How long does it take to ship from China on average? How much cheaper
is it, again, on average? I was recently tempted to order something
from a chinese site but I ended up ordering from imperial tea court
because the prospect of 20+ day wait is just too scary for me. On
their shipping page they had airmail which was cheapest, the second
option I think was "surface" that was more expensive and the last
option was very expensive. Why is airmail cheaper than surface? What
are the pro's/con's? thx!

On Oct 5, 3:45 pm, wrote:
> How long does it take to ship from China on average? How much cheaper
> is it, again, on average? I was recently tempted to order something
> from a chinese site but I ended up ordering from imperial tea court
> because the prospect of 20+ day wait is just too scary for me. On
> their shipping page they had airmail which was cheapest, the second
> option I think was "surface" that was more expensive and the last
> option was very expensive. Why is airmail cheaper than surface? What
> are the pro's/con's? thx!

I don't think you get from China to Missouri by surface. Maybe by
tunnel? Toci

toci wrote:
> On Oct 5, 3:45 pm, wrote:
>> How long does it take to ship from China on average? How much cheaper
>> is it, again, on average? I was recently tempted to order something
>> from a chinese site but I ended up ordering from imperial tea court
>> because the prospect of 20+ day wait is just too scary for me. On
>> their shipping page they had airmail which was cheapest, the second
>> option I think was "surface" that was more expensive and the last
>> option was very expensive. Why is airmail cheaper than surface? What
>> are the pro's/con's? thx!
>
> I don't think you get from China to Missouri by surface. Maybe by
> tunnel? Toci
>
Boat.

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On Oct 5, 4:45 pm, wrote:
> How long does it take to ship from China on average? How much cheaper
> is it, again, on average? I was recently tempted to order something
> from a chinese site but I ended up ordering from imperial tea court
> because the prospect of 20+ day wait is just too scary for me. On
> their shipping page they had airmail which was cheapest, the second
> option I think was "surface" that was more expensive and the last
> option was very expensive. Why is airmail cheaper than surface? What
> are the pro's/con's? thx!

Yes, the prospect of 20-30 days is scary, however it is generally more
like 7-12 days on average. Go with the cheapest (airmail) option as
there is little difference in speed and if it gets stopped for
inspection it will be delayed no matter the cost or speed quoted.

I order numerous things (tea and otherwise) and for the most part it
is pretty non-eventful.

- Dominic
http://teasphere.wordpress.com

On Oct 5, 1:45 pm, wrote:
> How long does it take to ship from China on average? How much cheaper
> is it, again, on average? I was recently tempted to order something
> from a chinese site but I ended up ordering from imperial tea court
> because the prospect of 20+ day wait is just too scary for me. On
> their shipping page they had airmail which was cheapest, the second
> option I think was "surface" that was more expensive and the last
> option was very expensive. Why is airmail cheaper than surface? What
> are the pro's/con's? thx!

I'm in California and get a great deal of Chinese tea shipped from
Yunnan and Guangzhou.
Generally, depending on the method and the vendor, it takes two to
three weeks, although Teaspring seems to arrive quickly.
Most of the shipments are SAL. Jing's and Teaspring are registered
which seems to hurry things along.
Yunnan Sourcing and Dragon Tea House and several other eBay vendors
average 21 days to the west coast.
I am curious what vendor you are inquiring of since I've never seen
airmail to be the cheapest method.
Shen

On Oct 5, 7:21 pm, Shen > wrote:
> On Oct 5, 1:45 pm, wrote:
>
> > How long does it take to ship from China on average? How much cheaper
> > is it, again, on average? I was recently tempted to order something
> > from a chinese site but I ended up ordering from imperial tea court
> > because the prospect of 20+ day wait is just too scary for me. On
> > their shipping page they had airmail which was cheapest, the second
> > option I think was "surface" that was more expensive and the last
> > option was very expensive. Why is airmail cheaper than surface? What
> > are the pro's/con's? thx!
>
> I'm in California and get a great deal of Chinese tea shipped from
> Yunnan and Guangzhou.
> Generally, depending on the method and the vendor, it takes two to
> three weeks, although Teaspring seems to arrive quickly.
> Most of the shipments are SAL. Jing's and Teaspring are registered
> which seems to hurry things along.
> Yunnan Sourcing and Dragon Tea House and several other eBay vendors
> average 21 days to the west coast.
> I am curious what vendor you are inquiring of since I've never seen
> airmail to be the cheapest method.
> Shen

