How long should shipping take from maker?

MaxFactor

MaxFactor

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Recently purchased a custom knife direct from the maker (Jan 25). Paid just North of $1100, which is no small amount for me (that's neither here nor there).

Obviously I'm very eager to receive the knife so on the 28th I emailed the maker asking about an ETA for shipment. The reply was simply, "You will receive tracking when your order ships this week." Not all that informative, but I figured it would go out soon and hopefully arrive by the weekend so I didn't probe any further. Today, Jan 31, I get an email from FedEx with a tracking number. Package scheduled to arrive Feb 7th. 13 days after I placed the order!

Am I wrong in feeling a bit irritated about the timeline here?

I understand most custom makers are one man operations but shipping packages these days is not difficult or time consuming. As a frequent Exchange seller, I'm very acquainted the shipping process; it's not hard. I always make an effort to ship the day after receiving payment, so a week just seems unsatisfactory in my eyes. Not to mention the excruciatingly slow shipping.

Let me know what you guys think, am I justified? Or am I just being an impatient and entitled?
 
Must have been Fedex Smartpost, dubbed Fedex Dumbpost by any/all on the receiving end. Since USPS priority is under 15 bucks and gets across the country in less than a week, Fedex Smartpost isn't ever the best choice. On the other hand you're on an island north of the Puget Sound in WA, the NW corner of the continental US. I'm leaning toward #2, but #1does get 49% of my vote.
 
It could have been worse. Some get the it will be shipped this week response for months going into years-or never
Unless my math is wrong that shipped 6 days after the order was placed, which is only 5 days latter than the best he could do -isn't awful IMO
of course next day would have been better, but stuff happens
 
That's a little slow to ship but not excessive. I might be a little disappointed but it is what it is.
 
Where is the maker and were are you? You paid for it on a Friday, what time?

The last knife I bought took nearly 2 weeks to get to me from a Blade HQ.
 
From my experience, sometimes a maker will mail several out at one time to save some time shipping. Personally, I would rather go to the post office and get an acceptance receipt as opposed to getting the carrier to pick it up or drop it without a receipt.
 
ndmiller said:
Must have been Fedex Smartpost, dubbed Fedex Dumbpost by any/all on the receiving end. Since USPS priority is under 15 bucks and gets across the country in less than a week, Fedex Smartpost isn't ever the best choice. On the other hand you're on an island north of the Puget Sound in WA, the NW corner of the continental US. I'm leaning toward #2, but #1does get 49% of my vote.
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Yes it's FedEx $h!+post. Guess I'm just so accustomed to USPS Priority. Almost all Priority packages get to me within two days. I might be on an island but I'm actually very close to Seattle.

On an aside, I was deployed during almost all of 2018 in and around Japan. I received packages there in 10 days or less from BladeHQ and other sellers. In Guam I received mail under 5 days. S. Korea under 10 days.

Peter Hartwig said:
It could have been worse. Some get the it will be shipped this week response for months going into years-or never
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Very true.

Ajack60 said:
From my experience, sometimes a maker will mail several out at one time to save some time shipping. Personally, I would rather go to the post office and get an acceptance receipt as opposed to getting the carrier to pick it up or drop it without a receipt.
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According to the tracking, FedEx picked it up.
 
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No not justified.

You bought it last Friday the 25th. The Maker shipped it the following Thursday the 31st- 6 days later= And you're complaining?

He's a Knifemaker not a shipping department. People who ship regularly and have a life often ship once a week.
 
The short answer if you ask me: however long you and the maker agreed upon. If there was not such an agreement ever made when you paid, then there is not a definite answer to your question.
 
braillediver said:
You bought it last Friday the 25th. The Maker shipped it the following Thursday the 31st- 6 days later= And you're complaining?

He's a Knifemaker not a shipping department. People who ship regularly and have a life often ship once a week.
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Well, here's where I disagree. He's not ONLY a knifemaker, he's a business. I am not ONLY a photographer, I'm a business. And in business you ship promptly.

I tell all: I am 1/3 photographer, 1/3 editor, and 1/3 Shipping department. It has to be, to offer correct (longterm) customer service.

So even though it's not egregious, it's NOT appropriate whatsoever to justify delays of almost week after payment, just because he has knife-making skills.

And having a 'life' includes doing things supported and paid for by your business. Take care of that first. :)

True: to your point about shipping once a week.... IF he mentioned this at the outset (good business communication) this thread would not have happened. My guess the OP would have been informed and not anxious. It's not a bad system.

