eBay and SpeedPAK from China

Has anyone else run into issues with packages coming from China that use SpeedPAK to ship? Apparently, it's something eBay did to help reduce costs for certain high profile sellers from China -- it reduces fees on their end. Problem is, the company (SpeedPAK) seems to be run by complete morons. It takes even longer than it used to, and often packages get lost in a sort of limbo state (seems the USPS is having difficulty figuring out what to do with these things). I've had a package stuck at the USPS in St. Paul, MN since the 16th when it was first "delivered"; then it was "delivered" again on the 17th, and then the 20th. Not sure why this is such a huge issue, but it's going to make ordering from Asian sellers an even bigger pain in the @$$ than it already is, and frankly they're one of the largest resources for parted out items and bodies -- particularly TBLeague. I've read several articles about people having issues with this service that eBay partnered with, and of course, eBay doesn't seem too concerned about doing much about it. I called a eBay rep yesterday, and he told me to just sit tight until the 31st, if nothing happens by then, THEN they'll open a case. Gee, thanks for the assistance...
I plan on contacting the postal service (another organization run by idiots... I mean the government... Nope. I was right the first time. Idiots) to see what the issue is.

It's really unfortunate that eBay is the monster that it is; another form of competition would be nice. I'd like to be able to sell some things myself that I don't need, but between shipping, fees, etc. (not to mention people that try to scam you all the time), it looks like you just take a loss and waste your time. Might be better off just having a garage sale, or putting stuff on Craig's List.

I feel your pain -- and I really hope your item gets unstuck from whatever limbo it is in ...that is always so frustrating, to know it's 'there', but not THERE yet. : (

There really aren't that many (good) options, and being in the UK makes it even more frustrating at times... one has to choose between the UK sellers (who are few and far between), and the ones who sell the parted out items from Hot Toys tend to charge astronomical amounts. There's even a particular seller who mainly sells loose Hasbro parts, and yet still somehow charges as much if not more than loose Hot Toys items for them!! D: And yet, even then it's still cheaper than trying to buy from the US -- I tend to do so for 1/6 stuff only when it's a rare item I cannot find anywhere else, OR when it's something I need ASAP (cause at least I can rely on things being sent from US to reach UK in a certain amount of time). But the shipping + customs charges for items coming from the US to the UK is insane. And it's been made worse by ebay enforcing the 'global shipping programme' onto those selling internationally. It's meant to protect sellers, but it has made the shipping costs prohibitively high. A 14 dollar item in the US can easily end up being three times that amount by the time the shipping and customs are adding it.

Now that side of things is one I've been dealing with for a while now -- when I was mostly focusing on collecting smaller figures, I often had to deal with the high international shipping to get what I wanted. But now that I've branched out into not merely 1/6 figures (I've purchased very few actual 1/6 figures thus far), but 1/6 *parts* (bodies, heads, accessories, etc), there's often been no choice for me BUT to order from Asian sellers, because they actually end up being so much cheaper than ordering from the US. Finding items actually located *in* the UK is very rare, other than parted out Sideshow, Hot Toys, or Hasbro, which are all-too often way overpriced. (And yeah, I get that sellers have to make profit on it blah blah, but some of the crap they try to peddle for such prices annoys me to no end.)

So, while ordering from Chinese sellers can be a bit of a gamble (and I've had negative experiences with sellers blocking or banning me -- one blocked me once for simply pointing out that something I ordered looked nothing like the photo !), it is often (for certain items, at least) the only viable option for me. :/

It would indeed be nice if there was some competition for ebay out there (and likewise for Amazon)....

Here's an interesting article I found about eBay and SpeedPAK that sheds light on the situation in a less "angry and frustrated" manner than I can express at the moment.

https://www.ecommercebytes.com/C/blog/blog.pl?/pl/2018/6/1528328509.html

Sadly, even being here in the states, getting things from "local" eBay sellers is often times worse than Asia. Sure, it gets to you faster, but they also charge higher prices. A TBLeague male body, for example can go for anywhere from $75 - 85 on the Asian market; I've seen one US seller trying to pawn them for $117 with shipping!!! That guy needs to be run over by a bus.

