems like trying to read tea leaves...

[S_B]

I have something on the way too. In my case, it reached the "Arrival at outward office of exchange" status quickly, but has been stuck there for a week now. Last time I ordered from the same vendor (when the pandemic was not on the radar), the package was still showing as being in Japan when I received it. Interpreting international shipment tracking details seems like trying to read tea leaves...

Ah this is good info for me. I had a package reach that stage extremely quickly yesterday and got very excited...as if it somehow skipped the line!

I guess given your experience, I can expect it not to move for a while. My previous JP packages all seemed to stay stuck at posting/collection for roughly two weeks before clearing outward office. All sorts of different possibilities it seems~

[Bok]

Often you need to swap country tracking system to get more timely update. Like once a pack leaves Taiwan, the USPS tracking becomes the more accurate for example.

[S_B]

Often you need to swap country tracking system to get more timely update. Like once a pack leaves Taiwan, the USPS tracking becomes the more accurate for example.

+1 to Bok's advice. I tend to use 17track (and whatever country's origin post site) up until the package is input into USPS system. From there I do text updates. Those seem to come even more timely than refreshing in your browser on USPS tracking site, I'm not quite sure why!

This is particularly useful for tracking packages I'll know I need to sign for. Though these days I don't think that's much of an issue...

[hopeofdawn]

I ordered a pot from Mud and Leaves that I'm eagerly looking forward to--sadly, it's been stuck at the 'origin post is preparing shipment' stage since March 26th and hasn't moved. I knew it might take longer, but it's still frustrating to see no progress at all after almost four weeks.

[Janice]

I’m waiting on the March and April EOT tea club packages and I still get the ‘origin post is preparing shipment’ message from the post office. I tried the 17track site that S_B mentioned and received so e progress information. Still no tea though.

[pantry]

I’m waiting on the March and April EOT tea club packages and I still get the ‘origin post is preparing shipment’ message from the post office. I tried the 17track site that S_B mentioned and received so e progress information. Still no tea though.

Same!

[lUKAV28]

I’m waiting on the March and April EOT tea club packages and I still get the ‘origin post is preparing shipment’ message from the post office. I tried the 17track site that S_B mentioned and received so e progress information. Still no tea though.

Same!

Yeah, me too, waiting for February, March and April EoT club + January order from Farmer Leaf. And I still managed to make a recent order with a bunch of tea and some teaware at EoT. Their praise on the newly added aged sheng played a trick on me (fomo)

[Hengchan]

I was impressed that my order from Taiwan Tea Crafts arrived very quickly. They are offering free DHL expedited delivery on >$75 orders.
So from Taiwan to UK it was 7 days overall from point of purchase. Kudos to them!

[TeaTotaling]

I’m waiting on the March and April EOT tea club packages and I still get the ‘origin post is preparing shipment’ message from the post office. I tried the 17track site that S_B mentioned and received so e progress information. Still no tea though.

Same!

Yeah, me too, waiting for February, March and April EoT club + January order from Farmer Leaf. And I still managed to make a recent order with a bunch of tea and some teaware at EoT. Their praise on the newly added aged sheng played a trick on me (fomo)

How are you enjoying the EoT Club? I have been curious.

[lUKAV28]

Same!

Yeah, me too, waiting for February, March and April EoT club + January order from Farmer Leaf. And I still managed to make a recent order with a bunch of tea and some teaware at EoT. Their praise on the newly added aged sheng played a trick on me (fomo)

How are you enjoying the EoT Club? I have been curious.

I am a subscriber for about a year now and It was quite a journey. Overall I am really satisfied with the club. Some months felt a bit rushed (not a fan of young purple sheng nor yancha with unsettled roast) but past months were really something. I was particularly happy with golden needle shou, dan cong (quite untypical selection for them) and 1990 (i think) Liu bao. What I like about the club is that it is not a sampler club. It is more of a curating club with tea of the month mentality. Most of the teas are never offered in their online store and a lot of tea they pick up on their tea trips ends up in the tea club.

What I learned in this year of being a subscriber is that all their teas have something in common. All their teas are very clean. I also learned that I enjoy young sheng less and less and that - thanks to the club - I started to dig Liu bao more and more - maybe it is just the winter. So yeah, I learned something about myself down the line.

Speaking of winter I can not talk about recent club selections though. From today on I am expecting four tea clubs to arrive. Quite a corona bummer. I don't even wanna know how three months on the road and changing weather would impact the tea.

Something to put into consideration is also that it cost 350$ per year. That is quite a heavy tea budget that you can spend elsewhere if you know what you want. With EoT club you'll get the value for the money but in the end, it is up to you and your preferences. Last year there were 2-3 entries I didn't enjoy that much so I could invest that money better but then again in a year or two I might realize that I have some great tea in my cabinet - maybe because I will change or tea will ... They are quite generous with the tea.

Occasionally I pick up thetea.pl club as well. It is more sample oriented. I find it more adventurous, always some interesting oolongs, old shengs, etc. Great value for the price and I would buy it more frequently but I don't want to invest all my tea budget in clubs.