# It's on backorder



## Janderso (Oct 9, 2020)

Everything is on backorder.
At work we have units down that need parts. The parts manager locates items that won't come from Ford for a month or two from another dealership in the country.
They ship it UPS which should take 3 days. 5 days later it's still in transit. UPS is so busy they missed deliveries twice this week. It's hard to promise a customer the truck will be fixed on Thursday when we deal with this.
We made the decision to replace our 1998 TCM forklift. It only has 4,600 hours but it's tired never the less.
We placed an order for a Hyster H40 yesterday. 22 weeks out, nothing in stock. Got a good deal on it though.
I ordered a chucking reamer from KBC tools. Got it yesterday. I ordered it in February, I forgot about it.
You guys feeling the pinch?


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## devils4ever (Oct 9, 2020)

I have to admit that I haven't seen too many shipping/supply issues. A few days extra here or there, but otherwise things seem "normal". Granted I'm a hobbyist and not a pro.

The longest delay I can remember was when LMS was out for months and I wanted their ER32 collet chuck for my lathe. I got it eventually, but it took a while.


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## benmychree (Oct 9, 2020)

All my junk from E Bay seems to come pretty much on time by USPS, in spite of political meddling---


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## Janderso (Oct 9, 2020)

I sent Achipo a package UPS. It took, what, 45 days Evan?  To go 142 miles. 
Got stuck in Oakland CA.


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## Janderso (Oct 9, 2020)

benmychree said:


> All my junk from E Bay


You buying junk on Ebay John?


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## DavidR8 (Oct 9, 2020)

When I bought my TIG welder back in April the manager of my local UPS depot said they were 24,000 packages behind. 
Haven’t had any delays since then though. 


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## Norseman C.B. (Oct 9, 2020)

My last two orders from E-bay got delivered a couple days early ...........................


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## DavidR8 (Oct 9, 2020)

Janderso said:


> I sent Achipo a package UPS. It took, what, 45 days Evan? To go 142 miles.
> Got stuck in Oakland CA.



Jeepers a person could walk that far in less time!


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## Janderso (Oct 9, 2020)

DavidR8 said:


> Jeepers a person could walk that far in less time!


No kidding. The sad thing is we couldn't file a claim or talk to a real person.
Since the status online was-in transit, there was nothing we could do.
He needed his machinists level back to level his ne lathe. I ended up sending him my Starrett 12" via Fed EX. It made it on time.
Doesn't seem to matter though, Fed EX, USPS and UPS all share the same problems.
They can't find employees and they are overwhelmed due to increased residential orders.


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## Papa Charlie (Oct 9, 2020)

I have had a lot of problems with shipments. It seems to depend on the carrier.

Worst of them all FedEx Smart Post, Lost track of the time it takes to get something as it starts with FedEx and then transferred to USPS
Next FedEx Ground 3 weeks from Sacramento CA to Everett WA
Next USPS I have had packages that left the Midwest, went to Port a Rico and finally to me. 16 days
Nest UPS packages are taking twice as long than before


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## Janderso (Oct 9, 2020)

Puerto Rico?? That's the wrong zip code.


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## extropic (Oct 9, 2020)

I've had an eBay purchase (ordered from China August 1) stuck in Los Angeles since Sept. 1.
USPS says it's in US Customs and they (Customs) will send me a notice of some kind if they have the package for 45+ days.
Another week and I'm watching for the notice.

China Post tracking = Sep 1, 2020    ARRIVED AT INTERNATIONAL SERVICE CENTER ISC LOS ANGELES CA (USPS), 90009

eBay says they will honor the Guarantee for 30 days AFTER the package is delivered. I didn't yet ask how long I have to wait for delivery.


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## FOMOGO (Oct 9, 2020)

Certainly enough people out of work. Why aren't they hiring to ramp up delivery's? I guess we know why in the case of USPS, but the others should realize by now this is not a temporary situation. This is changing the way business is done permanently. Personally I've only had a few shipping issues. Mike


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## matthewsx (Oct 9, 2020)

I've had delays too. Seems like a perfect storm of tariffs, Covid mail order and USPS cutbacks. Think it's called the butterfly effect. 

john


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## Reddinr (Oct 9, 2020)

> Think it's called the butterfly effect



Maybe this year it is the pterodactyl effect.


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## Janderso (Oct 9, 2020)

Reddinr said:


> Maybe this year it is the pterodactyl effect.


That's that obnoxious bird right?