Thanks for sharing that link -- that is so incredibly frustrating.

And ugh, wow, yeah..... that is just ridiculous! :O I hate that people can get away with charging so much ....

My experience is with SpeedPAK, which should be renamed TurtlePAK is that it takes about a month to get anything from China. However since eBay has has brought in it's ridiculous shipping system whereby you can pay $20.00 to ship a $3.00 purchase, I am frankly not buying stuff from US vendors who use it. The only thing that will get eBay to change it's idiotic practices is if people stop purchasing from vendors using this system, which will in turn affect their bottom line.

I cannot on the other hand blame the Chinese for using the cheaper shipping system if it gets them the orders that would otherwise be going to US vendors.

ThePhotogsBlog wrote:My experience is with SpeedPAK, which should be renamed TurtlePAK is that it takes about a month to get anything from China. However since eBay has has brought in it's ridiculous shipping system whereby you can pay $20.00 to ship a $3.00 purchase, I am frankly not buying stuff from US vendors who use it. The only thing that will get eBay to change it's idiotic practices is if people stop purchasing from vendors using this system, which will in turn affect their bottom line.

I cannot on the other hand blame the Chinese for using the cheaper shipping system if it gets them the orders that would otherwise be going to US vendors.  

I have to agree with you here! Despite the slowness of the 'SpeedPAK', there are many instances where I've gladly chosen it over having to pay the ebay-enforced extra-high US international shipping prices.

Realistically, I can only purchase 1/6 items from the US once in a while, because I have to save up enough funds to be able to make a 'bigger' purchase from a single vendor and then combine shipping costs to make it worth my while. But then sometimes I don't want to wait however many weeks/months until I'm able to do that, so it often makes more sense to buy smaller items periodically as I need them directly from Asian sellers, since the shipping (slow as it is) is at least free.

None of it is ideal, but I guess people just have to pick which method works best for them, and that can of course depend greatly on geographical location.

ETA: I'm wondering if some of the slowness might be to do with these SpeedPAK packages getting tangled up in US customs limbo? I am curious because I have never had a SpeedPAK order take an entire month to arrive in the UK. Usually 10 days to two weeks, tops. I *have* occasionally had a NON-SpeedPaK order take MUCH longer (up to a month or more), as well as had the rare order get stuck in UK customs, but weirdly enough I tend to have MORE problems with packages from US sellers getting stuck in customs and incurring extra fees (usually the ones that had shipping prices that SEEMED 'cheaper' cause they didn't use the global shipping programme....argh!)

I have had issues, most certainly.  It's particularly frustrating to endure lengthy projected delivery times while watching an unscrupulous seller's feedback plummet; if eBay would perhaps tweak their policy for Resolution to allow for claims to be filed before estimated arrival dates expire, that would be helpful.  

Incidentally, the USPS is contracted by government and not an actual federal agency, fortunately or unfortunately...


Not to instigate a political discussion here - nor to even suggest that it's necessarily relevant to say; but we are in the midst of a "trade war," too...  

Stryker2011 wrote:I've seen one US seller trying to pawn them for $117 with shipping!!! That guy needs to be run over by a bus.

LOL. Scalpers...  You driving?  

I’ve had long delays with customs at times — that’s to be expected. But when it arrives at the central Post Office in my district it generally only takes a day from that point to arrive, not bounce around the same city, or facility, multiple times over a period of days.

That is indeed most perplexing ...

Yeah, well I'll be damned if I pay the same price in US dollars for let's say a head sculpt be it in Hong Kong or somewhere in the US, but it ships free from Hong Kong but I have to pay an extra $25.00 shipping from a US vendor for an item that should cost $6.00 shipping, just to get it two weeks earlier. The eBay shipping rates are too high and we are getting hosed by eBay.

