Shipping Times

[Termite]

Monday 16 Aug. Noon. Just rang Carbatec Brisbane about an order I made last Wednesday, the answer I got was it was not shipped yet because they are running about 7 days behind. I placed an order with Timbecon last Thursday and it arrived on Friday morning, bear in mind that I'm on the Central Coast of NSW.
So who needs to get their act together? :mad:
regards
Termite

[silentC]

I ordered some stuff from Lee Valley in Canada the Tuesday before last and it arrived last Wednesday. Admittedly this has more to do with the delivery pipeline than Lee Valley themselves, but within 12 hours of submitting the order here, they had sent me an email advising it had been dispatched.

Just by way of comparison.

[Rocker]

Darren,

It looks as though you will now have to pull your finger out and finish that morticing jig then :D

Rocker

[silentC]

Oh no, there's plenty of other things I need first. Have to get some all-thread and a wing nut, not to mention a sheet of MDF. That could take me weeks. I could drag it out for another year if I really tried ;)

Besides, if I do pull my finger out and make it, I'll have no excuse to put off making doors for the cabinets in the bathroom; and then there's new linen press in the flat, the other bathroom, the kitchen. Where would it all end? :eek:

[outback]

Order placed with Lee Valley Friday arvo (Aus time).

Order placed with Carbatec Sydney Monday morning.

Lee Valley order arrived Tuesday morning ( 11 Days including two weekends).

Carbatec order arrived Thursday (10 Days, with one weekend).

I don't get it.

[John Saxton]

I guess we all gotta hope that someone from Carba-Tec views these forums...but don't hold your breath :(

I also placed an order with Lee Valley ...6 days airmail excellent service and a thumbs-up to them. :cool:

It appears that because Carba-Tec relies on the importation of their stock they're behind the 8 ball on supply to customers.

At the recent Perth wood show I made enquiries about some Japanese chisels I was interested only to be informed that on ordering from the catalogue it would take a week to access them overseas then more time to forward them on to me.I consequently made my way down to the MIK stand where I was attended to and took them home that day.
Cheers :)

[ernknot]

But Carbatec have nice brochures!!
ernknot

[TassieKiwi]

I've ordered their brochures TWICE and still no joy.http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/images/icons/icon8.gif

[ernknot]

I'm talking about the ones I got in 2002, also ordered a new lot........................patience is a virtue.
ernknot

[SteveI]

I had good results with Timbecon too. Two days after order, received items. They missed one item, but supplied that within two days.

Better than most

[Termite]

I've been saving this one till last. At Carbatec Sydney on the 5th JUNE my brother in law and I paid for two vernier height gauges that were not in stock but we were assured that they would be sent down from Brisbane within a week. They still havent turnrd up and no one can tell me when they will in fact if they ever will turn up.
Kind regards
Termite

ps: if anyone doubts this statement Ive got the receipt to prove it.

[Slavo]

I ordered a CMT router bit set that was on special at carbatec only to be informed that they are on back order and will have to wait until mid Oct. Just as well i didn't need them urgently

[Des.K.]

Placed an order with Lee Valley late Wednesday last week, they were sent the following day, and arrived here today at lunchtime, all safe and intact - less than a week. I've been drooling over the included catalog, and with their efficiency in handling orders, I can see Lee Valley is going to take a lot more of my hard earned.

Regards
Des

[outback]

New catalogue yet, or still the old one? I'm waiting in anticipation of a new toy book.

[Termite]

Last wednesdays order still hasnt arrived.

For CMT router bits check out www.woodpeck.com
Kind regards
Termite

[ernknot]

I get worried when companies take your money and don't deliver especially in a number of cases. Cash flow problems???????
ernknot.

[PAH1]

Ordered from timbecon friday before last, all items in stock. Has not yet arrived, 11 days. Rang for the second time today, to be told that all details other than my credit card ones had been lost on the system. Man said he would immediately grab the items himself and send them today.

[Des.K.]

New catalogue yet, or still the old one? I'm waiting in anticipation of a new toy book.

Old one (2003/04). New one (2005) due in Sep.

Des

[Rocker]

PAH1,

I don't know if you attempted to order from Timbecon's online ordering system. I have found that it is riddled with bugs and totally untrustworthy. I would suggest that anyone ordering from them does so by phone rather than via their online system.

Rocker

[outback]

Thanks Des, I was just hoping, you know. I can't wait for the new one. I just have a yearning to add to the National deficit. :D

[Termite]

The order that I was talking about at the start just arrived. With the same courier came an order I phoned to Timbecon at 11 AM EST yesterday.

To Central Coast NSW from:
Carbatec Brisbane:- 9days
Timbecon Perth:- 22 Hours
Lee Valley Canada:- 7 Days

Kind regards
Termite

[bitingmidge]

Not overseas, but I think not bad service:

Boatcraft Pacific Loganholme (Southern outskirts of Brisbane) Order placed 3.50pm Wednesday.

Arrived 7.10am Thursday, Mountain Creek (Sunshine Coast).

I couldn't have got it home quicker if I'd brought it home myself!

Cheers,

P :D

[PAH1]

Ordered from timbecon friday before last, all items in stock. Has not yet arrived, 11 days. Rang for the second time today, to be told that all details other than my credit card ones had been lost on the system. Man said he would immediately grab the items himself and send them today.

Original order was by phone, was rung again same day to be told that one item was out of stock and this was holding up the order. A substitute was found but it will be in excess of two weeks after the original order before it arrives. This leaves one rather cold on their service, why was the order not filled when everything was actually in stock and why was I not rung to be told rather than all of the order being wiped off the system.

