LTT Store said commuter backpack shipped Jan 29th but tracking shows no updates

Kevinjr12 · February 7

I ordered a commuter backpack, and got an email saying that it was Shipped and "On the way" over a week ago on Jan 29th. The tracking number has only ever showed UPS info indicating UPS doesn't have possession of the package. Now I am wondering if my order is actually still delayed due to that new update that was just communicated by the LTT Store regarding the tariffs. I understand a lot of these delays are out of their control, but the communication has just been very poor. The entire experience unfortunately presents the organization as very unprofessional or amateur. The whole "trust me bro" incident also doesn't really inspire confidence in the LTT Store either. It would be good to know if my package has actually shipped or is still delayed. It would be kind of crazy to get a shipping notification over a week ago, to only then be told it is actually still delayed, meaning it actually wasn't shipped.

SansVarnic · February 7

7 minutes ago, Kevinjr12 said:

I ordered a commuter backpack, and got an email saying that it was Shipped and "On the way" over a week ago on Jan 29th. The tracking number has only ever showed UPS info indicating UPS doesn't have possession of the package. Now I am wondering if my order is actually still delayed due to that new update that was just communicated by the LTT Store regarding the tariffs. I understand a lot of these delays are out of their control, but the communication has just been very poor. The entire experience unfortunately presents the organization as very unprofessional or amateur. The whole "trust me bro" incident also doesn't really inspire confidence in the LTT Store either. It would be good to know if my package has actually shipped or is still delayed. It would be kind of crazy to get a shipping notification over a week ago, to only then be told it is actually still delayed, meaning it actually wasn't shipped.

Your best bet is to contact the store support.

That said, it is not uncommon for shippers to not update for a few days. Once an item is handed over to the shipper LTT no longer has control of the shipment, the shipper does.

Trust me bro was a short-lived thing and doesn't apply here. Tariffs thing as no application here. Please don't base this on hyperbole or bad faith arguments.

Edited February 7 by SansVarnic

labmixz · February 7

Creator Warehouse / LTT has always been known to send tracking numbers for usually a week before they actually get into the hands of the shipping company. This has even been discussed when they secret shopped themselves. Personally, I get it, but it also sucks in the way LTT/CW does it, I could understand a few days out, but not a few weeks out. My personal experience has been, at times, there will be a 1-2 week lead time before they hand it over to the shipper (in one occasion, of in-stock items, it took around 3 weeks). I've just kind of learned to realize it'll come when it comes.

With that being said, I've bought a little bit from LTT and enjoy everything I've bought. I purchased the commuter backpack within a few seconds of the livestream with the YouTube discount. So, I've been waiting a bit, getting an email today blaming tariffs (which to my knowledge never went in effect) it was a long sigh and eye roll. Especially because I could understand if this was being sent by USPS, as USPS did start holding packages incoming from China (not Canada or Mexico to my knowledge), yet, this is coming through UPS. UPS clearly states that "UPS doesn't have possession of the package yet", I'm not sure the logistics between LTT/CW handing off the packages to UPS, but this doesn't sound like a "tariff" related delay, but again, I don't know the logistics.

As I stated, I got the email and literally sighed and eye rolled, because I almost forgot about ordering this (for a second time). Stating it was related to tariffs, which never went into effect (from everything the news states in the US), it really seems like more of a cop-out excuse for unintended delays. I figure I'll probably forget about it again and it'll show up one day, hopefully?

I will add that during the holidays, I bought a desk mat and it was the fastest shipping I've ever seen from CW/LTT. Way better than the holidays the previous year.

Edit: I do realize that LTT/CW outsources it's manufacturing to China, which could be the hold up and the whole "tariff" excuse. As there is a very complicated way that customs works in the US, which Hank Green spoke to in length on one of his YouTube channels.

Edit 2: I just remembered that the title of the video which Hank Green talked about shipping in carrot onesies and the 'joy' he had with US Customs on that was something like "this video will be deleted in 20 hours". Which, I guess he did delete in 20 hours, lol.

tl;dr - we'll get it when we get it... current status is, it sucks waiting.

Donut417 · February 7

40 minutes ago, labmixz said:

do realize that LTT/CW outsources it's manufacturing to China, which could be the hold up and the whole "tariff" excuse.

Not just China. China is getting a 10% Tariff, Both Mexico and Canada were getting 25% tariffs. Mexico's Tariffs have been postponed for at least a month. They might be able to get out of them, basically they are being pressured over the border issues. Im not sure what going on with Canada. Tariffs went in to effect on the 1st if I recall correctly.

labmixz · February 7

13 minutes ago, Donut417 said:

Not just China. China is getting a 10% Tariff, Both Mexico and Canada were getting 25% tariffs. Mexico's Tariffs have been postponed for at least a month. They might be able to get out of them, basically they are being pressured over the border issues. Im not sure what going on with Canada. Tariffs went in to effect on the 1st if I recall correctly.

None of the tariffs for Mexico or Canada went into effect (yet), they are on a 30 day pause. The only tariff that went into effect is a 10% on goods from China, but it was a rather lengthy awkward list of things. There is some weird customs stuff when importing directly to the US that was brought up in the video Hank Green did, but I'm not sure how that would work on something that got imported to Canada prior to any additional tariffs on China, then being brought into the US. Assuming that's what LTT/CW is doing (based on previous LTT videos about CW operations, this is what I assume happens), it's my (lack of) understanding how something can have a tariff applied to it if it was already in the country prior to any additional tariffs being applied.

This sounds more like LTT/CW never really got the shipments out in a timely manor from when they gave everyone a tracking number and now because US Customs sees the "Made in China" tag / country of origin, they are holding things to determine if they need to apply an additional 10% to it. Which since those who already paid for their items kind of sucks for LTT/CW, if they have to pay 10% more.

Donut417 · February 7

11 minutes ago, labmixz said:

None of the tariffs for Mexico or Canada went into effect (yet), they are on a 30 day pause. The only tariff that went into effect is a 10% on goods from China, but it was a rather lengthy awkward list of things. There is some weird customs stuff when importing directly to the US that was brought up in the video Hank Green did, but I'm not sure how that would work on something that got imported to Canada prior to any additional tariffs on China, then being brought into the US. Assuming that's what LTT/CW is doing (based on previous LTT videos about CW operations, this is what I assume happens), it's my (lack of) understanding how something can have a tariff applied to it if it was already in the country prior to any additional tariffs being applied.

This sounds more like LTT/CW never really got the shipments out in a timely manor from when they gave everyone a tracking number and now because US Customs sees the "Made in China" tag / country of origin, they are holding things to determine if they need to apply an additional 10% to it. Which since those who already paid for their items kind of sucks for LTT/CW, if they have to pay 10% more.

I do know for a fact the commercial invoice for the export papers will have the country of origin for each product. The company I work for ships a lot of stuff to Canada. Though Im not sure if they will apply the 10% tariff or not, based on the country of origin.

LogicalDrm · February 7

4 hours ago, Kevinjr12 said:

Now I am wondering if my order is actually still delayed due to that new update that was just communicated by the LTT Store regarding the tariffs. I understand a lot of these delays are out of their control, but the communication has just been very poor. The entire experience unfortunately presents the organization as very unprofessional or amateur.

This is very likely the case. Though I'm unsure why you complain about bad communication since you've received information about why there might be additional delays with shipping? It's impossible to foresee delays like these so communications are made with facts, not with assumptions.