WARNING: Tower is using Fedex Smartpost now

[Rekreant]

For the first time in a lot of orders from Tower Im noticing a change with the hobbico takeover. They have used UPS every other order Ive made and it has arrived in a timely manner. Now they are using Fedex Smartpost, which has NO delivery guarantee and can take 7+ days. Its been 7 days since my order and the tracking hasnt updated in 4 days, and says itll be here on friday.

So if you were going to use Tower you might want to adjust the shipping options if you care about getting your stuff in a timely manner.

[hpiguy]

I realize we've all been spoiled by Amazon, but I can remember the days when you placed a money order into an envelope and mailed it off in the hopes that if you were lucky you'd have your stuff in six to eight weeks.

[FordSpeed]

It's been a long time since I put a check in an envelope to order something haha

I ordered a few parts from Tower on Thursday. I have tracking numbers, but according to FedEx, they still don't exist yet. Tower used to be my primary place to order from, but lately i find myself gravitating more towards Amain and RPP. Solid service from both of them.

[2mtech]

Originally Posted by hpiguy

I realize we've all been spoiled by Amazon, but I can remember the days when you placed a money order into an envelope and mailed it off in the hopes that if you were lucky you'd have your stuff in six to eight weeks.

I remember those days too, and have no desire to relive them at all! Yes, I'm spoiled, I admit it...I want it NOW!!

I notice my "personal Tower Hobbies rep" has already resigned and passed me off to someone else too...I was devastated and felt abandoned.

[STANG KILLA SS]

they have free shipping too. or at least it was Sunday.

[JatoTheRipper]

Thanks for the heads up. I got a notification that it's time to renew my Super Saver Club membership. Every week there seems to be a new reason not to renew.

FedEx sucks and they are the dog shit of the shipping world in my experience.

[sherbs]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

Thanks for the heads up. I got a notification that it's time to renew my Super Saver Club membership. Every week there seems to be a new reason not to renew.

FedEx sucks and they are the dog shit of the shipping world in my experience.

You are correct, they are the garbage can of shippers. Point, I ordered a item from Horizon and a RC4WD item on the same day. The item from RC4WD came DHL from Hong Kong and arrived a day sooner than Fed Ex from Illinois.

[Jim85IROC]

Being all the way in Vermont, I generally try to avoid buying from anywhere on the left coast whenever possible. It's not uncommon for it to take 10+ days now that some of these 2nd rate shipping options are utilized.

Unless the price is too good to pass up, or it's something special, I tend to buy from east coast vendors, either via Ebay or directly from the seller's website. There are a couple out of New Jersey that get stuff to me very quickly, and a couple out of the Boston/Nashua NH area that can get the stuff to me the next day.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Jim85IROC

Being all the way in Vermont, I generally try to avoid buying from anywhere on the left coast whenever possible. It's not uncommon for it to take 10+ days now that some of these 2nd rate shipping options are utilized.

Unless the price is too good to pass up, or it's something special, I tend to buy from east coast vendors, either via Ebay or directly from the seller's website. There are a couple out of New Jersey that get stuff to me very quickly, and a couple out of the Boston/Nashua NH area that can get the stuff to me the next day.

Same here. I've moved to local eBay sellers for most parts because I can get things delivered to my house in 1 to 3 days without paying Amazon Prime fees.

[Jim85IROC]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

Same here. I've moved to local eBay sellers for most parts because I can get things delivered to my house in 1 to 3 days without paying Amazon Prime fees.

About the only thing I still use Amazon for is CDs (yes, I'm a dinosaur). Even with my mother in law's Prime account that I don't pay for, it still generally costs more than other places, and can still take 3+ days to get to me.

[skinnyj]

Originally Posted by Rekreant

For the first time in a lot of orders from Tower Im noticing a change with the hobbico takeover. They have used UPS every other order Ive made and it has arrived in a timely manner. Now they are using Fedex Smartpost, which has NO delivery guarantee and can take 7+ days. Its been 7 days since my order and the tracking hasnt updated in 4 days, and says itll be here on friday.

So if you were going to use Tower you might want to adjust the shipping options if you care about getting your stuff in a timely manner.

I don't know what the ship point and your destination are, but if it is going cross-country, sometimes it gets put in a trailer that gets put on a train. You won't see an update until the trailer gets to the rail hub and then to the facility where it gets unloaded. I used to get freaked out when I would send stuff from NH to the west coast and not see an update after Worcester, MA for a few days.

[BUBBA069]

When Newegg switched from UPS to FedEx I was pissed. A single order can come on 3 different FedEx trucks on the same day, and the drop times are random AF. My UPS guy I can set my dam watch by his route.