[ernknot]

PAH1
Because you are a victim, not a customer.
ernknot

[rocabig]

Ordered a porta cable router from carbatec Bris in store , payed for it in full, was told item not in stock would arive in store within 2 days. Seven days later phoned up and was told it had arived but was in customs getting fumigated phone back in 2 days. 2 days later phoned up and was told the router did not come in that container phone back in 1 week. Phoned back 1 week later and was told not in yet but they will phone me back when they find out when it is due in. phoned up 1.5 weeks later and was told they dont know when they are due in and they haven't been in contact with the manufactures. Started to get a bit anoyed by their attitude so off to the store I go. get down there and get another story why the router is not in yet, told them it's not good enough show me what you have in stock and I will take that now. ended up with a U.K. made router and half my money back. Now considering my buisness drops about 5 to 10 thou in there each year you would think service would be on their mind.

[PAH1]

As a follow up to my earlier posts.

The bits arrived after 14 days exactly. So imagine my surrprise when my wife rings me this morning to say that a timbecon parcel arrived and was I expecting more items. The router bit that was "out of stock" and needed a substitute arrived this morning, 21 days after the initial order complete as ordered. Needless to say they have deducted the CC twice.

[Iain]

June..want a CT10s saw from carba tec, will be in in about a week or so. Call in every week, should be in the next container.
Friday 2 9 04, drop into Hare and Forbes and pick one up.
About a month ago ordered a jig from Rockler USA, out of stock, in stock in 4 days. 4 days expire, receive email, goods in stock and despatch number. 5 days later, little card in the mail box asking me to pick up said parcel from post office.
No gripes with Rockler.
Carbatec have some interesting items in the magazines but when you go in, it's either out of stock or on the way :mad:

[cliff cook]

Pat on the back for our own U-BEAUT
ordered tuesday arvo (wst)
recieved friday 6am(wst)
Vic to WA not to shabby.

[Neil]

Believe me Cookie it aint always easy to get em out that quick. I will admit to having people wait for a couple of weeks or more for stuff. Not something I'm particularly proud of but a fact of life. Things don't always run the way they should, we are often out of stock on certain products because of large orders, etc, but more often than not it is because suppliers can't come up with the raw products or packaging materials, etc needed to produce the goods.

It has become almost impossible to get reliable supplies of anything over the last few years, mainly because most suppliers are now doing just in time ordering, instead of keeping a reasonable supply of stock on hand. :mad:

There is a massive price rise coming of up to 40% on most plastic containers in the next few weeks. You would think that suppliers would have stocked up to hedge against this but no. I have been trying to buy up what I can for the last month (to keep our prices down) and am currently waiting on back orders of 4 different containers. Why? Not because the manufacturers have been inundated with orders and run out, or because they have stopped production or their factory has burned down. NO! Because the distributor had 1 carton left on the shelf and wouldn't order more till it was sold. It takes 6 weeks from time of order till time of delivery. I want 5,000 of each an all they had was 150.

Oh yeah and when the price of the oil drops again and it will, I'll bet they don't drop the price of the containers to suit. :mad:

OK rant mode off again.

Cheers - Neil :D

PS price of shellac will be 30% dearer when the new shipments hit Australia some time in the next month or so. WARNING - be prepared for everything to go up dramaically in price over the next few months unless something drastic happens. :eek:

[ernknot]

I hope the people who stock dunny paper don't wait for the last roll to be sold before re-ordering!
What Neil says is absolutley true. Businesses these days do not carry much stock at all. Volumes are all tied to turn over / demand. Cash flow is the big issue and today accountans run the business chased by bankers, mostly. Factories don't want to over produce for obvious reasons so we need to be patient and order our stuff with the knowledge that it will take time. This is no good when you are half way through a project and you tolerance is short. May be the online cattle dogs from suppliers could add a line to sya what the stock situation really is and let the potential buyer decide if he wants to wait. I can understand the poit of view from the supplier that if you order and do not get the part in the expected time, he has your sale in the bag anyway. He does not want you to go and look elswhere. Either way we are not going to have it our way all the time.
ernknot

[vsquizz]

I'm not against customers keeping their suppliers on there toes. If you don't give em feedback then they wont know how to pick their game up. However, I am increasingly appalled at the way manufacturers fail to support their agents.

I was recently involved with a breakdown where the customer just expected that a $20,000.00 crankshaft would just be sitting on the shelf at the WA distributor. he was a bit, shall we say, unamused when he found out it was six weeks away, coming from Europe. When the ruckuss died down and we pinched a crank out of another donk I asked the WA agent what support he got from the factory for holding such a piece of kit on the shelf...about five eights of automatic editing was his reply.

The crank had a stock history of 1 every three years other than those ordered for routine re-builds. So do you stick it to the small guy who is holding the baby or is it the manufacturer's deal??. Not sure on that one.

Supply lines are dictated by financial policy. Some companies have worked good supply routes in reasonable time frames without leaning on people's credit but others don't seem to want to improve. My choices about WW machinery these days are more dictated by the service and support and less about the brand.

If a supplier doesn't have the basic consumables on hand, he's likely to end up being a loser. If your local Ford/Holden/whatever dealer doesn't have a clutch for a late model motor vehicle in stock or 24 hrs away he's a loser but he may be getting screwed by the factory, who expects him to have one but gives him no support to do so. Bain of small business is having a zillion tied up in stock that don't move.

Its a balancing act. I do me nut if the local hardware doesn't have 1200 grit W&D:D . When I really get the crankies on is when I order something and they don't bother to ring and tell you straight up that things have gone pear shaped.


Cheers

[outback]

My choices about WW machinery these days are more dictated by the service and support and less about the brand.
I place a large amount of emphasis on service and support for nearly everything nowadays.