How is this Possible?!? (fast international delivery)

[audreyh1]

I ordered some tea from our favorite tea merchant yesterday. This is a tea company based near Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada). Some friends took us by one of their stores in Victoria, BC when we visited. If you're a tea connoisseur, you'll probably really appreciate their offerings. Buy Tea Online - Murchie's Tea & Coffee | Loose Tea & Teabags

So, I place my order late morning yesterday. It's an international order, but they have a flat rate shipping fee for the US - I didn't upgrade to expedited shipping. Today, at about 1pm, DSL drives up and delivers the order.

It really was sent out of Richmond BC. That was like 26 hours, and it came from over 2500 miles away and crossed an international order! For a flat fee of $9.95? My mouth is still hanging open.

They also threw in a larger box of one of the teas I ordered - a bonus.

Dang, talk about service!

 

[audreyh1]

I love ordering stuff on line!

 

[ERD50]

I wonder if some places knowingly expedite a first time order, to impress the buyer so they come back?

I guess that could back-fire - hey, last time I got it in a day, this time took 3 days, what gives??!!

-ERD50

 

[audreyh1]

I wonder if some places knowingly expedite a first time order, to impress the buyer so they come back?

I guess that could back-fire - hey, last time I got it in a day, this time took 3 days, what gives??!!

-ERD50

That was our 4th order.

It could also have been DHL that decided to expedite it.

 

[braumeister]

Some places are just efficient, I think.

I often order from an industrial supplier that is over 200 road miles from me, and I always get it delivered by UPS in less than 24 hours.

I agree that it's kind of amazing.

 

[heeyy_joe]

That tea must have a lot of caffeine!!!

 

[Meadbh]

It really was sent out of Richmond BC. That was like 26 hours, and it came from over 2500 miles away and crossed an international order! For a flat fee of $9.95? My mouth is still hanging open.

They also threw in a larger box of one of the teas I ordered - a bonus.

Dang, talk about service!

Richmond BC is the site of YVR (Vancouver airport). I'm sure they design their distribution system to take advantage of proximity to a major hub. Most people will purchase small quantities of tea, which are easy to ship by air. Enjoy the tea!

 

[audreyh1]

Richmond BC is the site of YVR (Vancouver airport). I'm sure they design their distribution system to take advantage of proximity to a major hub. Most people will purchase small quantities of tea, which are easy to ship by air. Enjoy the tea!

I suppose that's why they locate their warehouse there.

 

[Meadbh]

I suppose that's why they locate their warehouse there.

You betcha. And don't forget the significant numbers of people of Chinese and Indian origin who live in the area, which means a strong link to/from those countries. I was in Richmond a couple of months ago and could not find a restaurant that wasn't Asian. And they all serve lots of tea!

 

[eytonxav]

I think the USPS needs to do some benchmarking

 

[mystang52]

It is amazing that these fast turnaround and delivery times are now almost taken for granted. It really wasn't that long ago when we would just presume a good turnaround time was 48 hours (PLUS delivery time).

 

[ERD50]

I think the USPS needs to do some benchmarking

Clearly, this shipment went by air. It might have made sense for an order like this (tea is light, relatively $$$/volume). I don't think that means that every letter/package that the USPS handles should go by air.

I just had a thought though - what if those air tubes that were once common in buildings were built along some highway networks? I wonder how much lightweight stuff you could move that way?


-ERD50

 

[REWahoo]

It is amazing that these fast turnaround and delivery times are now almost taken for granted. It really wasn't that long ago when we would just presume a good turnaround time was 48 hours (PLUS delivery time).

And it just gets better and better:

More and more, retailers are offering same-day delivery of online purchases. Amazon is the one to beat, but Walmart, eBay, and even Google are getting in the game.

Same-day delivery 101: Amazon, Walmart, and the rest

 

[REWahoo]

I just had a thought though - what if those air tubes that were once common in buildings were built along some highway networks? I wonder how much lightweight stuff you could move that way?

Now there's an idea that really sucks - or does it really blow?

(Sorry, couldn't resist...)

 

[grasshopper]

While I ordered a toner cartridge from Amazon, Shipped out of Phoenix(I live in AZ).

January 22, 2013 03:22:00 PM Rodeo NM US Delivered
January 22, 2013 09:01:00 AM Las Cruces NM US Out for delivery
January 22, 2013 08:52:00 AM Las Cruces NM US Arrival Scan
January 22, 2013 07:04:00 AM El Paso TX US Arrival Scan
January 20, 2013 04:46:00 PM Memphis TN US Departure Scan
January 19, 2013 10:54:00 PM Memphis TN US Arrival Scan
January 18, 2013 11:29:00 AM Phoenix AZ US Departure Scan
January 18, 2013 10:00:00 AM Phoenix AZ US Shipment received by carrier
January 18, 2013 02:52:01 PM Shipment has left seller facility and is in transit to carrier

 

[audreyh1]

I place my order about 9:00 their time on January 29.

