HLJ - parcel didn´t arrive after 3 months - your experience??

[sportracer02]

Hi guys,

I have a problem with hlj and their delivery-"service".

At the end of November 2006 a friend ordered for some other modelers and me five Fujimi VW Golf 1 kits. In January (after 2 months) he wrote a mail to hlj telling them that the kits did not arrive yet. Hlj replied, that they won´t do any research until 3 months have passed.

Now he wrote again - as the kits still didn´t arrive - and again there is no acting at hlj.
He got the advice to ask at the local post office for the parcel and to contact his neighbours, if the postman has delivered the parcel to them because he wasn´t at home.

Well after 3 months I guess it is impossible to trace the parcel. I don´t understand why hlj reacts earlier when they get aware of delivery problems.

So - anybody who had similar problems?

Thanks

[MPWR]

Last time I had this happen- probably around Nov, I had ordered a set of wheels and they hadn't come in more than two months. I was about to totally write them off, and HLJ too. Then, when I was good an pissed off about it, in my mailbox appeared a card from the post office, saying "final notice- if you do not pick up your package in the next two days it will be returned to sender". The @sshole mailcarrier who was supposed to have just left the box at the front door, didn't. It had been sitting at the post office for weeks, and they simply didn't bother to A. try to deliver it, or B. notify me.

I just recieved last week another parcel that I had been waiting 3 months for from Poland. I had long since given up hope on it. But again, it was the fault of my domestic mail service....

On the other hand, my experinces with HLJ's customer service have been excellent. They have bent over backwards multiple times to make things right for me. I'm certainly impressed enough to continue doing business with them.

[sjelic]

Hi Micha,

I had same problem, same advices but I was boring and they resend it at the end.

[auw12]

I've got same experience before, just believe that, HLJ is good, excellent, the postoffice is always the asshole.

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by auw12

I've got same experience before, just believe that, HLJ is good, excellent, the postoffice is always the asshole.

Mmm i wouldn't say "always", I don't know for you but my mailman is reliable !
(even if french post services aren't probably better than any others I suppose)


And concerning HLJ they really have some troubles in these times, even if they only half admit it.

Their ordering and treatment processes take longer than ever, they have some stock problems and informations problems etc...

My very recent example:

I ordered several items, some in stock, some not.
24 hours later, nothing was in stock ! normal, 24h is the computering process time.

but waiting one month to see some of my items released, only half were (even half of a same ref)... not very cool.

They prepare package with that ask payment (I procsess) and then I ordered some new items (not in stock to let time to first half not stock to enter the stock) not to pay big shipping fees for a small order.

result: this new order is also cut in half ! not very cool at all !

moreover the first sending process took till more than 10 days for finally a blocked sending (for which I git no information or invoice) because of... (would you guess it ?) NO STOCK ITEMS after paying process ??!!??

final result: first order cut, complement also cut (and some items of first order still not in stock), and finally all missing items suddenly put together in the second package except one decal, all that in 24 hours from sudden stock entering to process !

that finally cost me 2 big packages and one letter (the last decal missing) instead of the small package I usually order one by one and moreover some bordery custom fees !!
3 months after first order I finally received the first package 2 days ago...
still waiting for the rest... (19 days to arrive for first sending, second is 16 days waiting for today, letter I guess 6/7 days)

I am really disapointed with this service, but in a way I am also responsible as i added items to make grouped purchased... and am finally victim of their process system, but it is what it is, I knew that before ordering even if they really have unexpected troubles to stock, restock and process items while they are planing to move in a new big warehouse...

that said, it's my first "bad" (not completely good is better) experience with HLJ.

Micha,
What I can say if they informed you the package was sent 3 months ago is to check at your local post office if they have a track of the package inside their services or not.
if not then inform HLJ package never arrived till your local post office...
maybe HLJ could track their sending...?