It was Jing's tea shop. It was something like about $7 airmail to NY,
$12 or $14 surface.

i think around 2-3 weeks

That is curious. It is another week to the midwest. They stll must
be using Pony Express for the US part of the trip. I think east coast
deliveries are still trans continental not trans atlantic.

Jim

PS Taiwan and HK are much faster even by Post.

Shen wrote:
> On Oct 5, 1:45 pm, wrote:
> > How long does it take to ship from China on average? >

> average 21 days to the west coast.

Space Cowboy > wrote in
ups.com:

> That is curious. It is another week to the midwest. They stll must
> be using Pony Express for the US part of the trip. I think east coast
> deliveries are still trans continental not trans atlantic.
>
> Jim
.....

"Curiouser and curiouser", because Kunming, Yunnan -> NYC was formerly was
21 to 36 days -- but now (the last two months or so) it's running around
14-21 days.

Formosa and HK have remained faster than this former speed.

Ozzy

What?! No "slow boat from China" remarks?

Last fall I kept going into Seven Cups here in Tucson to check on the
new teas. The shipment was tied up for inspection in Los Angeles for
many weeks. Their teas literally came on a slow boat from China.

Alan

On Oct 8, 4:52 pm, Alan > wrote:
> What?! No "slow boat from China" remarks?
>
> Last fall I kept going into Seven Cups here in Tucson to check on the
> new teas. The shipment was tied up for inspection in Los Angeles for
> many weeks. Their teas literally came on a slow boat from China.
>
> Alan

Yep. That's what I alluded to in my reply... if your package is a
"lucky" one be prepared for more like 20-30 days. It has no relation
to what shipment method you pay for either which is why I go for the
basic, cheapest rate unless I truly need it faster. Also when I
mention days I'm talking about business days so 7-10 days is like a
week and a half to two weeks in reality.

I've never found a rhyme or reason to any of my shipments that get
stopped. Sometimes it is a $4 LED flashlight, or a $20,000 router/
switch, or $50 of tea. I have the best luck when the shipper sends
things labeled as "gift."

- Dominic

On Oct 8, 1:52 pm, Alan > wrote:
> What?! No "slow boat from China" remarks?
>
> Last fall I kept going into Seven Cups here in Tucson to check on the
> new teas. The shipment was tied up for inspection in Los Angeles for
> many weeks. Their teas literally came on a slow boat from China.
>
> Alan

I've had several (well, four) packages from China torn apart and re-
wrapped with bright yellow tape and a lovely note from DHS. They also
seem intrigued by my small packages of malas from Dharmasala and
silver beads from Bali.
Slow day for inspectors, I presume.
But, I do get shipments to Berkeley and you know how dangerous we are/
were !
Shen

Shen > wrote in news:1191914563.732358.260390
@k79g2000hse.googlegroups.com:
....
> I've had several (well, four) packages from China torn apart and re-
> wrapped with bright yellow tape and a lovely note from DHS. They also
> seem intrigued by my small packages of malas from Dharmasala and
> silver beads from Bali.
> Slow day for inspectors, I presume.
> But, I do get shipments to Berkeley and you know how dangerous we are/
> were !
> Shen

When I started buying from YunnanSourcing, after a certain number of
packages from the mainland there came one which had, in English, something
rather like "Inspect -- All Clear" or words to that effect. No note and no
colored tape, and just that once.

But then, I have no connections with Berkeley, that radiclib revolutionary
hotbed. ;-))

Ozzy