New T61 - Customs?

Apparently my new T61 just went through a bit a strangeness. I got an email It was shipped on the 22nd, two packages, and the tracking shows this:

LOUISVILLE,
KY, US 02/24/2008 11:07 A.M. IMPORT SCAN
02/24/2008 9:19 A.M. THIS SHIPMENT IS WAREHOUSED UNTIL IT IS RELEASED BY CLEARING AGENCY
02/24/2008 6:26 A.M. IMPORT SCAN
ANCHORAGE,
AK, US 02/23/2008 4:19 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
02/23/2008 3:58 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
LOUISVILLE,
KY, US 02/23/2008 2:01 P.M. THE SHIPMENT IS BEING HELD BY BROKERAGE FOR REASONS BEYOND UPS' CONTROL
INCHEON,
KR 02/24/2008 1:18 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
INCHEON,
KR 02/23/2008 11:41 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
CHEK LAP KOK,
HK 02/23/2008 7:44 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
02/23/2008 4:08 P.M. EXPORT SCAN
02/23/2008 4:07 P.M. ORIGIN SCAN
HK 02/23/2008 11:01 P.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

Tracking results provided by UPS: 02/24/2008 6:46 P.M. ET
------------------------------------------------------------------

After the last import scan in Louisville it now shows 'in transit', whereas it showed 'exception' before. I called UPS yesterday and they said Customs pulled it and UPS should get it back when Customs releases it, that it was probably a random check.

Anyone know what that's all about? Apparently it was sidetracked to Anchorage and then back to Louisville, now maybe UPS has it again. Is any of this likely to have anything to do with the integrity and treatment of my new notebook you think?

Quinn

 

Don't worry about it. You'll get it tomorrow. Mine was like that last week, but worst. Went to Louisville and back to Korea, and back, etc. But With Lenovo ground shipping, they tends to make the shipment express. So, you should get it back tomorrow or lastest Tuesday, no doubt.

 

Well, that's encouraging. Any signs of mistreatment at all?

Thanks... Quinn

 

I highly doubt Customs will even open it. They'll probably have it run through an x-ray and then release it back to UPS.

 

It's factory sealed when I got mine. It's something to do with the FCC stuff. That's why custom have to scan it.

 

Got my T61 earlier this month, shipped on 2/2 arrived 2/5. My tracking showed the same info about customs and brokerage, but everything went smoothly and the UPS driver dropped it off save and sound.

Be aware, you will have to sign for the package. It is shipped signature required.

Enjoy!!

 

I appreciate all the responses, I didn't realize it was such an apparently normal thing. I won't be concerned about it any longer... just look forward to getting it. I'll make sure to be around when it's delivered.

Thanks... Quinn

 

Yes, have no concern, my T61 went through the same shipping process. When in the US (Tenn.) then, back to Anchorage, then back in the US, then went through customs, etc. All in all, I got my computer VERY quickly with NO signs of the box being opened. Have no fear, you will get your new T61 shortly

 

Same thing here. When I saw it went to Alaska I said what the hell? But box got to me in 2 days and in perfect shape, sealed, very impressed with Lenovo so far. When I told my friend that it went to Alaska, he said that an Eskimo was playing with it

 

I'm waiting for a new T61 also, and based on that "Import Scan" time, I think mine is in the same batch as yours. In addition, I have that same Kentucky --> Korea --> Alaska --> Kentucky pattern.

I ordered 2-Day shipping, and I called UPS and they said that it was supposed to be delivered today by 10:30 a.m., but they also said that they don't have information beyond the "Import Scan" and so it is likely delayed. Hopefully you're having better luck Quinn.

 

As an update, I've now got an expected delivery time of tomorrow, with this tracking information: "BROKERAGE RELEASED SHIPMENT. SHIPMENT IS SUBMITTED TO CLEARING AGENCY FOR FURTHER CLEARANCE."

 

I got the same message before I got mine. Don't panic! Everything is fine, you will get you machine just fine. Just make sure you are home to sign for it. I called UPS and they say Lenovo is very particular about the packages. You must sign for it, they cannot leave it. Or you can do as I did and just pick up the package at the local UPS warehouse. I was also worried about this message, but it was for nothing. My machine came to me in the exact time they said.

 

haha, mine is in the same batch as yours

 

I think there are a number of folks on the forum waiting on the same shipment. I called UPS today just to find out more as mine showed being warehoused for clearance with an exception after hitting Louisville again and showing 'in transit'. She explained a little more.

Apparently the Alaska thing is a paperwork deal (the brokerage part), and the total shipment is held together somewhere until the paperwork is done and multiple packages to one recipient have the paperwork together (she said there are 410 total units in the shipment with mine). After all that, they're scanned and multiple packages on one order put together and released back to UPS for distribution. So I guess 410 separate packages have been setting in one place waiting for all the paperwork, then scan and release. Mine shows 2 packages, so based on that it may involve 200 or so Lenovo notebooks.

Quinn

 

That's really funky.

Here's mine so far:

ANCHORAGE,
AK, US 02/26/2008 6:13 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
02/26/2008 12:48 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
GUANGZHOU,
CN 02/26/2008 8:38 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
GUANGZHOU,
CN 02/25/2008 7:16 P.M. EXPORT SCAN
02/25/2008 7:15 P.M. HUB SCAN
SHENZHEN,
CN 02/25/2008 3:18 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
02/25/2008 4:01 A.M. ORIGIN SCAN
CN 02/25/2008 7:17 P.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

This looks more like what I'd expect. It makes sense to go to Anchorage as the first stopping point, but to divert backwards from Louisville to Anchorage sounds nuts.

Mine first listed an arrival date of 2/29, but has showed "In Transit" since it left China. We'll see. I think it's probably more likely to arrive Monday rather than Friday, but I'd love to have the weekend to play with it.

 

I too have a customized T61 with a delivery date of next Tues. 03/25/08. The UPS tracking now doesn't show an estimated arrival date like it did at the beginning. It's been sitting in Anchorage for 2 days.

I was somewhat reassured by reading the posts about notebooks arriving reasonably on time. I attached my UPS tracking page if anyone is interested. I sure hope I see some movement tonight. I bought a monitor from IBM years ago that stayed in the same place for days. I finally found out it had broken thru it's box and therefore became an "exception", but I didn't learn about it for 10 days or more. UPS repacked in a different box it and sent it on, but it was damaged. I returned it using just the packaging provided and it disappeared off the UPS grid entirely. It never was found, so I'm kind of gunshy.

I'll post again when it arrives.

Renne

 

Still stuck in Alaska on 03/23 - That's 3 days so far. I finally gave in and called Lenovo this morning - the guy said I had to wait another 48 hours before they would look into it with UPS. It has to go 5 days without a scan for them to put a trace on it as a missing shipment.

I tried tracking at around 2:00 PM today and there it was in Louisville! The UPS tracking said it's on time for delivery tomorrow. What a relief.


Renne