Phil

[ZoomZoomMX-5]

I've cut back a lot on HLJ; unless they are preorders. Their "in stock" system is a joke as it's always behind, without their system being real-time you are never sure if something is in stock when you order it, even if it says it is. They do NOT partially fill orders; if there is but ONE item that isn't in stock, they don't fill ANYTHING unless you use the "ship all available and wait for the others". So if you are waiting for everything to miraculously be in stock all at once, you are going to have multiple shipments and pay that extra shipping. You have to know dealing w/HLJ to keep your orders as simple as possible, or you will be disappointed. Making extra orders and thinking everything will be shipped together is just a pipe dream. I think they've grown too large to be good at customer service when it comes to their stock situation and expedited shipping; they make it clear by their vague policies they want as little or no contact w/a customer after an order; we are at their mercy to make decisions when it comes time for someone to physically fill the order or to ever have an accurate idea when they expect a restock on something. Because shipping overseas is so expensive, we as customers want to pay as little as possible for shipping, and the way HLJ fills orders seems to only work well for the postal system to make more money.

I've been lucky; I've ordered stuff that was "in stock" only to have to wait for them to restock because by the time they process my order things all of a sudden were not in stock, but lately it takes them a week to process an order and get it shipped when things are in stock. They are not efficient at all

I really don't know why they make life so hard for customers. With their success they should have a real-time ordering system so you know exactly if there is something in stock when you add it to your cart. And they should damned well be able to ship something no more than 2 business days after the order is placed when the items are in stock.

[klutz_100]

My limited experience with HLJ has been good so far but my experience with MMHobby has been EXCELLENT!!

[petesy]

My pre-ordered items ended up being backordered. I now only order things from HLJ that are not in stock by Rainbow Ten.

[bhop73]

I used to use HLJ for all my orders from Japan, but I also got tired of waiting forever to get my packages. I recently used Rainbow Ten and I tell you, I won't use anyone else. The order was confirmed the next day and shipped the day after and arrived at my apt. from Japan to Los Angeles in one week.

I have heard from a good source that HLJ fills large corporate orders before they deal with the little guys, and that's one reason it takes so long and why things go out of stock fast...and another reason i'm glad R10 is around.

[sportracer02]

Thanks for sharing your experiences and attitudes so far, I´ll talk to my modeler friend to decide what we´ll do next.

Originally Posted by rallymaster

What I can say if they informed you the package was sent 3 months ago is to check at your local post office if they have a track of the package inside their services or not.
if not then inform HLJ package never arrived till your local post office...
maybe HLJ could track their sending...?

Phil

Phil, as I know the kits were sent as a small parcel, so I doubt that there is any register number, you or the post can search for.

[Lusitano]

+1 on Rainbow Ten
I used to order from HLJ but I find R10 faster and more reliable and switched a long time ago.
Along with R10, HobbyEasy has been very "handy" and I have ordered a few times from them lately


Cheers,
Luis

[rallymaster]

Originally Posted by sportracer02

Thanks for sharing your experiences and attitudes so far, I´ll talk to my modeler friend to decide what we´ll do next.

Phil, as I know the kits were sent as a small parcel, so I doubt that there is any register number, you or the post can search for.

So you think that "small" parcel mostly means "poor" parcel than "not big parcel" ???

You're probably right, but that costs nothing to ask... stickers on parcel even small ones let me suppose there could be a way to track them because there is a number on it. (but tracking number...?? )

Or maybe with order number...?

That would be a pain if HLJ has no way to track their sendings... I suppose that most customers use SAL shipping.


Phil

[tonioseven]

I've kind of slowed down with HLJ; they're getting too big for their britches!!

[Murray Kish]

Uh-Oh...

I just ordered several items from them...Hope it works out....

Murray

[potsie]

The only time I have ever had a problem with getting an order from HLJ has been when ordering in Nov/Dec. I guess they must get caught by the Christmas rush - and I have had this experience both in the UK and Australia, so my guess is the Japanese end is not great. I also agree with other comments, in that I only ever order in stock items, or things I know are available from the manufacturer - for example you can cross check with Studio 27 on the availability of decals.

Also, they have re-shipped all my parcels that went missing. Sure, it may take a little while, but I guess they want to be 100% certain the parcel is lost before reshipping.