#1

Posting Freak
If you've seen TSE's latest video he posted on DFS then you know he reviewed 10 vendors.  I thought it was pretty well done and even of some use to the "international" types TSE referred to at the end.  Two things about the reviews, first when TSE rates customer service based, obviously, on his own experiences, does he shop these vendors anonymously? I suspect a well known blogger might get premium service in much the same way that the restaurant critic for the NY Times would have premium service at restaurants he visits if the restaurants knew who he was.  Don't get me wrong, almost all of my vendor service experiences have been positive but folks like TSE may find they get better service, samples, prototypes to test etc.  

Second thing was the shipping times quoted by TSE, in almost all instances it was 2-3 days from pulling the trigger on the order to package on doorstep.  Even in the case of Italian Barber and he's located in Canada!  I don't get that kind of delivery from IB and I live in Canada.  So the reviews were useful but in my Canadian experience - you know Canada?  Country to the north of the USA...where "service" goes to die?  Yeah, that one.   As I was saying, here in Canada the delivery to front door from order is about 2-3 weeks (yes weeks not days)  Thats because when you opt for the "free shipping" the package goes by Canada Post, the method preferred by those who just don't care when the package arrives...or even if it arrives.  I suspect they have a package aging room where packages are sequestered to ensure that they aren't inadvertently delivered promptly and also to make the intended recipient sufficiently rueful of their decision to opt for free shipping and next time they'll upgrade and pay for premium service.  I find it not entirely surprising that IB is able to deliver a package internationally (He's located in the Toronto Canada region) to the US faster than he can domestically - less time spent in the hands of Canada Post means less opportunity for delay.  There's also the reality that the US market is more of a priority for any Canada based vendor than any puny domestic market.  I get that.  A market 10x the size of your home country market is just going to be more important to a business. Yup, 2-3 weeks.  I've usually forgotten all about the order that I placed by the time I get it.  Good thing I have lots of soap and blades.  You know, the Mongols were able to deliver a package the same or greater distance as IB to my doorstep in 2-3 days in the 12th century on horses.  It was called the Yam Courier system.  I know that all of this is a consequence of having a country with a tiny population and vast size (mostly uninhabitable) so there aren't economies of scale and fortunately we are a patient people Smile

As an aside, I highly recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Genghis-Khan-Makin...dern+world

Thats my rant for the day, I'm not sure if its melodramatic enough for some members but I tried.
Marko

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#2
Marko you make some great points, particularly about a blogger potentially receiving better service than the average joe. Additionally, service times may vary based on the business of the season.

And what is this "Canada" of which you speak? Wink

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#3

Member
Sydney, Australia
I feel you, although my shipping delays are more a function of the Pacific Ocean more than anything else.

That said, I've seen packages from UPS arrive in Sydney in 2-3 days, be marked as having cleared customs and all that, only for that last flag to disappear and the package to hang in limbo for another week before making the 10 km journey from the depot to the delivery location, right at the end of the delivery date window.

Good reminder that you get exactly what you pay for, even if it means wasting their warehouse space.

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#4

Member
Detroit
The couple of times I've ordered from IB, it's taken about a week for the package to get here, FWIW. And I'm only about a 3-4 hour drive from the Toronto area in Michigan...

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- Jeff
#5

Super Moderator
San Diego, Cal., USA
(This post was last modified: 03-03-2016, 01:52 AM by Freddy.)
Marko, your post had me chuckling but your points are well taken.  Delivery is usually pretty good here, south of the Great White North.  However, even here, some strange things happen.  On Friday, I mailed three Priority packages with USPS and expected delivery was Monday.  All of the packages did, indeed, arrive on Monday.  I live in San Diego.  One went to New Hampshire and was delivered there in the early afternoon.  One went to the back of beyond Wisconsin (it's so rural that even the deer hitch a ride into Green Bay, about an hour and a half away, for some night life) and arrived in the morning.  The last package was going to my sister who lives in Marina del Rey, only about 120 miles north of me.  She was the last one to get her package and it didn't arrive until somewhere between 5:30 and 6:00 at night.  Go figure!  Rolleyes

