T-series backorder and shipping SNAFU

[pipspeak]

Other people have noted this before but I was just amazed at how bad Lenovo's estimated ship dates for a T43 were, and indeed at the overall delivery SNAFU. It all ended in my favor but makes me wonder what's going on in Lenovo.

Odered T43 (266875U) last week and was quoted a three-week backorder, which was entirely expected. I also ordered extra RAM and that freebie Targus backpack thingy. Due to the backorder I changed my original 2-day shipping choice to the free ground shipping.

The estimated ship dates changed daily (hey, they're only estimates) but a few days ago I noticed my order had been split into three parts. RAM shipped on the 11th from HK. Then on the 12th, and despite an estimated ship date of late August, the T43 shipped. Apparently it came from the same place as the RAM. Moreover, both were shipped 2-day express. Now that's what I call a SNAFU. Wrong shipping, wrong ship date, and needlessly split into two shipments.

Even more amusing is that out of all the parts I ordered, the lowly Targus backpack is the one with a two-week backorder and will be last to get to me according to a rep I talked to today. I wonder if they'll ship that 2-day as well??!

So to anyone quoted a big backorder for a T43... just keep checking your order status. You might be pleasantly surprised.

[rxl77]

Yup... it's typical for companies to overestimate their shipping/lead times so that when the product ships earlier, the customer's satisfactoin increases. happened with my T43 too!

[Tonic]

I ordered my T43 on Sunday, received it this afternoon with standard shipping. But the bag is still in process not shipped.

[kaplanfx]

Everything is shipped "2-day" as international shipping only comes in that kind. Kinda tought to ship something "ground" across the Pacific

-kaplanfx

P.S. My laptop came almost a month before the estimated ship date, seems to be the case for many. My guess is the shipping estimation system is b0rked.

[pipspeak]

Everything is shipped "2-day" as international shipping only comes in that kind. Kinda tought to ship something "ground" across the Pacific

But that begs the question... what good is it to pay $50 for the "official" 2-day shipping?

[tehsoul]

man, i'm getting frustrated... first my reseller told that it was going to take three weeks for my t43p to arrive, and now they say "probably the earliest that they will be available is mid-september" (they placed the order with ibm/lenovo on july 18th). that's two friggin months! :(:(

same thing happened with my r50p last year... ordered begin of september, received end of november

[rockyp]

But that begs the question... what good is it to pay $50 for the "official" 2-day shipping?

I think the difference goes into effect once it clears customs in Louisville, Kentucky. My machine was stuck there for five days! While it's being warehoused waiting for clearance, UPS will show the shipment as EXCEPTION instead of IN TRANSIT. When I tracked it this week, my shipment took one day to get from HK to Louisville, where it was warehoused for 5 days, and then only 5 hours and 27 minutes to get to my front door.

[GomJabbar]

man, i'm getting frustrated... first my reseller told that it was going to take three weeks for my t43p to arrive, and now they say "probably the earliest that they will be available is mid-september" (they placed the order with ibm/lenovo on july 18th). that's two friggin months! :(:(

same thing happened with my r50p last year... ordered begin of september, received end of november

I may be wrong but I imagine you got caught up in the student rush. All these college bound high school grads getting their new laptop for school.

But as you've probably noticed if you follow this forum, shipping dates have to be taken with a grain of salt. Keep your fingers crossed, you may yet get it this month!

[tehsoul]

i'll keep my fingers crossed

what's funny is that my reseller doesnt even have a tracking number or whatever to track the progress of my order

[andyli]

I am in the same situtation... purchased a CTO through a reseller. They just told me that they are having a long delay from IBM/Lenovo and hope to get them on Wednesday...

We'll see.

(The worst part is the reseller told me they had them already, so there was no wait time, and they already fully charged my credit card).

[pipspeak]

I think the difference goes into effect once it clears customs in Louisville, Kentucky. My machine was stuck there for five days! While it's being warehoused waiting for clearance, UPS will show the shipment as EXCEPTION instead of IN TRANSIT. When I tracked it this week, my shipment took one day to get from HK to Louisville, where it was warehoused for 5 days, and then only 5 hours and 27 minutes to get to my front door.

Uh oh... my T43 went straight from HK to KY. It did, however, already clear customs, which I suppose is a plus.

My stick of memory is another story. It's already in my area after two days and will probably be delivered on Monday but seemed to go around the world first. Check this out -- two visits to Alaska, only to go back to Korea and then straight to California? That's a lot of jet fuel to get 0.40KG to my door

Aug 13, 2005
4:21 A.M. OAKLAND, CA, US ARRIVAL SCAN
3:23 A.M. ONTARIO, CA, US DEPARTURE SCAN
12:31 A.M. ONTARIO, CA, US IMPORT SCAN
Aug 12, 2005
11:11 P.M. ONTARIO, CA, US ARRIVAL SCAN
9:55 P.M. INCHEON, KR DEPARTURE SCAN
9:55 P.M. INCHEON, KR DEPARTURE SCAN
8:33 P.M. INCHEON, KR ARRIVAL SCAN
5:15 P.M. ANCHORAGE, AK, US DEPARTURE SCAN
5:15 P.M. ANCHORAGE, AK, US DEPARTURE SCAN
4:15 P.M. CHEK LAP KOK, HK DEPARTURE SCAN
2:55 P.M. KOWLOON BAY, HK PICKUP SCAN
12:58 P.M. ANCHORAGE, AK, US ARRIVAL SCAN
12:58 P.M. ANCHORAGE, AK, US ARRIVAL SCAN
4:33 A.M. HK BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

[kaplanfx]

Nah it didn't go back, its just because HK is on the other side of the international date line and they post times local to the delivery rather than local to the point of delivery so you are getting confused between Hong Kong time and Alaska time (which is nearly a full day earlier). Either that or your package fell in a Hawking Hole and went back in time

-kaplanfx