I’m just curious how long the overall shipping process normally takes. Also, it seems that tracking info is only provided once the package is shipped. As of yet, I still haven’t received a confirmation email that it has shipped. How long does it take to leave the facility? Does anyone have any idea how long it takes for the package to ship to Phoenix, AZ once it does ship out?
This is not critical. The estimation on the order said it would arrive by Nov 20. Patience is just something I’ve always struggled with.
They don’t have a warehouse full of machines ready to ship, so there’s no way to say with confidence how long it would take.
The date you were provided with is based on calculations from data at the time you ordered, or occasional updates from that point. That’s going to be the best information available.
If you’re in the US, sign up for UPS and FedEx accounts that will then send notifications when a package is on its way.
I’m with you Jared. I purchased my GF 10/15 and expected shipping date was postponed from 11/11 to 11/18.
Yep, trying to stay patient but at the same time I’m chomping at the bits to laser things. Getting ready to do big things for Christmas especially.
Pretty sure there is no such thing as “normal.” They do seem to be running a bit slow right now. Sometimes they ship right out, but now there looks to be a delay. Christmas gifts?
There’s a good chance that you won’t get a shipping notification, so the advice to sign up for UPS My Choice and FedEx Delivery Manager is smart.
In the meantime, read everything you can in the forum, spend more time getting to know your favorite design programs, and look around locally for great laserable items.
I just chose the standard shipping option when I ordered through affirm. I have an order number but not a tracking number. There is no way to update the shipping option so I’m at a loss of what to do besides twiddle my thumbs and try to wait like a reasonable adult…
The UPS and FedEx account services can notify you as soon as a tracking label is created, then at every step along the way. That’s the best way to know.
I think experiences vary. What I can say is I ordered a Plus on October 18, and it shipped same day, and arrived on the 22nd. I was absolutely stunned at how quickly it shipped and arrived. Additionally, I got email shipping confirmations and delivery confirmations from Glowforge. My hope is with the new fulfillment house this will be the standard. I was by no means expecting it to be so quick. My expectation is yours will be quicker as you are in a fairly large hub.
I see that you are not stating which year you placed your order. All of us founding buyers learned a lot of patience! Hope you get yours soon - great machine.
Ordered my basic on 10/3 and also in Phoenix, AZ. It was supposed to get here tomorrow but I got an email notification that it has been delayed until Nov 18… sigh. Seems they are really behind right now.
I got the same email in regards to postponed date the same as yours 11/18. Sounds like they may be sending a bulk amount out at the same time. That does sound promising.
Wow, times have changed! When I ordered during the kickstarter, my wait was about 2 1/2 YEARS, and now folks are complaining about 2 1/2 weeks? Wow. Well worth the wait and bit of patience!
Oof that really stinks. A month and a half with no machine. I know many on here will laugh and say that is not long compared to the wait time for the founders of the community, but there’s an entirely different expectation that goes into “pre-ordering” something. It’s easier to forget about it when it seems like it’s not out yet versus “it’s out, many people have it and I want it too” mentality.
Thanks for the clarification though. It seems like I really will have to wait till Nov 18 - Nov 20.
When you pre-ordered, you probably didn’t expect it to come for at least half a year. Two and a half years is an insane amount of time to wait for it and it’s not as if you would forget the matter entirely considering how much the machines cost… However, I was under the impression this was a product which was ready for order. I’m now wondering if I’ll have to change my initial business plans which were going to center on Christmas related items at first because I won’t have time.
I’m not in a position in my life where I can wait 2.5 yrs on a supposed/ promised possibility for a result. I’m in my early 20’s so if one thing doesn’t work, it’s time to move on to the next.
I’m trying to get the right timing for leaving my current job and starting a small business. On that timescale, 3 weeks is enough to make me anxious when I have not even heard back from glowforge with a confirmation of my order. If I had a tracking number, I wouldn’t be on edge.
For all I know, it might not just be 3 weeks either. I’m new to this community so I have no experience to reassure me this wait time might not be further delayed. Just as 6 months to a year of wait time turned into 2.5 yrs of waiting for you, for all I know this 3 weeks could really be 3 months. That’s almost too long for it to work with my personal plans. So I turned to the community for guidance.
Considering that GF is now trying to reach more customers and that many of these have strict time schedules- such as schools with planned curriculums, or small to medium sized business with project deadlines, it does seem odd that shipping still takes so long. I agree 3 weeks is not that long in reality… But I’ve seen cases on threads similar to this one where people have had their order delayed for a month or two. That IS too long for some customers, especially the ones GF is currently marketing to. It has nothing to do with how long the founding community had to wait. It has everything to do with the expectations set by GF and with the needs of the new customer base.
On the other hand, thank you for your outstanding patience. If not for you and the others who founded the community, we likely wouldn’t have the chance to play with lasers for such a low cost. I agree with you that I need more patience… I just wondered what others thought about the current shipping times and whether any others were experiencing the same things.
Thanks for answering on my post and happy first of November!
Actually very wise to turn to the community to gather some input before committing to anything.
Got one bit of advice for you… Do not quit your current job until after you have used the machine for three months minimum, and have sold your items. There is a learning curve. You can shorten that by getting started on the tutorials while you wait.
I would also suggest not basing your livelihood on a single machine, from GF or anywhere else. The GF in particular is a hobby machine, with the associated level of support. Yes, you can use it for a small business, but if you need 24x7 support and next-day parts or service, you need to be looking at (far more expensive) offerings.
