Why would you think this? Maybe you are thinking about the lights? They ship DHL and can take just a few days to deliver. Tracking numbers usually take a week.
These conversion kits are sent through regular slower mail so shipping to the USA might take 2 to 3 weeks. We should get tracking numbers before they arrive.
I “think” this because that has been my experience. YMMV for everyone else’s experience. I realize the lights were shipped DHL so there was little time for notice (is that even true in this day and age?), but two weeks after I have possession of my light, Lumintoponline still shows my light purchase as “wait for shipping”. I received my tracking number for my EMS conversion kit shipment only after I emailed Leo. My kits shipped out on 18Oct, Lumintoponline still shows “wait for shipping”. One of the reasons I was willing to commit nearly $500 to this group buy (and I would still do it again, given the tremendous light the GT70 team put out!!) was the comment on post #2: “The sales of the lights will go directly through Lumintops store this time once the sale is active, no more having to mess with paypal transactions in various accounts. This should VASTLY improve the ordering process and mean everyone should get things like tracking numbers much more efficiently.” That is what my expectations were based on. I did not PM Yourrid my response because I thought others might profit who might be “afraid” to ask.
The tracking numbers take longer because the 3rd party shipper is the one who recieves them, then they have to send them to Lumintop. Then Lumintop can send them out to us.
I don’t know who these 3rd party shippers are or the complicated system they use to mail out packages in order to keep the shipping costs low. Different countries have different carriers and they may send tracking numbers back to the 3rd party at different times. How many employees do these 3rd party shippers have that than focus on transiting shipping numbers? I don’t even know how many employees Lumintop has that handle updating tracking numbers on their website. One person? 3 people? 10? I have no idea. If Lumintop notices a missing tracking number they have to contact the 3rd party shipper and they have to contact the carrier and the waiting game begins.
I guess my point is that the whole shipping and getting tracking numbers to us is not an easy and strait forward affair that we imagine in our minds. China’s shipping system is very complicated compared to the USA.
Last post on this. But cannot all of the reasons you mentioned be accomplished with one week? Is China so backward (rhetorical) that email and shared databases do not exist. With current technology, “waiting game” refers more to priority than capability.
No they can’t, as stated it takes quite some time for it to work its way down. Even buying from smaller shops such as Neal it can sometimes take him several days to even get the tracking sent to him. Now factor in a larger business that than has to go into its system and enter the tracking information for each order. (edited: thought you were someone else) lol Most pre-orders go this way NOT all of them but most of them have issues/complications, that is why I try to stay away from themselves as I have no patience lol . I made an order and got the light before I got tracking lol. It does stink big time, however this is common and happens all the time. I had pre-ordered a keyboard, suppose to take 6 weeks. It was 8 months before I got it, i had forgotten about it completely when it came in hahaha.
As Jason stated the way they ship is quite different than us in the States, it took me awhile to realize it and figure it out. Plus China Post/EMS takes FOREVER to get to the states, I think a slow boat is faster lol
I think there’s too many variables.
Say Lumintop sets the packages aside to get picked up by the 3rd party shippers on a friday. They get picked up Sat. Maybe the 3rd party can get them shipped out by Tuesday or Wed. The carrier might send the 3rd party tracking numbers Thu or Fri. Will the 3rd party send those tracking numbers to Lumintop this week? Will Lumintop get those number sent to us this week? Maybe they will put if off until Monday. So now we are over one week.
Yes, I did hope that tracking numbers would be much better this time around as we removed 2 entire layers of complication from the shipping system but it seems I underestimated the delay that part of the system caused. I am very sorry this was not handled better.
Far as the shipping system being a royal mess. Trust me, I completely agree. Took me months to understand just how convoluted it is. Mindbogglingly so.
The packages first have to go through multiple hands and companies before they are even ready to be given to the carrier, this process takes a few days. Then the carrier has to process it into their system, this is by far the fastest part.
Then the tracking numbers have to filter back through all the companies and hands to get to lumintop so they can send them out.
After all of that, they apparently STILL have to look up and send all the tracking numbers manually. I had falsely assumed that having the orders processed on their own website would mean an automated system would handle all of this.
I went into more detail about this in the GT thread somewhere.
I have come to learn to not ask questions about why things are so inefficient in China. It is just how they work, the more hands that can be involved in a process the better it seems.
Feel free to PayPal me $55 USD and I’ll hang onto it for 7+ weeks and see if you don’t wonder what happened to the money.