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#6

Member
Ontario
lol I have luck then, since I'm just North of Toronto by just 4 hours, when I order from IB it usually, usually I stress, gets here within a day or two of shipping. So I make sure I order on a Sunday night so it'll ship on Monday Tongue

BUt, yes, Marko I totally agree with you, Canada Post needs to a kick in the backside. I bought a Stick Schick from andrewjs18 on the 11th of Feb, if I remember he shipped it the next day, maybe one more, so, for the sake of argument we'll say he shipped on the 13th. It only just arrived to me on the 26th, 13 days! :O From my place to my parents place in Florida we can make it just around 24 hours if we drive all the time. Why does it take so damned long? I know there's customs and stuff, but it doesn't normally stay with customs for more than a day, according to most tracking I have seen.

I also have a Trac 2 razor coming in from Ebay for my uncle. What to know it shipped? The 12th of Feb! and it's still not here! The last tracking position I have for it is in Erlanger , Kentucky on the 18th of Feb, and it was getting custom labelling. No idea where it has gone since then, tracking hasn't ever updated since the 18th, so it could be that "package aging room" Marko spoke of, or it could be on freaking Mars! Who knows?!

Then again, I haven't got mail now for... 3 days? Ya, Friday, Monday and today(Canadians don't get Sat postal because reasons), because of some rather nasty weather in Ontario, so it could be close, I don't know. Apparently a foot of snow in front of the mail box is too much for them to drive over to deliver into the mailbox so they just drive on Dodgy Well sorry, I can't plow the yard that early in morning since I have to work at 7am, while they start their day at 11am, after all of the trucks have gone by and some people have got their yards done Rolleyes

/rant

Sorry, needed that Tongue

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#7
I mos always get my stuff right quick!!! Couple times I had to wait a few days extra but must be the PO was jacking my package around. BigPoppa loves the mailman and USPS man hahahahaha! Hell I even dropped a soap and a brush on my regular UPS guy and he lovin it!!! Brown delievers? BigPoppa delivers!!! Hooyeah!!!

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#8

Posting Freak
Canada
(This post was last modified: 03-03-2016, 06:12 AM by celestino.)
Living in Canada does have its perks, Marko! Big Grin

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Celestino
Love, Laughter & Shaving  Heart
#9

Administrator
Philadelphia, PA
I think my IB order from a few months ago took ~5 days or so to get from wherever Joe sends from to Philadelphia.

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Tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito.
#10

Member
Austin, TX
My Italian Barber shipments usually turn very quickly. I just double checked my last order and the shipping label was created on the 8th, it was delivered on the 11th. It does typically ship from NY state, possibly a US warehouse or freight forwarder I imagine. Regardless, always very quick from Joe.

There are a couple other vendors not mentioned that I have had great experiences with as well:

1. @"TheHandleBar" Supply Co. - Gareth offers extremely quick turns on order/shipping, fair pricing and an interesting product mix. Service I would class as above and beyond.

2. GiftsAndCare.com - Juan has the best prices around for Spanish products in particular [Floid, Myrsol, etc.] and also the house exclusive Epsilon brushes. Very quick turns on shipping, stellar service [they have credited me a number of times the 10% discount, after the fact and unexpectedly when I forgot to apply] and if you deduct the VAT for non-Euro customers, apply the discount the total cost, including shipping, is actually not bad at all

3. Shaving.ie - Chris offers great pricing, solid customer service and very competitive pricing on everything from Thater brushes to Muhle heads. Although a quick turn on processing, it does seem to take a bit longer on the shipping to Austin than other European vendors from whom I have ordered.

4. Vintage Scent - no better source for Semogue brushes IMHO and Leon is a subject matter expert!

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Kevin


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