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by skinnyj

I don't know what the ship point and your destination are, but if it is going cross-country, sometimes it gets put in a trailer that gets put on a train. You won't see an update until the trailer gets to the rail hub and then to the facility where it gets unloaded. I used to get freaked out when I would send stuff from NH to the west coast and not see an update after Worcester, MA for a few days.

In the past I would receive USPS packages before the tracking was updated. It was odd. I'd have the product in my hand and the tracking would still say in transit to destination. Later that night or sometimes as late as the next day the track would show "Delivered". That doesn't happen anymore so I'm not sure what has changed. I know there was some shuffling of depots.

[Rekreant]

Yeah the shipping from Tower is free, but there also isnt any option to change it. RPP, Amain, Amazon, and even most Ebay sellers can get an item to you in 3 business days. The only reason I use Tower is I have the super saver club membership, and the easypay is nice. Sure I could use my credit card, but that has interest, albeit a small amount over the span of 3 months.

[Rekreant]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

In the past I would receive USPS packages before the tracking was updated. It was odd. I'd have the product in my hand and the tracking would still say in transit to destination. Later that night or sometimes as late as the next day the track would show "Delivered". That doesn't happen anymore so I'm not sure what has changed. I know there was some shuffling of depots.

I used to notice this too. I think they changed their internal policies on how to handle packages and implemented the handheld cell phone connected scanners . Before it felt like they would just clear out everything they delivered at the end of the day, now they scan it immediately when they drop it off. I can get the notification that its delivered and be outside getting it before they are at the next mailbox. VERY important when people steal out of mailboxes and off porches all the time. We had an Apple Watch(350$!) stolen off the porch just a couple weeks ago. Thankfully we got it on amazon and we got our money back.

[Rekreant]

Originally Posted by skinnyj

I don't know what the ship point and your destination are, but if it is going cross-country, sometimes it gets put in a trailer that gets put on a train. You won't see an update until the trailer gets to the rail hub and then to the facility where it gets unloaded. I used to get freaked out when I would send stuff from NH to the west coast and not see an update after Worcester, MA for a few days.

Im in Iowa and Tower is in Illinois. Its about a 10 hr drive. last place it was scanned was Olathe on friday. Thats 4 hrs away so that means its taken 4 days to travel 4 hrs............

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Rekreant

I used to notice this too. I think they changed their internal policies on how to handle packages and implemented the handheld cell phone connected scanners . Before it felt like they would just clear out everything they delivered at the end of the day, now they scan it immediately when they drop it off. I can get the notification that its delivered and be outside getting it before they are at the next mailbox. VERY important when people steal out of mailboxes and off porches all the time. We had an Apple Watch(350$!) stolen off the porch just a couple weeks ago. Thankfully we got it on amazon and we got our money back.

Invest in a $60 WiFi security camera and have it watch your packages. That's what I do. Unless, of course, the carrier is a lazy **** that leaves packages in the driveway instead of putting them on the porch. I can't see out there...yet.

[Rekreant]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

Invest in a $60 WiFi security camera and have it watch your packages. That's what I do. Unless, of course, the carrier is a lazy **** that leaves packages in the driveway instead of putting them on the porch. I can't see out there...yet.

Ironically we were thinking of doing something like that for monitoring if our kids were sneaking out at night but we decided to wait a bit. Now we are much more motivated to find a good system with about 4 cameras to cover that and all the outside areas.

[Rekreant]

Originally Posted by JatoTheRipper

Same here. I've moved to local eBay sellers for most parts because I can get things delivered to my house in 1 to 3 days without paying Amazon Prime fees.

We are the exact people prime is designed for. We get close to 30 things a month off the site, and if we had to pay shipping on all that stuff, let alone 2 day shipping it would cost a fortune!

[JatoTheRipper]

Originally Posted by Rekreant

We are the exact people prime is designed for. We get close to 30 things a month off the site, and if we had to pay shipping on all that stuff, let alone 2 day shipping it would cost a fortune!

I order a similar amount myself and it's rare when I can find things on Amazon at considerably lower costs than eBay including shipping. eBay gives free or reduced shipping costs, depending on the seller, whereas Amazon charges higher shipping prices especially when you order under a certain amount or order items not covered under their free shipping which seems to happen way too often for my liking. Plus, their 2 day Prime guarantee really isn't in certain circumstances. I know 3 days was more the norm during my 30 day Prime trial membership. That's when I learned their guarantee comes with stipulations.

I might join Prime if eBay starts to fail me or when shipping price increases make it worthwhile. But as of now, been there, done that, had the free membership.