TW is shipping fast out the door like they used to now but weather and covid is putting bumps in my road. Got a reel stuck somewhere and my local UPS terminal is shut from virus. Has to reroute now, never showed like supposed to, box of tackle as well. Oh well not like I don't have lures and rigs already. I'm just spoiled w/online buying as the selection and prices beat the only local game in the area, rural buying is a challenge compared to when I lived in the mid atlantic region where tackle shops were everywhere. OK rant over.......... it will come when it comes although I do like to see those packages arrive.

I've only been buying odds and ends in US, and then either Amazon stock or direct from maker (Z-man, Owner, etc.)  I did use up my TackleDirect points buying "free" lure boxes.  Finesse Bait Empire delivered Booyah micro for me.  

 

JDM buying has been so reliable on courier delivery, it's been my source for anything I could make it since this time last year.  Record delivery from Japan was 44 hours, and under 4 days is the norm.  

Quality lines, hooks and (salt) jigheads in sizes you can't find here.  Whenever I'm buying, take my time rounding out my cart with the odds and ends they have that I want.  

  

I noticed this past few weeks as well with all carriers, even Amazon.  I had a package from one state over that took 10 days UPS, another that I paid for 2 day shipping through Cabelas took a week to get shipped through Fed Ex and forget about USPS > 5 days to get priority within my own city of residence, it use to be next day or two days.  

 

The weirdest one is Amazon.  It usually takes 2 days with Prime but now who knows.  They have rescheduled or changed 3 of my orders in the past week.  I have seen drivers out as late as 11pm though.   Crazy times these are. 

 

Where I work though, we are constantly dealing with customer complaints about shipping times and delays even after it's left our warehouse.  If it's going to Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas or Mississippi (pretty much any where south), it's questionable as to when it will arrive.  Some ground shipping packages come up  automatically with "Delivery Date Pending" or "Unknown". 

 

I buy most stuff locally.  I live near a few Academy's, a BPS and a Cabela's, so there's not much I can't get locally, and it usually costs about the same.  

 

I'll make one or two big purchases online for tackle online for the stuff I can't get locally.  Even in the good times the shipping services near me are spotty at best.  Things get lost, slowed down, or delivered to the wrong address all of the time.  Plus I almost never receive a package that's not damaged, and frequently have to return stuff due to being damaged in shipping.  

55 minutes ago, FishTank said:

I noticed this past few weeks as well with all carriers, even Amazon.  I had a package from one state over that took 10 days UPS, another that I paid for 2 day shipping through Cabelas took a week to get shipped through Fed Ex and forget about USPS > 5 days to get priority within my own city of residence, it use to be next day or two days.  

 

The weirdest one is Amazon.  It usually takes 2 days with Prime but now who knows.  They have rescheduled or changed 3 of my orders in the past week.  I have seen drivers out as late as 11pm though.   Crazy times these are. 

 

Where I work though, we are constantly dealing with customer complaints about shipping times and delays even after it's left our warehouse.  If it's going to Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas or Mississippi (pretty much any where south), it's questionable as to when it will arrive.  Some ground shipping packages come up  automatically with "Delivery Date Pending" or "Unknown". 

 

when I purchase my 903C from amazon, it takes 14 days to deliver. it was horrible. I couldn't find or buy it online sites, I saw that on amazon and I got it, first they said 5 to 7 days but end up 14 days and I needed to go UPS once to confirm my address. Anyways I am glad it is done today and I am happy.

This is the first year that I have made a majority of my purchases online. It seems like the only baits available in stores are the house brands. The shipping has taken about 1 to 2 months depending on what I’m buying, so I’m ordering before I get down to the last bait in the bag. 

6 hours ago, ATA said:

when I purchase my 903C from amazon, it takes 14 days to deliver. it was horrible. I couldn't find or buy it online sites, I saw that on amazon and I got it, first they said 5 to 7 days but end up 14 days and I needed to go UPS once to confirm my address. Anyways I am glad it is done today and I am happy.

 

The confirm address is a mis-routed package they're trying to find its home.  

OK tackle showed up and reel is supposed to come Monday. Nothing is easy or as it should be these days ☹️

I don't buy a lot but everything I've needed I order from the nearby BPS for store pickup, or Amazon.

Tracking down a kayak locally was a pain. "Locally" means 180 mile drive for the only store with Sportsman PDLs in stock. That's cool, saved me a few hundred in shipping, and I wanted it THIS year.

 

Store owner says the stores gotta get in early on the orders, and they had to order a truckload due to higher shipping costs. Everyone else was backordered for a month or two.

Most of the local retailers by me have a good stock of fishing tackle again.  Cabela's, DSG, Fleet Farm, Omnia, and Scheels are all in pretty good shape.  There's less demand and suppliers have caught up.  There is no reason for me to buy tackle online, pay for shipping, and wait a week when I can get it 10 minutes from my house again now.

13 hours ago, gimruis said:

Most of the local retailers by me have a good stock of fishing tackle again.  Cabela's, DSG, Fleet Farm, Omnia, and Scheels are all in pretty good shape.  There's less demand and suppliers have caught up.  

The problem with living in the willy wacs is there is no variety at all with not many Mom and Pops around that handle tackle from this decade : ) Only one is a Dicks 32 miles away that is always out of stock on anything new or buyable. This makes a TW order of importance to keep soft plastics/hooks and cps locks/line/reels/rods/as well as line conditioner and dippin dyes. Least shipping don't cost (minimum) and it used to be real cut and dried on delivery times. Now anything seems able to delay your order..........need to start buying large orders in winter when snow is deep and plenty of time to get here. 

 

Lost reel showed up while I was reading posts so time to spool line and throw it on the rod thats been waiting. 

29 minutes ago, Tatsu Dave said:

The problem with living in the willy wacs is there is no variety at all with not many Mom and Pops around that handle tackle from this decade : ) Only one is a Dicks 32 miles away that is always out of stock on anything new or buyable. This makes a TW order of importance to keep soft plastics/hooks and cps locks/line/reels/rods/as well as line conditioner and dippin dyes.

 

Totally understand.  If I didn't live within relative proximity of these retailers I would be forced to buy online too.  Up until 2020, I had almost always bought my fishing gear in store.  2020 changed that for a period of time because of the tackle shortage.  Shelves and pegs were completely wiped out.  My ONLY option was to buy items online.

 

Given a choice though, I prefer to buy items in person.  I can touch, feel, and visually look at what I'm buying.  Plus the shipping/time factor really sticks in my craw because quite often when I need something, I need it in 2 days.  Not in 2 weeks.

9 minutes ago, gimruis said:

Plus the shipping/time factor really sticks in my craw because quite often when I need something, I need it in 2 days.  Not in 2 weeks.

I agree, sometimes I want and need it in the next couple hours! What this year has taught me, is to try some of the lures I never seem to throw. Its how I discovered a color and a soft plastic that I bought and never used, both are new favorites now. OK gotta go work on and spool my new reel that showed up.