I don’t blame you, thephotogsblog. Shipping here in the states can be a killer, even for those of us that live here. eBay, however, is making it ridiculously hard to get things from overseas. I’ve been looking for odds and bits here and there, and the cheapest place to get them is generally from Asia — but once I saw that half of them were using SpeedPAK, I took them off my Watch List.

Stryker2011 wrote:I don’t blame you, thephotogsblog. Shipping here in the states can be a killer, even for those of us that live here.  eBay, however, is making it ridiculously hard to get things from overseas. I’ve been looking for odds and bits here and there, and the cheapest place to get them is generally from Asia — but once I saw that half of them were using SpeedPAK, I took them off my Watch List.

I've found that shipping rates within the US are quite reasonable on somethings,  but as soon as you try to ship to Canada, it, the cost skyrockets to ridiculous levels.

Here's an example of absurd shipping costs....

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-6-Female-Head-Sculpt-Brown-hair-CT012A-for-12-Female-Doll-SUNTAN-PHICEN/132730155008?hash=item1ee7557000:g:d9AAAOSwGVJbZRJJ:rk:370

and here's another which is even more ridiculous, since it should weigh almost nothing.

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-6-Military-Style-Female-Outfits-A-For-Phicen-Hot-Toys-Kumik-U-S-A-SELLER/162129586247?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20180124145912%26meid%3D0c5066e446fb4d84be7999bc7ee847fb%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D132730155008%26itm%3D162129586247&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851


And this is the most ridiculous....

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-6-Neck-Peg-Connector-for-Custom-Head-Sculpt-12-Action-Figure/132641917294?_trkparms=aid%3D444000%26algo%3DSOI.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20170221122447%26meid%3Da973b6e10a104a51a6b03b9acf7349c9%26pid%3D100752%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D132730155008%26itm%3D132641917294&_trksid=p2047675.c100752.m1982

From my understanding, the US postal system has been quite heavily impacted by an online shopping surge since prior to the holiday season.  Parcels are prioritized, as we all well know, and the backlog is causing additional delays to the lower order deliveries - which may or may not become rerouted in the interim.  

Also, you’ll notice that the status of your packages may read “Arrived at your local Post Office” or “Arrived at Hub” before being marked “Out for Delivery;” only the latter status regards the actual loading of your parcel onto the truck.  And, of course, regardless of origin, “Free Shipping” is typically bottom or 4th class mail.  


The other problem is compounded by the fact that eBay allows seller's to set shipping costs, for increased profit...

But, again, with regard to all these conditions, there are most assuredly politics at play here…  


Just don’t go postal on your local carriers, because the matter really is entirely out of their hands.

Hey Stryker. My expierience with Speed Pack and China Sellers are very Good. I feel a little bid ashamed by ordering Things from China. Remember when we all are happy about the 50 $ Hulk from china, Hot toys want to have 300 $ that for. I see many Mr. Z Animals copyed in china ( the originals are from china too ? ) The originals are round about 70 $, i can get the copy for 12 $. The point is i really love the Mr. Z Statues / Figures. If we all buy from the Copy Guys, that will ruin Mr. Z one Day
I really like to be fair to the Mr. Z Artists, who made the figures.... but save much money is not bad also

I live in Australia and posting a small parcel without tracking anywhere in the world costs a minimum of $17AU ($12US) so it is hard to come up with a viable business plan that involves international buyers. It took me a couple of decades to settle on selling miniatures. Most of my items are small enough to be sent as a letter, which only costs $3AU ($2US). My business would be crippled if I had to send everything as a parcel.

Most of my online purchases are from China because shipping is cheap or free. I've never paid any attention to the name of the shipping company but I've gotten used to parcels taking a month or more to arrive and have adjusted my routine to take this into account. I've always considered slow shipping to be the trade-off for getting cheap shipping.

