What's the best way to receive films faster than 1-2 months due to COVID-19? - Blu-ray Forum

e_d · 05-13-2020, 01:51 AM

As I'm sure many of you here are aware and experiencing, there has bee major disruptions in getting mail of our beloved films from Hong Kong and other countries. For example air mail is suspended and only surface mail is being used, which takes 1-2 months. I am even waiting on two packages shipped as air mail right before the suspensions took place and really have no idea when they will be coming!

I was wondering if there are still expedited ways to place orders and get them to arrive within 1-2 weeks from overseas? Are there any expedited methods even available out there still? Do any Hong Kong retailers or sites like Buyoyo or Dddhouse offer them? Looking to gather some information here on what is available, if anything is at all. Thank you.

According to The Hong Kong Post website at: https://www.hongkongpost.hk/en/about...ex_id_923.html only surface mail is available to my country from them.

apollo828 · 05-13-2020, 02:00 AM

DHL still works fine, although it's pricey. Whether or not you'll want to pay for it, assuming shops will even offer it, is up to you.

EDIT: It's pricey and I don't know if inter-Asia delivery works for all countries right now but you can get a Japanese address from Baggage Forward or Tenso, have stuff shipped there, and then have it all shipped to you via DHL. Neither the easiest route nor the cheapest, but if you really want something and just can't wait....

reason108 · 05-13-2020, 05:03 AM

Patience is a virtue! I’m as impatient as everyone else and I have a couple of titles coming from HK, so looks like I am waiting a month. I certainly don’t want to pay $60 or more for shipping on a $25 Blu-ray.

ninawatches · 05-13-2020, 05:42 PM

I splurged right before COVID shut everything down and even my packages that went out beforehand haven't been delivered yet. I'm in the US. Thanks to online shopping during quarantine, I'm waiting on a little over 50 dvds/blurays to come in now. I have zero patience so the waiting isn't going so well.

I placed an order from Buyoyo in early-mid March and I still haven't gotten anything, so we're looking at a longer wait than just a month.

For YesAsia I had a small, 3 movie $40 order and they upgraded my Standard Free Shipping to FedEx Express without charging me anything.

apollo828 · 05-13-2020, 08:44 PM

Yeah, I've definitely got a few items waiting too. Ideally, what people should do if possible, assuming they can't wait and they're using services that won't use couriers, is send a bunch to one address in Europe/Asia/wherever, bundle them up, and send them on from there. It's far from ideal but there's going to be a *huge* backlog once int'l mail gets processed again, with who knows how many being damaged from improper storage. So, pick your poison.

e_d · 05-14-2020, 01:24 AM

I did a little research. DDDHouse does not offer DHL, and FedEx they have suspended. They still offer Speedpost but only some countries are being offered this by HongKong Post at the moment.

Buyoyo does not offer DHL, their Courier option when checking out is FedEx. I'm waiting to hear back if that is still correct as I saw some FedEx Hong Kong shipments to certain countries are suspended depending on the service. I'm a little surprised they are not offering DHL, though I don't know how easy it is to ship as DHL over there. Can't say I've ever tried shipping through DHL myself so who knows how complex it may be to find a DHL post office.

YesAsia I will also have to look into. This backlog stinks! Does anyone know why exactly there is such a mail back log? Is it due to lack of workers at airports and post offices to handle packages? I can understand scaling back normal flights with passengers, but cargo flights has me puzzled.

slimdude · 05-14-2020, 01:51 AM

It doesn't matter which postal courier you use, all mail is going to be delayed including domestic and especially international shipments. Some countries are not allowing any mail to be transported in or out of their countries.

Aunt Peg · 05-14-2020, 03:10 AM

I had an order from DVDAsia which is located in Hong Kong and it took just a little over two weeks, which is what it normally does to Australia. I didn't pay extra for postage, just the usual snail mail option. I think it depends on how frequently the mail is going from one place to the other using that option.

apollo828 · 05-14-2020, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimdude

It doesn't matter which postal courier you use, all mail is going to be delayed including domestic and especially international shipments. Some countries are not allowing any mail to be transported in or out of their countries.

It really depends on the two countries involved. DHL is still a two-day affair from Japan to the States. Europe's about the same. I don't know, maybe I'm lucky, but DHL is definitely the way to go if you can handle the extra cost.

