It has been 25 days now since I ordered my board, and still nothing. Also, why won’t support return my emails?
Hey,
Could I get your order number? We generally return emails right away - perhaps it got caught in a spam filter somewhere…
You can email me at dcarne at this domain.
Anyhow - If I can get your order # I can see whats up.
Cheers,
–David Carne
I just got eamiled back, but my order # is 3075
Hi,
I’ve just checked our records, and your package was shipped out on the 5th via USPS priority.
According to the schedule that batchpcb states, we’re right on time with your order [~19 days from order placement to shipment from our location].
All delivery times that we quote for shipping are quoted by USPS [we query their servers on order placement]. Theres nothing we can really do to make them ship faster if they exceed their ship time estimate.
Cheers,
–David Carne
USPS only says they received the electronic info. I just went to the USPS Shrewsbury distribution center (NOT a post office) and they said they haven’t physically received the package. I had 234 more PCB’s to make, but seeing as the poor quality of Batch PCB, I will not order them here, and most likely ever again. You might also wish to specify whether or not you count weekends or not in your “19 days”. This is possibly the worst service I have ever seen.
I forgot to mention, I contacted the Better Business Bureau about BatchPCB.
LOL!!InitialDriveGTR:
I forgot to mention, I contacted the Better Business Bureau about BatchPCB.
You take the short bus to school, don’t you.
I drive.
Lets all be mature here.
We’ve contacted our local post office, and we’ve gotten several different answers. One gentleman claimed they had record of receipt of the package, while another claimed that for this kind of package, they’re generally not scanned on acceptance, which is why it still says electronic delivery information only.
Re: the 19 days; On our website, that is 19 days from when we receive the order, to when we ship the order. We were precisely on time at our shipment time, at 19 days including weekends.
We don’t know whats going on with USPS regarding delivery of the package. Maybe you should file a BBB complaint against them ;).
Cheers,
–David Carne
I have received a number of USPS packages (from different vendors) where the only status EVER was that they were notified electronically of a shipment. Updating the package status does not seem to be a priority for the post office. Fortunately, they do get the packages delivered in a reasonable period of time.
As far as the turn around time goes with BatchPCB, the times are well documented so I can make an informed choice whether or not BatchPCB is the right choice for my project. BatchPCB is a prototyping service that is willing to work with hobbiests even though we can be a pain sometimes (speaking only of myself). I’m willing to trade turn time for price and the fact that they will process my small order.
I suspect that the oversight and processing overhead for BatchPCB is more significant than we imagine. I’m grateful that they still offer the service and that they don’t tell everyone that it isn’t worth the bother and please go away.
I personally don’t use BatchPCB for several reasons but I think you are WAY off base. It is well known that the service is slow and there isn’t a lot of status along the way. These are well documented and if you did ANY due diligence before spending your money, your expectations would have been properly set.
If you are making 234 more boards, why in h*ll are you using BatchPCB? It isn’t a volume production service. You can get a much much much better price and much quicker turn-around by getting a panel done. I would do my proto with the same folks that I do the final run. Your proto will cost more but in the end you will save money.
By the way, even though I don’t use BatchPCB, it is a valuable service for hobbyists of the world.
riden:
I have received a number of USPS packages (from different vendors) where the only status EVER was that they were notified electronically of a shipment. Updating the package status does not seem to be a priority for the post office. Fortunately, they do get the packages delivered in a reasonable period of time.
My point is I paid for 2-3 day shipping and that has not been fulfilled.
InitialDrive, you paid us for 2-3 day shipping, and then we paid USPS for 2-3 day shipping.
I wish we could make USPS deliver and/or find your package, but the USPS is something we have no control over. We have called them several times regarding this issue, and they have not been able to offer us any more information.
Cheers,
–David Carne
Oh well. I will see what I can do about canceling the BBB.
Greetings InitialDrive,InitialDriveGTR:
I had 234 more PCB’s to make, but seeing as the poor quality of Batch PCB, I will not order them here, and most likely ever again. You might also wish to specify whether or not you count weekends or not in your “19 days”. This is possibly the worst service I have ever seen.
Enough of the drama. You have been told by others that BatchPCB is a limited service for hobbyists interested in one or two low budget PCBs. From the limited info you have released you should have selected a different vendor for your project.
The BatchPCBs are of excellent quality (and replacements have been furnished without argument when one PCB was missing it’s silk screen).
Either way, unless you live in the same town as the PCB shop (BatchPCBs are fabbed in China…) you will have to accept the performance of the delivery service.
In my experience the last mile of the journey is the most difficult. Although I’m friendly and familiar with the postman (mail carrier), UPS and FedEx folks that pass our door, I 've had similar horror stories from each carrier (we live in a suburban tract but we are one of two house numbers on the block - easily missed by garbage collections and delivery vans).
In one case last winter (when Denver had heavy snowstorms) one of my finished PCBs was sent to the east coast, and took as many days to appear here as it did for the entire BatchPCB manufacturing cycle. (In other words, it was a 38 day turnaround).
Overall, and based on a sample size of one BatchPCB customer, I rank them: UPS, followed by USPS (eve though the on-line reporting is weak) and then FedEx. I rate FedEx Home dead last (green logo, not really part of “FedEx for adults”) as they have yet to get it right…
I’d be interested to hear how your BBB complaint against the USPS turns out - I wish I had your time and energy for that project.
Comments Welcome!
busonerd:
Lets all be mature here.
Pshhhhh… Where’s the fun in that?
riden:
I have received a number of USPS packages (from different vendors) where the only status EVER was that they were notified electronically of a shipment. Updating the package status does not seem to be a priority for the post office. Fortunately, they do get the packages delivered in a reasonable period of time.
I can back up this statement. When I ship things through the USPS, they almost never update the tracking info until after I have received the package.
And for that matter, UPS doesn’t update their tracking info 100% of the time either. On a couple of occasions I have received my package and the tracking status says “in transit” still.
UPDATE: when I said “they almost never update the tracking info” I was refering to the USPS. Perhaps their tracking system is getting better.
I’ve never ordered from BatchPCB, but I’m getting ready to in the next few months.
yzf600:
I can back up this statement. When I ship things through the USPS, they almost never update the tracking info until after I have received the package.And for that matter, UPS doesn’t update their tracking info 100% of the time either. On a couple of occasions I have received my package and the tracking status says “in transit” still.
Greetings yzf600,
Today I got a package from BatchPCB, here’s their log:
04/05/2007 Waiting Panelization
04/18/2007 Invoice Printed Order Invoice Printed
04/18/2007 Label Printed
04/19/2007 Shipped Shipping Confirmation Email Sent
The USPS tracking data log:
Delivered, April 21, 2007, 1:07 pm, CAMPBELL, CA 95008
Enroute, April 21, 2007, 9:01 am, CAMPBELL, CA 95008
Electronic Shipping Info Received, April 18, 2007
The USPS service is getting better, but for a normal delivery it provides little or no advanced info about the actual delivery ahead of time. (For an abnormal delivery the data might be helpful to expedite a losted package).
Kudos to BatchPCB, that just 14 calendar days (10 biz days) from start to finish!
Time to gather an eye loupe, tweezers, and warm up the Metcal…
Comments Welcome!