Ephiane wrote:Hey Stryker. My expierience with Speed Pack and China Sellers are very Good. I feel a little bid ashamed by ordering Things from China. Remember when we all are happy about the 50 $ Hulk from china, Hot toys want to have 300 $ that for. I see many Mr. Z Animals copyed in china ( the originals are from china too ? ) The originals are round about 70 $, i can get the copy for 12 $. The point is i really love the Mr. Z Statues / Figures. If we all buy from the Copy Guys, that will ruin Mr. Z one Day  

I've seen some of those copies -- I think it is the 1/6 wolf? -- and I don't think they will ruin Mr.Z. While the copies are 'ok' in terms of the sculpt/mold, the paintjobs on them are nowhere near as detailed as the actual Mr.Z models. It may be worth it to get some of the cheaper ones, but they are still not exact copies in terms of colour, etc., so if one wants the precise 'look' as seen in the Mr.Z promo pics, it is only possible to get that from the official Mr.Z models.

ETA: There are plenty of 'knock-off' Hot Toys headsculpts, for example, but none of them are anywhere near as detailed as the official Hot Toys paintjobs. In my case, I would have loved to have tons of Anakin head sculpts to mess around with, but since the knock-off versions are so poorly painted, I still would have had to do a lot of work on them to get them to look how I wanted. I may someday attempt to repaint one, but all I'm saying is that the existence of such knock-offs definitely does not render the official versions entirely obsolete.

skywalkersaga wrote:but all I'm saying is that the existence of such knock-offs definitely does not render the official versions entirely obsolete.

As evidenced by the skyrocketing prices of the originals when they become more scarce.

Stryker2011 wrote:

skywalkersaga wrote:but all I'm saying is that the existence of such knock-offs definitely does not render the official versions entirely obsolete.

As evidenced by the skyrocketing prices of the originals when they become more scarce.

Indeed. :/

I know it's kind of a complicated subject, but I am glad that certain knock-offs exist....in that, if one does wish to modify something, it's nice to have something like that to use as the 'raw material', rather than have to directly alter/ruin an official piece. So if one is using it like that, then the quality difference is not such a big deal, and is perhaps even preferable.

Hehe, Sky You can read my mind ? Exactly the Mr. Z Wolf is it


Here´s a little fun..... from Shanghai to Hangzou and back to Shanghai and Paris is not in Germany i think  

Intresting by speedpack is if the seller note something as sended, that means nothing. He only give the datas to speedpack. BtW : German Post Office Guys are meanwhile Idiots too. We all grow old and thinking it was better in the old times  

Oh, and sorry if one of us works in a post office  

LOL, what a wild ride! 

Has it finally been delivered now?

I'm going to guess not. SpeedPAK has been a nightmare ever since eBay teamed with them -- things go all over the place. I've read other horror stories in Yelp reviews, etc. about how bad SpeedPAK is, but it's not entirely SP's fault -- I lay more of the blame on eBay for choosing to do business with this company. E-express was better than these tools (it kind of makes me wonder if eBay doesn't hold a financial interest in SpeedPAK).

I recently had a Horizon Indy shipped over from the US via eBay's global shipping. Yeah, I paid over the odds and had to wait a while, but, I did get a genuine unopened kit. Sure I could have paid way less for a Thai recast, but, I had to have an original. If you really want something, sometimes you just have to go out of your way to get it. You just have to be patient, occupy yourself with something else while you're waiting. Yes, things can be frustrating, life gets like that, but, it's not the end of the world.

I plan to graft Trev's SSC Raiders head onto the Horizon kit, so I may finally have an Indy I'm truly happy with.

CHEERS!

That sounds cool, Roger.


Why is it so hard to get Harrison Ford’s likeness right...?

Million dollar question! Some is down to poor casting, Trev (Trevor Grove) nailed Harrison right off the bat and still can, but, his heads were always poorly done by SSC. Same with all the digital ones, something goes awry between initial render and print.

I'm hoping that mine will finally do Trev's work the justice it deserves. It's a tough one, but, I want to give it my best shot.

I got lucky, it was the right kit at the right time for a decent enough price. Trev wants one now and I'm trying to find one for him.

CHEERS!

Is Trevor still actively working for any of the big companies? I really wish someone would produce his Firefly sculpts, since QMX dropped the ball.