Aunt Peg · 05-14-2020, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Futurhythm

I've never heard of them. What's their site? Always looking for new retailers.

Sorry I made a mistake with the name. It was YesAsia which I imagine most people familiar with.

For anyone not familiar with them I can highly recommend them. I've been buying from them since 2007 and have never had a problem. Everything I've purchased has arrived within 3 weeks. Their site isn't the most user friendly for finding items though - best to do a director searcher.

https://www.yesasia.com/global/en/home.html

slimdude · 05-14-2020, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apollo828

It really depends on the two countries involved. DHL is still a two-day affair from Japan to the States. Europe's about the same. I don't know, maybe I'm lucky, but DHL is definitely the way to go if you can handle the extra cost.

Its only luck because, most retailers ( B&M and online) does't ship DHL, they ship USPS, UPS or Fed-Ex. Small packages it's usually USPS and large boxes are shipped either UPS or Fed-Ex. It's very rare that retailers use DHL. Even Amazon who're the largest online merchants in the world doesn't use DHL.

ninawatches · 05-14-2020, 12:05 PM

I placed an order from Panorama HK for the first time and it took 6 days. I ordered on the 6th and got my package on the 13th! They shipped using SF Express and there was only one shipping option to America when I checked out. It cost $30 - $40 but the fast delivery and cheap prices of the movies ($115 total for 9 movies + shipping) were totally worth it. I definitely recommend buying from them!

I rarely buy from YesAsia anymore unless I'm using their 'Popcorn Night' deal or buying Taiwanese dvds. Their prices are just too expensive compared to other sites.

Gorgon · 05-14-2020, 05:05 PM

Odd timing but just today I received an email from Nova saying that K-Pack delivery is on hold (i.e. to Canada) and would I like to upgrade to EMS?
I'm a pretty patient lad so I'll wait, as the shipping cost would double and I've heard a few bad stories about EMS as of late anyway.

Surge92 · 05-14-2020, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slimdude

Even Amazon who're the largest online merchants in the world doesn't use DHL.

I actually just had a package from Amazon delivered by DHL.

kevers7290 · 05-14-2020, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gorgon

Odd timing but just today I received an email from Nova saying that K-Pack delivery is on hold (i.e. to Canada) and would I like to upgrade to EMS?
I'm a pretty patient lad so I'll wait, as the shipping cost would double and I've heard a few bad stories about EMS as of late anyway.

Shoot! I was about to place an order through Nova...

Do you know if this applies to the United States as well? I can order from eBay as an alternative, but was trying to save a few extra bills by ordering through Nova.

e_d · 05-15-2020, 02:09 AM

I'm no expert in the matter but I have a feeling if Nova can't ship it one way, a Korean eBay seller won't be able to, either. (unless it's someone in the US selling second hand that you are looking at)

HaroldnMaude · 05-15-2020, 04:58 AM

I just got a blu-ray from Amazon.jp in a week to Canada via DHL. When I was on the Amazon.jp site I had to click on shop in English through global shipping, or something like that. It was worth any extra cost just to have it my hands today. I have packages from the US that I am still waiting 6 - 8 weeks later to arrive.

HaroldnMaude · 05-15-2020, 10:14 PM

I got another blu-ray in the mail today from Japan thru a 3rd party seller on Amazon.co.jp It was sent May 8 via EMS, it says postage was 2000 yen & google currency converter says that's about $26 Canadian. I wanted to replace my dvd of the Ben Stiller David O Russel film "Flirting With Disaster." Even the Japanese blu-ray is OOP. Also this was a Miramax film produced by Weinstein so chances of it ever getting a North American edition are probably zero. I bought from seller Big Monster who seems to have more for sale.

ninawatches · 05-19-2020, 12:26 AM

I think YesAsia just increased the price to qualify for free shipping. It was around $45 - $50 (I can't remember specifics) when I placed an order last week, but I was browsing today and now you need to order $75 worth of items to get free shipping.

apollo828 · 05-19-2020, 02:26 AM

Hello. Just to reiterate, companies like Baggage Forward are still functioning. However, options are pricey and limited. I got a great deal on a Blu-Ray that's out of print. However, they're only shipping to the US via DHL right now. With credit card fees, it's ~2850 Yen, which I believe covers up to 1 kg, or something like 9-10 Blus. (How Amazon can use DHL for a much lower price is beyond me.) I think BF will sit on packages for up to four months now, which I would recommend. I'm okay with what I did but I'll just wait next time until it has to be shipped (and throw in more items to minimize per-item shipping costs), and hope that cheaper options become available again at some point.

