Amazon.ca international shipping - how long?

[dannyjl]

I placed my first order with amazon.ca on May 6th and am still waiting for the disks to arrive in Japan. I've been ordering from the U.S. amazon site for years and it takes about 2 weeks, quite often less, for disks to arrive. The company always over estimates the shipping time by weeks so I ignore that estimate. However, I was a little shocked when my Canadian order showed up with a 6 week estimate. I shrugged that off and went ahead with the order.
Going on 4 weeks now and wondering what other shoppers experience has been with disks sent outside of North America. Care to share?
Danny

[Johnny Vinyl]

Recently I ordered some vinyl from amazon UK to be shipped to me in Canada. Email was sent on the 18th saying it had been dispatched. They estimated delivery around the 28th, but nothing so far. It doesn't actually bother me, but hopefully it'll arrive sometime this week. Did you receive a dispatch notice email from amazon.ca?

John

[dannyjl]

Yeah, got the mail saying it was shipped 5/6/09 - like 4 weeks ago. Went to my account page but no orders at all are listed. This was my 1st time with ama.ca so don't know what to expect. I've gotten stuff from ama.uk faster to Japan than from the ama.com. Why the heck should Canada be so out of whack?

[sschen]

Originally Posted by dannyjl

Yeah, got the mail saying it was shipped 5/6/09 - like 4 weeks ago. Went to my account page but no orders at all are listed. This was my 1st time with ama.ca so don't know what to expect. I've gotten stuff from ama.uk faster to Japan than from the ama.com. Why the heck should Canada be so out of whack?

If you chose standard shipping, I have very bad news for you, that really is the equivalent of surface/seamail. Amazon.ca quotes 8 to 12 weeks for delivery. I have used this method of shipping twice in the past to Australia, and let me tell you this, I won't be doing it a third time unless it really is a title that I want for my collection rather than one I want to watch immediately. This method of shipping is notoriously slow. Both packages took 10 weeks or more to get to me. I am not exaggerating when I say ou can travel around the world faster than that.

What annoys more is that the postal rate for their standard shipping is hardly considered cheap either.

[jpthomas27]

Originally Posted by sschen

What annoys more is that the postal rate for their standard shipping is hardly considered cheap either.

If it was cheap at least there would be some relavence to the topic of this forum.

[sschen]

Originally Posted by jpthomas27

If it was cheap at least there would be some relavence to the topic of this forum.

Amazon.ca standard international shipping costs is about the same as the other international amazon sites. Amazon UK takes a week max to deliver using their standard shipping. I normally received titles from Amazon US, Germany and France within two weeks. So for the same international charge, why is bl**dy amazon.ca taking 8-12 weeks to deliver? Surely being a global conglomerate, they would have negotiated very good pricing with their local couriers/postal services. The wait with their "standard" international shipping is worse than appalling. They shouldn't even call it "standard", they should call it "slower than snail" shipping.

[jw]

every order I have placed with them is delivered the next day after it ships. DHL international Express. Faster than Amazon.com

[sschen]

Originally Posted by jwbbud

every order I have placed with them is delivered the next day after it ships. DHL international Express. Faster than Amazon.com

But you are using their priority or express shipping though? Furthermore, you are right adjacent to Canada in US whereas dannyjl is thousand of miles away in Japan, as am I.

This is not the first time I have seen people complained about slow delivery times of their standard shipping.

Here is some extracts about comments on their standard international shipping off an Australian forum:

I bought the HD DVD Impossible Mission trilogy from the and it took 3 months for standard shipping option, I'd avoid

Well my order of 3 BD's was shipped on the 13/01/2009. It arrived today! Only 2 months!
Mine arrived today and took a total of 2 months and 3 days! Would have to be the slowest postage i've had ever!

I had a few arrive yesterday (10/03) and they were order late December.

Woohoo! My order has finally arrived. Took 55 days. Lesson Learned.

Ordered 28/12, arrived today! (16/03)

All comments are from different individuals, the results speak for themselves. I stress this is for their standard international shipping. I am sure their Priority and Expedited shipping has acceptable shipping times but then you are paying much more compared to other amazon sites.

[MrOrange]

Originally Posted by sschen

Amazon.ca standard international shipping costs is about the same as the other international amazon sites. Amazon UK takes a week max to deliver using their standard shipping. I normally received titles from Amazon US, Germany and France within two weeks. So for the same international charge, why is bl**dy amazon.ca taking 8-12 weeks to deliver? Surely being a global conglomerate, they would have negotiated very good pricing with their local couriers/postal services. The wait with their "standard" international shipping is worse than appalling. They shouldn't even call it "standard", they should call it "slower than snail" shipping.

hahaha .. "slower than snail" shipping .. yup .. they should change their "standard" shipping to that ..

fyi .. my matrix collection arrived in indonesia after 2 and a half months .. earlier than predicted though .. hehehe

[sschen]

Originally Posted by MrOrange

hahaha .. "slower than snail" shipping .. yup .. they should change their "standard" shipping to that ..

fyi .. my matrix collection arrived in indonesia after 2 and a half months .. earlier than predicted though .. hehehe

Yeah, don't choose "snail" shipping again, next time you will be waiting 3 and a half month :P

One thing is for sure, one should NEVER buy new releases from amazon.ca using standard international shipping. By the time the title got to you, it will be worth half the amount of when you bought it. In fact, I reckon you can wait two months for the price of new releases to drop, buy a new or used copy off a forum member here. As long as they agree to ship it for you internationally, chances are you will still get the title bought here shipped two months later faster than the pre-ordered title from amazon.ca.

