Posted on 4th Nov 2020 @ 9:00:07 PM

 

 

 

 

Update: Jan 15th 2021 @ 11:40GMT

International orders are currently back on hold as we've been made aware of a number of delays and problems affecting effective delivery. Once we have a clearer understanding we will re-enable our shipping options and/or update guidance accordingly. 

 

Update: Jan' 14th-15th 2021 @ 10:30GMT

Snow...

We are currently unable to ship anything today, nor yesterday due to heavy snow that fell thoughout our area and further north.
Roads are slowly being cleared but remain dangerous to drive on so we've opted to remain closed until after the weekend, and informed our couriers to collect on Monday when conditions should be cleared and safe.
We will be shipping all backlogged UK/Non-EU orders on Monday (for EU shipments see below).

Covid-19, EU/ROW Shipments/Orders:

See Jan 13th (below)

Plagues of Locusts...?!

At this point we're half expecting four horsemen and Terry Pratchett style character waving around a scythe. If we don't update again, you'll know why!

 

Update: Jan' 13th 2021 @ 14:15GMT

Covid-19:

See Jan 11th

EU Shipments:

We're now hearing from all our shipping services that backlogs have developed with all but DHL Express. This is mostly due to the new customs administration having teething problems and services have either held packages while testing things out or gone all-in and hit problems. Either way, it means that shipments into Europe are backlogged and going to take a few days, possibly longer to work through the new system and be delivered.

Rest of the World Orders:

For the moment it seems that shipments into other countries are back to whatever "normal" means with Covid-19 so shipments to the USA and other non-EU destinations seem to be moving reasonably normally.

 

Update: Jan' 12th 2021 @ 19:15GMT

Covid-19:

See Jan 11th

Brexit: EU Shipments.

• DPD have updated their status to indicate their surface based DPD Classic (Road) service has been suspended past the end of this week. 
• DHL Express have applied substantial surcharges to their EU services which have been incorporated into the service costs but they are successfully delivering to EU customers
• Royal Mail are still struggling with a backlog but we expect to re-enable International services in coming weeks.
• Asendia as a shipping service option will be made available once we have received an update on costings. It will only be available for non-ink/liquid product orders.

UK Orders:

• DPD and DHP Parcel orders are being shipped Mondays and Thursdays as normal
• Royal Mail UK services are being tentatively re-enabled but expect delays.

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier Status Updates

 

Update: Jan' 7th 2021 @ 22:55GMT

 

Covid-19:

 

See Jan 5th below.

 

International Orders (EU Specific):

 

Almost all of the courier and shipping services have experienced some level of problems with the new border requirements and are putting some services on hold while they work out what lessons to learn and make adjustments to their procedures. As a result we continue to take orders from EU countries but we will be dispatching items on a delayed schedule, particularly for orders of high value. This could mean that EU orders are not dispatched until Thursday 14th January. 

 

 

 

Update: Jan' 5th 2021 @ 21:05GMT

 

Covid-19:

 

The UK has gone back into a National lockdown that includes school children being kept home so we're back to where we were in March of last year again. The good news is that we planned for this in terms of tooling, rationalising processes, ordering in additional parts stock, etc.. The bad news is that we've got Brexit to deal with as well and in my (Martins) case I will be the primary parent for home schooling most days this time around due to my wifes role in secondary school. 

 

International Orders:

 

Having completed a review of the information available we have noted that shipping orders Internationally is now possible. A number of changes have been made to our store systems:

 

• EU countries are now treated the same as other non-EU countries and will be charged at the ex VAT (Excluding VAT) rate. (See Important information below!)
• Other International shipping options have now been enabled again and require no major changes.

 

Manufacturing will be affected and depending on the lockdown period, may mean some shortages on certain products that we manufacture in house.

 

Update: Jan' 5th 2021 @ 12:40GMT

The UK has gone back into a National lockdown that includes school children being kept home so we're back to where we were in March of last year again. The good news is that we planned for this in terms of tooling, rationalising processes, ordering in additional parts stock, etc.. The bad news is that we've got Brexit to deal with as well and in my (Martins) case I will be the primary parent for home schooling most days this time around due to my wifes role in secondary school. 

So... 

1. Orders are packed and have been dispatched as intended today (Jan' 5th).
2. New orders will hopefully be dispatched on Thursday as per our original plan but may be delayed until Friday, depending on access/availability of staff.

Manufacturing will be affected and depending on the lockdown period, may mean some shortages on certain products that we manufacture in house.

 

Update: Jan' 3rd 2021 @ 23:20GMT

International Orders:

See Jan' 2nd below.

Covid-19:

Looking after our children at home on Jan 4th so unlikely we'll be able to answer phone or emails until later in the evening. Status for remainder of the week is pending.

 

Update: Jan' 2nd 2021 @ 10:55GMT

International Orders:

The UK has now left the EU and the details of the trade deal are becoming clearer. The biggest headache for us right now is calculating something called "Rules of Origin" which means that we need to determine which of our products are considered sufficiently of UK/EU origin that they do not attract import duty when shipped into the EU. We also have a series of unique challenges with our store system to make some aspects of shipping into the EU easier (and others harder).

So, the emphasis right now is on making some changes to our existing settings so that ordering can resume for non-EU customers in the immediate term while we work out the changes we need to make for our EU customers.

Covid-19:

Government advice on the reopening of schools is showing signs of reversing due to a significant level of scientific pressure so it's highly likely we will have children to look after. Assuming this happens, available and order shipment during the day will be affected but we do have contigency plans in place that will require some delays but still ensure that orders can be packed and shipped albeit up to 24 hours later.

We will update as/when we have clarity, but in the interim we trust you are all keeping safe and we wish you all the best for 2021. 