05-13-2020, 01:51 AM	#1
e_d Special Member Top contributor Member since:Apr 2017 Location:Online	What's the best way to receive films faster than 1-2 months due to COVID-19? As I'm sure many of you here are aware and experiencing, there has bee major disruptions in getting mail of our beloved films from Hong Kong and other countries. For example air mail is suspended and only surface mail is being used, which takes 1-2 months. I am even waiting on two packages shipped as air mail right before the suspensions took place and really have no idea when they will be coming! I was wondering if there are still expedited ways to place orders and get them to arrive within 1-2 weeks from overseas? Are there any expedited methods even available out there still? Do any Hong Kong retailers or sites like Buyoyo or Dddhouse offer them? Looking to gather some information here on what is available, if anything is at all. Thank you. According to The Hong Kong Post website at: https://www.hongkongpost.hk/en/about...ex_id_923.html only surface mail is available to my country from them.

05-13-2020, 02:00 AM	#2
apollo828 Power Member Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Blu-ray reviews:1	DHL still works fine, although it's pricey. Whether or not you'll want to pay for it, assuming shops will even offer it, is up to you. EDIT: It's pricey and I don't know if inter-Asia delivery works for all countries right now but you can get a Japanese address from Baggage Forward or Tenso, have stuff shipped there, and then have it all shipped to you via DHL. Neither the easiest route nor the cheapest, but if you really want something and just can't wait.... Last edited by apollo828; 05-13-2020 at 02:30 AM.

05-13-2020, 05:42 PM	#4
ninawatches Active Member Top contributor Member since:May 2017 Location:Texas 4K collection:76 Blu-ray collection:379 DVD collection:256 Trading Score:1	I splurged right before COVID shut everything down and even my packages that went out beforehand haven't been delivered yet. I'm in the US. Thanks to online shopping during quarantine, I'm waiting on a little over 50 dvds/blurays to come in now. I have zero patience so the waiting isn't going so well. I placed an order from Buyoyo in early-mid March and I still haven't gotten anything, so we're looking at a longer wait than just a month. For YesAsia I had a small, 3 movie $40 order and they upgraded my Standard Free Shipping to FedEx Express without charging me anything. Last edited by ninawatches; 05-13-2020 at 07:56 PM.

05-13-2020, 05:03 AM	#3
reason108 Blu-ray Samurai Top contributor Member since:Mar 2013 Blu-ray collection:- Blu-ray reviews: 8	Patience is a virtue! I’m as impatient as everyone else and I have a couple of titles coming from HK, so looks like I am waiting a month. I certainly don’t want to pay $60 or more for shipping on a $25 Blu-ray.

05-13-2020, 08:44 PM	#5
apollo828 Power Member Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Blu-ray reviews:1	Yeah, I've definitely got a few items waiting too. Ideally, what people should do if possible, assuming they can't wait and they're using services that won't use couriers, is send a bunch to one address in Europe/Asia/wherever, bundle them up, and send them on from there. It's far from ideal but there's going to be a huge backlog once int'l mail gets processed again, with who knows how many being damaged from improper storage. So, pick your poison.

05-14-2020, 01:24 AM	#6
e_d Special Member Top contributor Member since:Apr 2017 Location:Online	I did a little research. DDDHouse does not offer DHL, and FedEx they have suspended. They still offer Speedpost but only some countries are being offered this by HongKong Post at the moment. Buyoyo does not offer DHL, their Courier option when checking out is FedEx. I'm waiting to hear back if that is still correct as I saw some FedEx Hong Kong shipments to certain countries are suspended depending on the service. I'm a little surprised they are not offering DHL, though I don't know how easy it is to ship as DHL over there. Can't say I've ever tried shipping through DHL myself so who knows how complex it may be to find a DHL post office. YesAsia I will also have to look into. This backlog stinks! Does anyone know why exactly there is such a mail back log? Is it due to lack of workers at airports and post offices to handle packages? I can understand scaling back normal flights with passengers, but cargo flights has me puzzled.