Everything I read prior to paying was the lights should be shipping out a week after payment, then a week after the NW conversions would ship, followed by the CW conversions. However, it seems we keep hearing “next week, next week, next week.” It’s frustrating paying for something while being told “we will ship soon,” and soon is constantly a week away. That’s been going on for nearly 7 weeks.
And now they have “shipped” while mine still says “Waiting for Shipment.” Is Lumintop unable to update my order with the correct status of “shipped out?” I understand shipping in China is slow, but if pallets of inventory are getting trucked off, someone should at least mark them shipped.
I’ve been part of a lot of Group Buys, and have been part of this forum for quite a few years longer than you Farmer Harv, but I’ve never had to pay in advance, and then wait 7 weeks for my product to ship.
Furthermore, I’d be happy to contact Leo later this week rather than involving PayPal if that is easier for everyone.
Lol, sorry this is too funny man. I am not a rich man by any standard, but go ahead and take my money for 7 weeks, or half a year if that’s what it takes.
Are there certain expectations? Sure. 7 weeks is a bit much, I too, wish that my conversion kit was here. But what can you do? Am I gonna NOT buy one? Or buy a different one even later somehow? Both are ludicrous. There’s no reason to be upset, and every reason to believe that your kit will in fact eventually come.
This isn’t some local store with product on the shelf, this is a custom product at a discount price that is literally being shipped as soon as it’s done being manufactured. These two things are not the same, crap happens when you’re cutting things this close. Expect to wait.
I’m sorry that you are upset, but now that we’ve hashed this over a few times, can we please let it be? This is beginning to feel oddly off topic.
No worries… I’ll knock it off :+1:
Once again, I am sorry for the delays. I was misinformed on the time frame that things would move forward and the delays added up. The week long holiday and the fact that Leo alone has had to handle most of these group buy orders single handedly due to the rest of the staff being busy with other projects. All of this added up to significant delays I did not foresee.
I did get a reply from Leo and he said that he can look up the tracking numbers individually if you email him. Apparently the tracking numbers are not organized very well and can not be imported in bulk to the website so he has to do it all manually (From dealing with the “technical” department at lumintop, I completely believe him when he says this :person_facepalming: )
He once again confirmed that all the orders were caught up as of the 18th IIRC. None of the status on the website have been updated though, the website is a mess behind the scenes. I way overestimated the website when they told me they would be selling direct, it is pretty obvious that they are still learning how to use it.
It doesn't seem that long ago the only way to buy something other than locally was to do it through mail-order where you had to send a check in with the order and usually they said it would be 6-8 weeks. Many times it ended up being much longer. Nobody ever heard of tracking back then which doesn't make it get there any faster. We all survived.
It takes as long as it takes. It is a flashlight not a life-altering item. People here are spending many, many hours of their own time on this and are really doing a good job overall.
Is anyone actually worried they are being scammed? If so, you shouldn't send money to China in the first place.
Bottom line is:
. 
Since I was quoted…. This seems to insinuate that expectations were based on some sense of entitlement. You might add to your list:
I didn’t mean to “insinuate” anything by quoting you. I just found it interesting that when you asked Leo for your Conversion Kit Tracking Number he was able to provide it.
That would seem to possibly indicate Leo does have access to the Conversion Kit Tracking Numbers & has just not had or taken time to send them out.
But, as far as I am concerned; in the big scheme of things…. so what? We will get them soon enough…. either the package or the tracking number.
At this point I think everyone has aired there feelings and everyone has a right to their own opinions. I fully admit that delays were well outside of what I planned on and am sorry for that.
All orders were shipped up to Oct 18th, if you need a tracking number please contact Leo@lumintop.com and he will get you squared away.
Hopefully they start getting delivered soon.
Agreed.
So I took my OG GT out for a walk last night, boy I love lighting up stop signs from a mile away at quarter brightness! And deer in the field a half mile away lol. Can’t wait to get a dedomed xhp70.2 in there and see what it does.
I just received my conversion kit today in Australia.
I can’t wait to see it perform!
Now for a little time soldering.
Now where are those videos again?
I have the head and other bits loose.
This video shows the process, although you do not have the reflow the LED with the kit.
I have now installed the conversion kit and everything is running great.
The switch wires could have been a bit longer as they have to be cut and soldered back in again.
To get the ring holding MCPCB in I used circlip pliers with very thin ends on them.
This thing sure puts out some light with a much bigger hotspot.
Good work team!