FastTech won't replace lost packages, won't even reply to inquires.

[Cereal_killer]

This is a jears thread for FastTech, the Internet retailer from china that sells small electronics and electronic components...

November 12 I ordered about $25 worth of parts for a flashlight I wanted to build, I ordered the Convoy C8 host (just the body) I ordered several of the small components (the driver board and a few other parts and stuff) and the order arrived from china in 10 days on November 22. I was happy... BTW this package was tracked all the way from Hong Kong on.

A few more days pass and I want to order part of one of my wife's Xmas gift, a small "USB Battery box" which is a small box that holds 3 18650 Li-ion rechargeable batteries and can charge cell phones and portable speakers and such. I place the order on 11/26 thinking back to my last order that took 10 ACTUAL DAYS to arrive.

Here we are almost 45 days (I've counted and today is business day #33, even excluding American holidays) and the package never arrived, further more no tracking was EVER provided. I began inquiring about the package about a week before Xmas and 2 other times sense and each time I get a forum letter response that claims it could take up to 30 business days and there's nothing they can do for me

My last email was a few days back on business day 30 and I informed them I was moving and after this week I would no longer be at my old address so now even if it shows up I would be screwed. Once again I get a forum reply stating I just need to wait. No offer of a replacement or refund (honestly I'd rather have the darn thing than my $12 back)

3 times now I've been told I need to wait longer, 2 of those times I inquired about something else in my original email and the subject was completely ignored. I've now waited longer than their longest expected transit time, around 4 times longer than their last package took and they flat out refuse to even talk to me, just send a copy/paste of a standard reply.

I know FastTech [FT] sells alot of gadgets & gadget parts a lot of us like to use but there are multiple other similar Chinese supply places that will issue international tracking numbers and actually talk to you if a problem arises. I would recommend staying away from FT

 

[A Justice]

If it's shipping from China it could take over 2 months. There is no guarantee for International shipping. I see complaints like this all the time, 99% of the time they do show up. Just had a friend get a package 70 days after ordering.

I know people say this a lot here about knifemakers and such, but you really should have researched before ordering.

 

[Cereal_killer]

I did lots of research, thanks tho. I've actually ordered from fast tech more times than I can count, usually the packages show up in about 2-3 weeks but I've never needed to contact CS before. Are they a good company with good CS? No, but what they offer isn't available from ANYWHERE else, some of the stuff I've ordered from them, like bare PSB components just aren't available at the end-user level except from fast tech. They offer products that arnt otherwise sold to people a few at a time, only LARGE batch orders. Going somewhere else just isn't an option for a lot of the stuff they sell.

As far as the wait, again I was expecting it, but now 2 weeks away from the 2 month mark I don't see it showing up anytime soon. I order from S. Korea, China, Jap and HK all the time and usually the shipping is pretty painless and tracking is provided, this time even after requesting 3 times they refuse to provide any tracking number or any help in this situation. I wouldn't be as upset but we're moving away from this address this week and I highly doubt the USPS forwarding service is going to catch my international small package that's who knows where...

I would advise everyone stay away from them but again some of the stuff they sell just is not sold anywhere else unless your a company ordering 1,000,000 of them in a batch.

 

[Cereal_killer]

As for researching them, budget light forum, candle power forum, battery universe- fast tech is recommended dozens of times a day from credible members at those forums, if nothing else maybe this thread can warn someone out there that they're not a good choice, even if they are THE choice.

 

[jeffsenpai]

Sometimes the chinese holidays can affecting shipping for a long time. They take chinese new years seriously, sometimes its up to 2 weeks or a month delay!

 

[Lee Bray]

Hong Kong shipping is generally fast and efficient. I've had very little to no trouble with the post after 20 years of living out here.
Regarding the holidays, CNY is a big deal but not until end of Jan, start of Feb so you should still be ok with that. Christmas/regular new year is a holiday but small in comparison.
Hope your package comes through.

 

[IamMatt]

Just throwing another perspective out there.

Customer service costs money. A company with low prices does not have the "extra" money to have a great CS department, so they probably just have those emails sent as automated replies. We know that many of the Chinese budget sellers will just send a replacement for an item that is lost rather than spend man-hours tracking it because it is cheaper in the long run.

If we accept that they cannot provide great CS AND low prices, and we accept that 99% of the time their stuff arrives on time, and we accept that their overall reputation is very good, and we accept that sometimes things go missing, maybe the best thing to do is have then original credit card or PayPal charge reversed, and just order the item again. Odds are it will show up on time this time. And if you eventually get the original item, you can contact them and ask whether they want you to pay for it, return it, or just keep it.