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## Ianagos (Oct 9, 2020)

Maybe I’ve been lucky but maybe one day delay on a few things but sometimes I get it early. Almost everything goes ups or usps. They are both 2-3days for me. Also have ordered stuff from China I got one box in 4 days I think via ups express from China and regular slow stuff is 2 weeks or so from China.

Usps is a gamble but typically the fastest but every now and then it will be a day late.

Ups is very consistent for me and ground is almost always 3 days. They are never early though they will hold the package till the next day rather than be early.


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## MrWhoopee (Oct 9, 2020)

First-class envelope took 16 days from Florida to California. Recent eBay order arrived USPS 10 days after promised delivery date. I've had FedEx deliver a package that was shipped USPS. Driver told me that USPS is off-loading deliveries to other carriers because of "trucks must leave on time" backlogs. One backup creates another.


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## Aaron_W (Oct 9, 2020)

Our dryer died in June, they are about 13 years old and the washer is also getting tired so time for new. I ordered a new Whirlpool washer and dryer on June 30, the washer showed up August 15, the dryer September 29. I was working 9/25 to 10/8 so now that I'm home I'm off to pick up the dryer tomorrow, fingers crossed there are no more glitches, tired of drying clothes laying all over the house.


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## Janderso (Oct 9, 2020)

Aaron_W said:


> Our dryer died in June, they are about 13 years old and the washer is also getting tired


I bought my wife a Maytag set washer and dryer in 1991. We were still using them when the fire destroyed them.
27 years and going strong. Raised two boys too.
Our new home came with maytag, these new machines don't hold a candle to the old stuff.


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## Nogoingback (Oct 9, 2020)

We had to replace our fridge this summer after the old one (30 years old!) died. Did a little online research and innocently
started looking for one to buy. No stock anywhere, and I got the same story from everyone: the Chinese factories closed for covid and thus everybody was back ordered.  I got lucky: a local place had a fridge left over when a commercial customer took one less than what they ordered.  Not the one we wanted, but the food stays cold all the same.  Only
had to eat out of the ice chests for a week.


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## Stonebriar (Oct 9, 2020)

I ordered some small metal stock from ebay. It came from like Wisconsin to Texas (here in this town). Sat at the local office for 3 days and then went to New Jersey for 2 days. Then it came back to Texas. Second day delivery only took 15 days.


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## Aaron_W (Oct 9, 2020)

Janderso said:


> I bought my wife a Maytag set washer and dryer in 1991. We were still using them when the fire destroyed them.
> 27 years and going strong. Raised two boys too.
> Our new home came with maytag, these new machines don't hold a candle to the old stuff.



When we got married and bought a house we got a Maytag washer and Kenmore dryer used for as I recall $100 from a guy who repaired old washers and resold them. This was in 2000 but it was essentially the same pair of machines my Grandmother bought my parents when I was born, so they were potentially 30+ years old. They were still going with only one minor repair done by us (belt for the dryer drum) when we sold that house in 2013. 

I like Maytag, but they are owned by Whirlpool now so hopefully they bought more than the name. The new ones have bluetooth, because you have to be able to monitor your laundry with your smartphone...   



Nogoingback said:


> We had to replace our fridge this summer after the old one (30 years old!) died. Did a little online research and innocently
> started looking for one to buy. No stock anywhere, and I got the same story from everyone: the Chinese factories closed for covid and thus everybody was back ordered.  I got lucky: a local place had a fridge left over when a commercial customer took one less than what they ordered.  Not the one we wanted, but the food stays cold all the same.  Only
> had to eat out of the ice chests for a week.



Whirlpool / Maytag are allegedly still made (most likely assembled) in the US, but parts are probably "Globally sourced" so come from a variety of places including China. I was told the stores are having a really hard time setting delivery dates because factories are constantly opening and then closing again when they have an outbreak which wreaks havoc on schedules.


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## middle.road (Oct 9, 2020)

Been good here and we've been ordering a lot online. From dogfood to shop items.
One Amazon order got hung up in New Jersey months back.
Haven't had anything come FedEX ground though. But then they sucked before Covid struck.
Amazon orders are coming through both on USPS and UPS on time.
eBay doing fined also.
Haven't had any delays with USPS at all - amazingly. 
Three orders from Nevada and they arrived within (3) days. End mills from Florida, two days.
Now we'll have to wait and see if they can handle ballots in the same manner.

Funny one, Honey ordered a $2 trinket from China, it arrived last week. She ordered it in Summer of 2018.
The package was beat all to h*ll. Must have got stuck in a conveyor somewhere, but she has it now...