This is how I handle my business. Once money exchanges hands, it's a business transaction. I won't settle for allowances.
 
I'd be miffed that nearly a week went by without shipping. Does the maker live on an island too? :rolleyes:
I concur with Mr. Coop :thumbsup:

... as for FedEx "Smart" - what is up with that. It is utterly the worst shipping option I have encountered. I've watched tracking on packages go up and down from 3 states away and back through those states during the course of 5 days, before finally arriving to me. :poop: I've actually contacted vendors with tracking and final delivery details to try to steer them away from using this pitiful service.

I hope your knife arrival is a happy day for you MaxFactor MaxFactor .

'Nuff said.

Ray
 
As a consumer I am accustomed to very prompt shipping . I have purchased knives from several makers on this forums and I believe all shipped once a week . Only one told me that . When I was making knives once I completed a knife I shipped immediately . I have been on both sides and I know the excitement that comes with purchasing a hand made knife built just for you or even if it wasn't it should be shipped promptly , By that I mean next day . But I will say life is to short and its not worth getting pissed about things you cant control .
 
Unless the maker and you had a set agreement of when it would be shipped 5 or 6 days isn't out of line ...

yes we get used to instant gratification because things can be shipped in two to three days in most cases but as someone stated BladeHQ usually takes at least that long to ship anytime I've bought from them ...

and that is a bigger business not an individual maker ... yes frustrating because you are anxious but I don't think it's anything to get overly upset about.
 
Sorry, but I would be irritated too. Your item should have been shipped within a couple days from placing order assuming in stock and available. On a side note though---Fed Ex smartpost sucks. I recently received a package(shipped same day/ordered)through Fed Ex smart post that took 5 days to receive, yet only had 100 miles to travel.
 
Just for clarity: Was this a completely finished knife he was selling that was ready to go, or could a little more work be needed before shipping. Maybe some of that time was used to finish or give you a better product.
Either case I wouldn't have been upset with the delay, if I got it in good shape , Delays happen for all sorts of reasons including the shipper. The important thing is you got it in good shape without a lot of hassle to achieve this. You now have a lifetime to enjoy the knife vs a couple of days extra on shipping . Delays don't bother me. Having to work to get things shipped and delivered and break down in communication do. Not all these guys(by far) are perfect business men. In fact some are rather poor on that end.
I just don't see this as that big a problem
 
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Peter Hartwig said:
Just for clarity: Was this a completely finished knife he was selling that was ready to go, or could a little more work be needed before shipping. Maybe some of that time was used to finish or give you a better product.
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That's a good point, some makers put a final sharpening before shipment, but after photos and sale. This keeps down the risk of staging the knife for photos and cutting oneself.
 
Although not optimal, four working days to ship does not cross the line into poor category . Where I would have the issue is shipping a $1000 knife with that service . There's nothing inherently wrong with smartpost , but it's for cheap items with no particular time sensitivity. And well it's cheap. A maker should not be that ridiculously cheap shipping a high dollar knife. Now that is poor, and quite honestly just inconsiderate .
 
Appreciate all the input. Sounds like almost just as many people wouldn't care about waiting weeks as those that share my sentiment.

To clear up the details. It was a finished knife and there was no discussion of time frame. Without blatantly saying who it was, it's a maker that drops about two dozen knives at a time and they sell out very quickly. Discussing conditions of the sale would likely lead to missing out on the desired knife, so that wasn't really an option. Maybe that means I'm not entitled to shipping expectations but I'm with SharpByCoop on that subject.

After some thought though, I think my displeasure was compounded by three things. First, my email to the maker requesting an ETA was met with a vague one sentence reply. That in it itself wasn't a big deal, although every other custom maker I've dealt with has been much more accommodating about providing details (I could name a list of at least a dozen makers). Second, the delay in shipping. This wasn't a huge issue to me until the third thing came up; one of the slowest methods of shipping available. I can overlook waiting to ship an item if it's shipped via a quicker method.

I'll also add that I was charged $25 for shipping. I'm not familiar with FedEx shipping rates but I know a USPS small flat rate box with full insurance would have cost $24 and would have arrived in two days.

At any rate, by now most of my dissatisfaction has subsided and I've just accepted that I'll have to be patient with this one.
 
While longer than I'd like, you also didn't get an exact date of shipping.

Last issue is using FedEx. For me, they take twice as long and often travel in the wrong direction a bit compared to USPS.
 
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