DSL Tracking detail

Wednesday, January 30, 2013 Location Time
10 Delivered - Signed for by : xxxxxxxx MISSION 13:56
9 With delivery courier HARLINGEN, TX - USA 09:07
8 Arrived at Delivery Facility in HARLINGEN - USA HARLINGEN, TX - USA 08:33
7 Departed Facility in CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 05:18
6 Processed at CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 04:54
5 Clearance processing complete at CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 03:52
4 Arrived at Sort Facility CINCINNATI HUB - USA CINCINNATI HUB, OH - USA 03:50

Tuesday, January 29, 2013 Location Time
3 Departed Facility in BRITISH COLUMBIA - CANADA BRITISH COLUMBIA, BC - CANADA 17:45
2 Processed at BRITISH COLUMBIA - CANADA BRITISH COLUMBIA, BC - CANADA 17:44
1 Shipment picked up BRITISH COLUMBIA, BC - CANADA 15:20

 

[audreyh1]

While I ordered a toner cartridge from Amazon, Shipped out of Phoenix(I live in AZ).

January 22, 2013 03:22:00 PM Rodeo NM US Delivered
January 22, 2013 09:01:00 AM Las Cruces NM US Out for delivery
January 22, 2013 08:52:00 AM Las Cruces NM US Arrival Scan
January 22, 2013 07:04:00 AM El Paso TX US Arrival Scan
January 20, 2013 04:46:00 PM Memphis TN US Departure Scan
January 19, 2013 10:54:00 PM Memphis TN US Arrival Scan
January 18, 2013 11:29:00 AM Phoenix AZ US Departure Scan
January 18, 2013 10:00:00 AM Phoenix AZ US Shipment received by carrier
January 18, 2013 02:52:01 PM Shipment has left seller facility and is in transit to carrier

Wow - it had to be mailed to Memphis in order to be delivered to you via El Paso, TX?

I would say you live in a forgotten pocket of AZ!!!!! Tough when Rodeo, NM is your closest larger town.

 

[Gotadimple]

I think DHL appears to have a particularly efficient system for moving packages. I generally don't see a package arriving at a facility and loaded for it's next stop within 90 minutes!

 

[rodi]

My first thought when I read the OP was that someone from the shop was going across the border, anyway - so brought the package across Peace Arch crossing for shipping in the US.
But the airport in Richmond makes more sense.

 

[audreyh1]

My first thought when I read the OP was that someone from the shop was going across the border, anyway - so brought the package across Peace Arch crossing for shipping in the US.
But the airport in Richmond makes more sense.

I also thought maybe they had shipped out of somewhere in the US. So the first thing I did is look at the "from" address. (But DSL was a major clue they hadn't - they would have used one of the US domestic carriers)

 

[mystang52]

Off topic to a large extent, I have this old childhood memory: I taped a dime to the order form on the back of the Frosted Flakes box, and my Dad mailed it away for my toy covered wagon. I think it was 6 weeks before the thing got to me.
And wow it was small. I remember it fit in palm of my (8 year old) hand, nothing at all like the picture on the box. I guess I'm still emotionally scarred from that.
By the way, the flimsy thing broke the same day.

 

[travelover]

What blows me away is delivery from China. I bought a small electronic component for $1 with free shipping, on eBay. It took about 3 weeks to come, but it came registered mail. I asked the clerk if I could send the same package back to China registered mail for $1 and she just laughed.

 

[pb4uski]

Richmond BC is the site of YVR (Vancouver airport). I'm sure they design their distribution system to take advantage of proximity to a major hub. Most people will purchase small quantities of tea, which are easy to ship by air. Enjoy the tea!

I recall about 20 years ago ordering some software about 11pm at night Eastern time and received it about 10:30am the next morning. The software vendor had their distribution warehouse located near to FedEx in Memphis so they could pull it off. Pretty impressive.

 

[Meadbh]

I recall about 20 years ago ordering some software about 11pm at night Eastern time and received it about 10:30am the next morning. The software vendor had their distribution warehouse located near to FedEx in Memphis so they could pull it off. Pretty impressive.

Canada Posts's facility in Winnipeg is located right on the airport campus for exactly this reason.

Canada Post Opens New State-of-the-Art Mail Processing Plant | Blog | Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport

And they are planning to do the same in Vancouver.

YVR > Business at YVR > Land Development > Canada Post Site

Eliminating wasteful movement of goods is an integral part of Lean.

 

[audreyh1]

What blows me away is delivery from China. I bought a small electronic component for $1 with free shipping, on eBay. It took about 3 weeks to come, but it came registered mail. I asked the clerk if I could send the same package back to China registered mail for $1 and she just laughed.

Yep - we've had several things shipped from China - custom configured Apple laptops. Once it leaves the factory near Shanghai, it hops over to Anchorage then Memphis, then here sometimes in just 25 hours!