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## addertooth (Oct 9, 2020)

Small nick-knack stuff still seems to still be available.  But if you want something more substantial from sellers/suppliers, then "hang on Nellie".
I have been on the market for a mill drill/bench mill.  About the time I make up my mind on a specific model, they are sold out, and they have months of delay before restock occurs. Or, I find one I like (which IS in stock), but they are out of the DRO and Pedestal.  I am looking for one of the larger ones (340 to 415 pounds), but the market and supply is very chaotic right now.  I have rolled through Plan "A" through Plan "G" at this point, and have started to actively dislike the process of trying to find something I actually like (and is in stock).  A purchase like this should not have all the joy sucked out of it. 

The used market in my area (Southern Arizona) is dreadful. If the mill is worth having, it is gone within hours (and I work during the day).  If it is of 
unknown condition, good luck even getting the seller to send a picture of the dovetails.  Heck, good luck with just getting them to answer a request to come look at it. 


Finding a lathe a while back was genuine fun.  It was easy.  
Selection came down to:
How much money do you have for the lathe and tools, what electrical power is available in your shop, how much space do you have, and what is the largest part you will machine. This narrowed it down to a few models (which were all in stock), a selection was made and money paid... it arrived days later.  The Lathe has been nothing but fun ever since.


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## vtcnc (Oct 9, 2020)

The weirdest one we had so far was LTL freight shipment from Laconia, NH to Burlington, VT. Three hour drive. Shipment was picked up, next day the status was delayed and rerouted. It was rerouted to Albany, NY. When we called and asked why, the reason given was, “COVID”. It showed up two days later.


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## pdentrem (Oct 9, 2020)

We have a 500k rolling mill sitting unused. Brand new but not commissioned by the vendor as they are not traveling due to isolation rules. In ordering service parts for our machinery, we are seeing back orders and slow deliverie in the last couple months and seem to getting worst.
Pierre


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## markba633csi (Oct 9, 2020)

Having good luck with AliExpress lately- strangely enough
-Mark


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## Janderso (Oct 9, 2020)

markba633csi said:


> Having good luck with AliExpress lately- strangely enough
> -Mark


Does aliexpress pick up from business addresses?
Im not familiar with the company.


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## markba633csi (Oct 9, 2020)

No no it's just a Chinese online marketplace, good for small inexpensive electronic goodies, tools, etc. Need metric stainless fittings, Arduino boards, memory chips, stepper drivers, ty-wraps, crimp lugs? that's the place if you can wait a bit
-M


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## addertooth (Oct 9, 2020)

Aliexpress is China's eBay.  The bad news is there is a bit of a problem with credit card fraud sometimes with their vendors.  It is safest to pick up a visa re-fill card and load enough money on it to make your purchase when dealing with some aliexpress vendors. 

Their prices are generally more attractive than eBay.. but all the stuff ships out of China, which can have a few days more transport time (in the past). 

I have had a lot shipped from across the USA, China and India lately.  Strangely, the postal service seems to get stuff handled from China faster than the opposite coast in the USA.  It smells VERY intentional on the part of the Postal Service.  But then, they are trying to convince the Government they need more money, and it is likely a game they are playing to convince the Government they are "overwhelmed" with all the Covid conditions. If this were strictly true, then shipments from other nations would be just as delayed as packages coming from elsewhere in the USA.  Someone appears to have their thumbs on the scale.


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## matthewsx (Oct 10, 2020)

This (shipping from China) actually has to do with the way international postal agreements are handled, it's completely unrelated to the congressional mandate for pensions being prepaid which has caused budget problems for the USPS. Any more than that and we're getting towards politics.


John


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## addertooth (Oct 10, 2020)

MatthewSX,
I would agree that it is all a LOT more complicated than how it appears on the surface. 
You are also correct to steer this away from any kind of political discussion.


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## vtcnc (Oct 10, 2020)

While it is possible that corruption can exist in any organization, I’m going to kindly remind every one here that the conversation needs to steer clear of politics. As a matter of fact checking here and to deter any further conspiracy theories I would also like to point out the simple fact that the Postal Service receives no taxpayer funding to operate, they are self funded by postal fees that you voluntarily give them when you use their services . COVID has greatly reduced that source of funding so it is a true statement that funding is causing problems, but untrue that the government is withholding funds. 

The government does fund the Postal Inspection Service, one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the country. Like all organizations there exists some level of incompetence and corruption to some degree or another. However, it is more likely that the culprit in delays are COVID related and how that adversely affects staffing, logistics and ultimately public perception. To think there is a puppet master behind the scenes fuels further division so let’s stick to the facts.


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