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FrozenGate by Avery

Yet another *Gulp* CUSTOMS Question...

BrewCityMusic

BrewCityMusic

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Someone PLEASE tell me I'm panicking over nothing here - I have been screwing around since the middle of December trying to get an order from FocalPrice, first it was out of stock, then shipped, then no tracking info for another week, then the tracking didn't work for another week, etc etc...

Here's the current tracking status as of this morning:

2009-01-08 20:51:00 CHONGQING Posting
2009-01-08 23:44:39 CHONGQING Despatch from Sorting Center
2009-01-12 08:26:00 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA USSFOA Arrival at Sorting Center
2009-01-12 08:27:00 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA USSFOA Handed over to Customs


I'm really, REALLY hoping that is normal, "handed over to customs" meaning that of course, as all packages, mine also has to pass through the hands of customs before resuming its' journey here in the good 'ol USA... But with the way this whole shipment has gone so far, I'm getting a sinking feeling that "handed over to customs" might be the beginning of the end for my Focalprice order...

Anyone out there that can either relieve or confirm my fears...PLEASE?
 





Honestly, it does not look good. If the transition of arrival @ sorting to customs is 1 minute, they must have spotted something really odd. But we can hope that you can be alright, right?
 
Naah, nothing to worry about yet, I'd say.  When you fly into the US on an international flight, you go straight into customs in the airport as well, right?  Same with packages, I'd say.  A shipment of packages comes in, and the whole shipment goes to customs immediately, before it goes anywhere else.  And those numbers probably aren't exactly when a different person took possession of the package or anything like that.  A truck comes in, a worker goes into the computer and hits "Received" on the shipment, and then hits "sent to next stop" as the same time, just saves him time and effort.

That said, confiscation is always the risk you run when importing lasers >5mW that are not FDA-approved.
 
That's what I was thinking too - this whole shipment has been such a pain though I'm just a little jumpy :o

That whole "1 minute" thing makes sense the way you explained it - I can't see "just another padded envelope from China" raising a red flag that fast unless Focalprice listed it as "Big Nasty Illegal Lasers" (although with the service I've gotten from them thus far I wouldn't be too surprised!).

BUT - on the upside, I finally found the time today while fretting over the shipment to solder together my first 803/rckstr, so there's that, right?

Thanks for the help - Keep your fingers crossed for me, OK? ;)
 
I really do hope that your order was not detained, but when I've tracked an international order, it usually goes right from "arrival at sorting center" or "arrival at unit" to "delivered". Of the 4-5 packages I got from overseas least year, none of them had any mention of customs in the tracking info but all of them had obviously passed through customs.

I will be thinking positive thoughts for your package to have a different route to your door than mine did. My experiences may be not typical. I'd be interested to know if other forum members in the USA have seen similar tracking info to yours on packages they have received?
 
WOO HOOO! ;D ;D ;D

The latest tracking inquiry resulted in the restating of above, AND....

2009-01-13 08:08:00 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA USSFOA Released from Customs

(BIG sigh of relief)
 
Not to rain on your parade, but when people on here have had their items confiscated before, the packaging continued on its merry way, and when delivered, contained only a note explaining that the items had been confiscated.

That is good that it went through that fast, though. I've heard of people having their packages stay at the customs step for a week or 2 before being released. I still wouldn't worry, though. Your lasers are likely just fine and in a truck heading to your town.
 
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