Just bought an Omega Seamaster from Chrono24 and would like to share my experiece with Chrono24.
The seller is from Japan and seems to be reputable having many good reviews, many watches sold at Chrono24, and having their own website. The shipping is from Osaka, Japan to Kuching, Sarawak
The buying process from placing order until the watching reaching my hands is as below:
August 31st
1. After I found my watch, I placed an order. Unlike most e-commerce website, you need to wait for the seller to confirm your order (this is to make sure the watch is physically available and not sold).
2. After seller confirmed my order, I can only pay using a credit card. The price I paid is around 2k USD ,around RM8k after bank conversion.
September 1st
3. Seller confirmed my payment, then shipped out my watch with UPS and sent me the tracking number not long after.
4. My watch departed from Japan at the same day
The following updates will be from UPS tracking
September 2nd
5. The package reached China for transit and arrived Malaysia at the same day.
6. UPS tracking : "Arrived at Facility - Sepang"
September 3rd
7. UPS tracking : "Departed from Facility - Sepang"
8. UPS tracking : "Arrived from Facility - Shah Alam"
September 4th
9. (6:00 AM) UPS tracking : "The package was transferred to a local agent and rescheduled for delivery."
10. (2:00 PM) UPS tracking : "A late flight has caused a delay. We will update the delivery date as soon as possible. / Delivery will be rescheduled."
September 5th
11. No update from UPS
September 6th
12. (6:17 PM) UPS tracking : "We tried to deliver the package, but were unable to receive payment. A second attempt will be made the next business day / Package must be picked up within 5 business days."
At this point I'm confused because I didn't receive any calls or emails from UPS about any payment.
13. Later that night, I sent an email to UPS customer support asking about my delivery.
September 7th
14. (9:00 AM) Received an email from UPS support saying that there was a duty fee that I need to pay, and provided me with an bank account. Duty fee for importing watch into Malaysia is 5%, so the fee is about rm4xx.
15. I online transferred the amount to their provided bank account, and replied with the bank receipt to UPS customer support.
16. UPS customer support emailed back saying they received the payment, and will proceed with the shipping.
Waited whole day for the tracking status to update, and the update finally came late at night
17. (11:30 PM) UPS tracking : "The driver was not able to receive payment. A final attempt will be made the next business day. / Package must be picked up within 5 business days."
And then I'm really frustrated, paid everything and my watch is stuck at Shah Alam. Paid early in the morning and they said they will proceed with the delivery, but waited whole day for the UPS tracking system to update and when it finally updates, it says unable to receive payment? Driver? What driver? I'm in Sarawak and my watch is in Shah Alam, how am I supposed to see any driver?
18. Immediately, I email UPS back asking them why is this.
Couldn't sleep well that night because of this, worried about my watch.
September 8th
19. (8:00 AM) Received call from UPS saying I have a parcel pending to pay the import fee.
20. I told the person I've already paid and the guy asked me to send him the receipt.
21. The guy happened to be the delivery guy and after I sent him the receipt, he say he is otw delivering.
22. (8:45 AM) Received my watch
My experience with Chrono24 is okay, buying process is rather smooth.
Just that the UPS tracking system is really worrying. My watch from stucking at Shah Alam and reaching my hand just happened overnight. The parcel probably already reached Kuching yet the tracking isn't updating.
I'm posting this mainly just to share about the lousy UPS tracking system.
Overall I'm happy about my new watch and Chrono24 is trustable.
The end.