05-14-2020, 01:51 AM	#7
slimdude Banned Member since:Apr 2009 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:- Blu-ray reviews:8	It doesn't matter which postal courier you use, all mail is going to be delayed including domestic and especially international shipments. Some countries are not allowing any mail to be transported in or out of their countries.

05-14-2020, 03:10 AM	#8
Aunt Peg Blu-ray Duke Member since:May 2013 Location:Sydney 4K collection:164 Blu-ray collection:4854 DVD collection:517	I had an order from DVDAsia which is located in Hong Kong and it took just a little over two weeks, which is what it normally does to Australia. I didn't pay extra for postage, just the usual snail mail option. I think it depends on how frequently the mail is going from one place to the other using that option.

05-14-2020, 12:05 PM	#12
ninawatches Active Member Top contributor Member since:May 2017 Location:Texas 4K collection:76 Blu-ray collection:379 DVD collection:256 Trading Score:1	I placed an order from Panorama HK for the first time and it took 6 days. I ordered on the 6th and got my package on the 13th! They shipped using SF Express and there was only one shipping option to America when I checked out. It cost $30 - $40 but the fast delivery and cheap prices of the movies ($115 total for 9 movies + shipping) were totally worth it. I definitely recommend buying from them! I rarely buy from YesAsia anymore unless I'm using their 'Popcorn Night' deal or buying Taiwanese dvds. Their prices are just too expensive compared to other sites.

05-14-2020, 05:05 PM	#13
Gorgon Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jun 2015 Location:Great White North Trading Score:32	Odd timing but just today I received an email from Nova saying that K-Pack delivery is on hold (i.e. to Canada) and would I like to upgrade to EMS? I'm a pretty patient lad so I'll wait, as the shipping cost would double and I've heard a few bad stories about EMS as of late anyway.

05-15-2020, 02:09 AM	#16
e_d Special Member Top contributor Member since:Apr 2017 Location:Online	I'm no expert in the matter but I have a feeling if Nova can't ship it one way, a Korean eBay seller won't be able to, either. (unless it's someone in the US selling second hand that you are looking at)

05-15-2020, 04:58 AM	#17
HaroldnMaude Expert Member Top contributor Member since:Aug 2017 Location:Vancouver Home Theater Gallery:3 Blu-ray collection:- Blu-ray reviews: 13	I just got a blu-ray from Amazon.jp in a week to Canada via DHL. When I was on the Amazon.jp site I had to click on shop in English through global shipping, or something like that. It was worth any extra cost just to have it my hands today. I have packages from the US that I am still waiting 6 - 8 weeks later to arrive.

05-15-2020, 10:14 PM	#18
HaroldnMaude Expert Member Top contributor Member since:Aug 2017 Location:Vancouver Home Theater Gallery:3 Blu-ray collection:- Blu-ray reviews: 13	I got another blu-ray in the mail today from Japan thru a 3rd party seller on Amazon.co.jp It was sent May 8 via EMS, it says postage was 2000 yen & google currency converter says that's about $26 Canadian. I wanted to replace my dvd of the Ben Stiller David O Russel film "Flirting With Disaster." Even the Japanese blu-ray is OOP. Also this was a Miramax film produced by Weinstein so chances of it ever getting a North American edition are probably zero. I bought from seller Big Monster who seems to have more for sale.

05-19-2020, 12:26 AM	#19
ninawatches Active Member Top contributor Member since:May 2017 Location:Texas 4K collection:76 Blu-ray collection:379 DVD collection:256 Trading Score:1	I think YesAsia just increased the price to qualify for free shipping. It was around $45 - $50 (I can't remember specifics) when I placed an order last week, but I was browsing today and now you need to order $75 worth of items to get free shipping.

05-19-2020, 02:26 AM	#20
apollo828 Power Member Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Blu-ray reviews:1	Hello. Just to reiterate, companies like Baggage Forward are still functioning. However, options are pricey and limited. I got a great deal on a Blu-Ray that's out of print. However, they're only shipping to the US via DHL right now. With credit card fees, it's ~2850 Yen, which I believe covers up to 1 kg, or something like 9-10 Blus. (How Amazon can use DHL for a much lower price is beyond me.) I think BF will sit on packages for up to four months now, which I would recommend. I'm okay with what I did but I'll just wait next time until it has to be shipped (and throw in more items to minimize per-item shipping costs), and hope that cheaper options become available again at some point.

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