hiker01 Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 Just wondering if any member have had any issues with US Customs??? I have 5 watches setting in Chicago customs for two weeks..... I advice the TD to split, but said he knows how to deal with customs, so he shipped in one package via EMS. Thanks for any info! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 "I advice the TD to split, but said he knows how to deal with customs, so he shipped in one package via EMS." Don't worry, in that case the onus is on the td. Be patient Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbh Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 I was going to reply that Chicago is getting real bad on reps. And that was before I even read your post. I've heard several guys on the different forums complaining about losing their reps in Chicago just lately. Good luck with this and keep us posted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezio Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 I was going to reply that Chicago is getting real bad on reps. And that was before I even read your post. I've heard several guys on the different forums complaining about losing their reps in Chicago just lately. Good luck with this and keep us posted. Yep seen it too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiker01 Posted January 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 aaaargggggh! Still crossing my fingers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
508-Fanatic Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 I would venture anything over 2-3 in a shipment is going to get pulled in a major city Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigelow Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 I was going to reply that Chicago is getting real bad on reps. And that was before I even read your post. I've heard several guys on the different forums complaining about losing their reps in Chicago just lately. Good luck with this and keep us posted. Bummer. I was thinking of ordering my first from a TD. Oh, well. Good excuse to start another franken. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 Probably the luck of the draw, but I would say sending 4-5 in one package is a big risk. like kbh said, several folks on different forums have had watches seized going through Chicago. Who knows why they are cracking down there? This could be a temporary thing, or it could be a sign of what's to come everywhere. Hopefully, this is just a passing fad sort of thing, and they will move on to something else in a few weeks. What is pretty weird, is no matter where you live in the CONUS, there is no predictability as to what POE a package from China will come through. I suppose when they send packages from China, when they get to the airport sorting center, they are put on the first available flight, no matter what the final destination. So you may get one package that goes through San Francisco, the next one may be Chicago, the next Dallas, and so on. Depends on what flight your package gets on and where it's going. Just get it to the USA and let the USPS sort it out from there!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcardoza Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 Probably not 100% random, but to some lesser degree. Seems that to me, here in the Notheast, most come in through NY, and I've seen a few route through Chicago. None west of there so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rek001 Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 I live in Chicago, have a Nautilus chrono coming my way from InTime Ryan, hasn't hit US yet. Been collecting reps for over 10 years now, this is really the first time I'm worried. I'm starting to think more about M2M sales, never gone that route before. Curious, if one puts a watch inside a metal statue, can customs x-rays detect it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hyjynx Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 A 5-rep package cooling its heels in customs for 2 weeks portends bad news, compadre. There's been a rash of rep seizures at the Chicago ISP lately, which will almost certainly spread to other ports of entry when words of "success" reverberate around the country. Contrary to what has been suggested, the POE is not random. It is predetermined at the POO (point of origin). What is random is which packages get pulled for inspection and what X-Rays reveals will heighten the level of scrutiny. We all pretty much know which areas of China most reps ship from and so do the customs people, I'm sure. It's a wonder most of our stuff make it through. I guess they've been doing "wink, nod, look the other way" until now. These are troubling times in repdom, friends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cc33 Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 "Curious, if one puts a watch inside a metal statue, can customs x-rays detect it?" Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omegex Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 Curious, if one puts a watch inside a metal statue, can customs x-rays detect it?Probably not if the statue is made of lead. But then a lead statue might be subject to closer scrutiny anyway............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezio Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 A 5-rep package cooling its heels in customs for 2 weeks portends bad news, compadre. There's been a rash of rep seizures at the Chicago ISP lately, which will almost certainly spread to other ports of entry when words of "success" reverberate around the country. Contrary to what has been suggested, the POE is not random. It is predetermined at the POO (point of origin). What is random is which packages get pulled for inspection and what X-Rays reveals will heighten the level of scrutiny. We all pretty much know which areas of China most reps ship from and so do the customs people, I'm sure. It's a wonder most of our stuff make it through. I guess they've been doing "wink, nod, look the other way" until now. These are troubling times in repdom, friends. Yep Welcome to customs problems In EU nothing makes it without transhipping i just love The help i get sometimes from some great members here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 I live in the South, I get stuff clearing through NY, San Francisco, and a couple years ago through Anchorage. When I send packages overseas, no matter where they are heading, they go out of Miami. Strangely, nothing ever enters through Miami. As was said above, I believe that where the package originates is more important than where it lands. Chicago may be the "bad boy" right now, but that could shift at any moment to any or every customs facility. The customs service is well aware that most of the counterfeit trade is centered around Guangzhou, so it would stand to reason that parcels from there would get more scrutiny. Now that we are in the post Christmas lull, less freight is coming through customs, which probably allows closer looks at things that they deem suspicious. If it weren't for the sheer volume of freight, plus more emphasis on intercepting dangerous goods like drugs, weapons and higher profile items, we would be looking at a lot more interceptions. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emceekay Posted January 18, 2015 Report Share Posted January 18, 2015 I had one disappear into the black hole of Chicago customs for a couple weeks. Then one day it was sent merrily on it's way. I would guess you would hear something if it were confiscated. So, no news is good news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panerai153 Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 I had one disappear into the black hole of Chicago customs for a couple weeks. Then one day it was sent merrily on it's way. I would guess you would hear something if it were confiscated. So, no news is good news!No doubt if it get's confiscated, you will get a letter. May take a couple of weeks, but the letter will show up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiker01 Posted January 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Still have my fingers crossed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rek001 Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 Fingers crossed for you too, hiker. Now cross yours for me, my watch left dealer on the 17th, no new updates yet. I'm in Chicago. This is nerve wracking. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachcomber Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I still don't know how they can tell a highly modded rep from a gen, I wonder how many gens get nicked every year by thieving customs agents. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcardoza Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 A Rolex shipped from China with paperwork stating "toy" or "toy watch", with no insurance, might just give it away.... I still don't know how they can tell a highly modded rep from a gen, I wonder how many gens get nicked every year by thieving customs agents. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beachcomber Posted January 20, 2015 Report Share Posted January 20, 2015 I guess on that case yes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rek001 Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Update: my watch cleared Chicago Customs yesterday, thank you sweet Jesus. Complete luck of the draw, it was only one watch, a Nautilus. I thought maybe because it's somewhat obscure but a Richard Mille got snagged recently. Anyway, I'm relieved. Question is, how to proceed from here? There's a few more watches I'd like to acquire. Talk to TD about Customs before ordering? Maybe they won't want to sell to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pcardoza Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 I cannot imagine US Customs is going to be digging into small package shipments, other than on a very random and small scale. They are already overwhelmed trying to keep up with container sized shipments entering the USA. They simply cannot do it. I just ordered a piece from Ryan yesterday and will report in once it ships. I would not hesitate to order, but limit a single order to 1 or 2 pieces. If they get seized, the TD will reship, once you have provided proof of the seizure..... Update: my watch cleared Chicago Customs yesterday, thank you sweet Jesus. Complete luck of the draw, it was only one watch, a Nautilus. I thought maybe because it's somewhat obscure but a Richard Mille got snagged recently. Anyway, I'm relieved. Question is, how to proceed from here? There's a few more watches I'd like to acquire. Talk to TD about Customs before ordering? Maybe they won't want to sell to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KB Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Ok the facts are that for 7 years I never had a problem shipping to the USA, in the last year (and mainly the last part) there has been a few stoppages so to some point there is a clamp down. That said the vast majority still go through but what is taking a little of the randomness out of it is that they seem to be increasing processing times. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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