Anyway, the intent is not deliberately trying to prolong this rant. I am just trying to help other members from making the same mistake. I am normally a very patient person, but checking the mailboxes for months in anticipation of a package certainly can wear out one's patience.

[Salinger]

Is it possible customs could be contributing to the delays? Even if it isn't charged tarriffs and/or duties, packages are often intercepted and inspected when shipping internationally. I don't know, just a suggestion.

[pentatonic]

Originally Posted by Salinger

Is it possible customs could be contributing to the delays? Even if it isn't charged tarriffs and/or duties, packages are often intercepted and inspected when shipping internationally. I don't know, just a suggestion.

A def possibility as I order often from Amazon Uk and I'm in Canada and it usually takes 3 to 5 days max. But I did have this one take 2 1/2 months, not because of them but customs. As for shipping prices, except for amazon UK all their sites are fairly expensive now ( France and Germany being the worst) It's more expensive to order from the US to Canada than the reverse.

But look for customs forms and you'll get your answer, the ones that skip just have nothing but the original tag on it.

[sschen]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

A def possibility as I order often from Amazon Uk and I'm in Canada and it usually takes 3 to 5 days max. But I did have this one take 2 1/2 months, not because of them but customs. As for shipping prices, except for amazon UK all their sites are fairly expensive now ( France and Germany being the worst) It's more expensive to order from the US to Canada than the reverse.

But look for customs forms and you'll get your answer, the ones that skip just have nothing but the original tag on it.

The thing is normally customs would be more concerned about inbound goods into the country. We are talking about outbound from Canada, and from a reputable company such as Amazon. If Canada customs is delaying outbound goods, they are certainly not doing you Canadians a service at all. Once bitten twice shy. If I do it a third time, then you guys can call me a bl**dy IDIOT

Another thing, the one that took 2 months. Falling short of calling your customs crooks, perhaps they took 2 months to watch all the movies you ordered!!

[pentatonic]

No I'm in Canada so obviously it was Canada Customs that delayed my UK order, but if you are in Japan for example then it would be the Japanese Customs that would delay your order, not Canada.

[sschen]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

No I'm in Canada so obviously it was Canada Customs that delayed my UK order, but if you are in Japan for example then it would be the Japanese Customs that would delay your order, not Canada.

I know what you are saying but I know for a fact it is not a customs delay from our country.

This is because I have had customs opened my package before and they always stick a "custom inspected" sticker and you can normally tell that the parcels have been tampered with.

So far all the Canadian imports I have ordered have not been inspected by our customs at all, and then there is others on our local forums with the same issue. I have no doubt the slowness is due to the surface/sea mail used by Amazon Canada "Standard International" shipping. So if the delay is not caused by Canada customs, there is no doubt it is the postal system at fault.

[pentatonic]

Well that sucks real bad then. Wonder why they would be so much slower than the others. Mind you they are probably not using a courrier and just the cheapest Canada Post option. Is it way more expensive to upgrade to speedier. I never checked that out since it's local for me, gonna go and have a look now. Sad we suck the major one.

[sschen]

Originally Posted by pentatonic

Well that sucks real bad then. Wonder why they would be so much slower than the others. Mind you they are probably not using a courrier and just the cheapest Canada Post option. Is it way more expensive to upgrade to speedier. I never checked that out since it's local for me, gonna go and have a look now. Sad we suck the major one.

Hey, my comments weren't intended to make you feel bad... I apologise if it did... it is more targeted at their cheapest shipping option being way too slow compared to the other amazon sites... cost wise, Amazon Japan is probably the most expensive since they only offer Express International (starts at around 3000Yen per order I believe, plus additional items cost on top).. Although I have never ordered from there before, it is supposed to be very fast.

[dannyjl]

Well, just got the bad news from a response to my email to ama.ca. The estimated shipping time is 8-10 weeks - so I should be getting al those new releases I ordered around the first week of August. Does this suck major league! Even with surface mail (by boat) it should only take about 6 weeks. I can't imagine how they could lock into a system with such incredibly slow service.
It ain't customs - believe me. I've been here i Japan 25 yrs. now and have to say the customs system here is very cool. It's quick, efficient and 99% of the time I've never had to pay duties.
Absolute last time ever to order from these geezers. The main reason I ordered was to get ONE title that's not out anywhere where else - The English Patient. Then found a few others that were not out elsewhere and added those. So, do be aware of any deals from ama.ca - the extra shipping to get them in a reasonable time will surely negate it.

[dannyjl]

Well friends, imagine my surprise today when I got the package from ama.ca that I ordered on 5/6/09. Took only 6 weeks and arrived a full 6 weeks ahead of the stated arrival date. LAST and only time to ever order from ca again.

[sschen]

Originally Posted by dannyjl

Well friends, imagine my surprise today when I got the package from ama.ca that I ordered on 5/6/09. Took only 6 weeks and arrived a full 6 weeks ahead of the stated arrival date. LAST and only time to ever order from ca again.

Honestly my friend, I think you are very lucky that it only took 6 weeks Could easily have been 10-12 weeks which seems to be the norm