 

Update: Dec' 29th 2020 @ 18:30GMT

• All orders dispatched successfully.
• Next dispatch for UK Orders will be January 5th at the latest (more likely to be January 4th)

International Orders.

• We are expecting to reopen the option to order from non-EU countries shortly.
• EU customers please bear with us while we try to understand exactly how to organise the store payment and shipping options correctly.

Covid-19:

• Given current scientific advise in the UK, we're expecting schools to be closed or to be keeping our children home from January 4th. 
  As myself and our team members are all the primary parent responsible for our childrens care this will likely delay dispatch of orders and/or limit our ability to respond to customer queries.

 

 

Update: Dec' 26th 2020 @ 14:45GMT

OctoInkjet is currently closed for Christmas and New Year as follows:

• New orders for the UK will be dispatched on December 29th.
• International orders are disabled until we have clear understanding of how to charge, tax, ship and the correct paperwork required for such orders following the UK's departure from the EU.

While a "No Deal" scenario is supposedly avoided (it still has to be ratified by the UK and EU parliaments) we still have a lot of reading to do before we will understand the new requirements. Once we have that we will make the necessary adjustments to our store and start taking orders again. Estimated ETA: January 11th.

Covid-19 restrictions could mean our team need to isolate at home with our children due to school closures. Unfortunately it is very unlikely we will know until a few days before school is due to return (given the UK governments record on communication with schools).

• Order dispatch on Mondays & Thursdays only will resume for the foreseeable future.

More information will be provided as/when we have it but we hope as you read this message you have had a good Christmas and are keeping yourselves healthy. 

 

Update: Dec' 21st 2020 @ 16:15GMT

OctoInkjet is now closed for Christmas & New Year as follows:

• New orders for the UK will be dispatched on December 29th.
• We are not currently accepting International orders until we have clear guidance on how, when and with whom we can dispatch such orders.

At present, trying to understand the constantly shifting Brexit negotiations whilst simultaneously integrating Covid-19, Christmas/Sales traffic surges, etc. is proving "difficult". We value our sanity, so we have decided to just shut down, get some rest and wait.

Eventually the situation regarding Brexit will become clearer. Our intention is to get some rest, read all the relevant information as it becomes available and then adjust our shipping, tax and payment systems so that we can provide clear information for customers in the UK and Internationally so that there are no unwelcome surprises. We want to minimise any problems such as delays, customs charges, etc... as much as possible.

 

Update: Dec' 21st 2020 @ 12:30GMT

• Orders have been packed and are being dispatched as best we can manage as intended
• The closure of ports & channel tunnel into the EU, plus the cancellation of flights to many International destinations, will result in further delays.
• We are no longer accepting any International orders until after January 4th 2021 at the earliest. This will, hopefully, allow time for Brexit trade negotiations to provide some clarity on how/when we can ship Internationally without experiencing unexpected costs, delays or similar problems.
• Stocks of parts, inks and other materials have been stockpiled to allow for delays/problems with importing new stock as best we can.
• We are still answering emails and phone until 17:00GMT Dec' 23rd when we will be taking some holiday time.
• UK orders from now until January 4th will ship on Dec 29th if possible and/or January 5th assuming 2021 does not wish to "improve" on 2020.

Additional information about shipping delays/issues is available on this post:
https://www.octoink.co.uk/news/510/

 

Update: Dec' 18th 2020 @ 13:17GMT

• Some items were incorrectly marked as out of stock and have now been corrected. Apologies for that technical hiccup
• All orders received before 14:00 GMT (Dec 18th) have been packed and are ready for dispatch later today
  
  
• We have extended our International order deadline to 12:00 noon GMT on Monday December 21st for anyone who is using either DPD, DHL Express or Fedex for shipping.
  The stock level problem meant that some orders couldn't be placed so we'll send out.
  Please note: We do NOT expect these orders to arrive before Christmas. The target is to arrive before January 1st.
  
  
• Last UK Order cut-off is still December 21st 2020 @ 12:00 GMT

 

Update: Dec' 17th 2020 @ 12:00GMT

• As per Dec 14th below.
• Almost all orders to date, have shipped as expected today.

 

Update: Dec 14th 2020 @ 00:15GMT

• International orders:
• All International orders will need to be dispatched using a fast courier service (ie: DHL Express, DPD Classic or Fedex). No economy services are available.
• Last International order will be accepted: December 18th 2020 @ 12:00 GMT
  No new International orders will be accepted after this point until we have a proper understanding of how to get orders into the EU successfully and how other International destinations are affected.
  
  
• Last International order dispatch: December 21st 2020
• International orders acceptance/shipment will be restarted as soon as we fully understand the costs, risks and delays involved.
  
  
• UK orders:
• Last UK order dispatch (pre-Christmas): December 21st 2020 @ 12:00 GMT
• New UK orders will continue to be accepted and held, after this date, for dispatch on the dates shown below
• December 29th
• January 5th normal UK dispatch should resume.

The above approach is the only sensible one we can think of that avoids risking loss, delays or significant import charges to customers. 
Nobody wants to be inconvienced by this and we certainly look forward to a time when we can provide a dependable service to all of our customers regardless of nationality, language or belief.

Note: Every single courier and postal service is raising their prices by a minimum of 5% from January 1st so our shipping prices will reflect that from December 29th.

Update: Dec' 8th 2020 @ 14:30 GMT

• As Above
• Due to massive backlogs apparent with Royal Mail UK packages we have stopped offering these services. We know that the situation is caused by staff illness, shortages, etc. so we're not blaming staff but the delays are causing massive issues for all concerned. 
  RM are denying the problem but we can't ignore the obvious 2+ week delays, damaged packages and losses.
• The suspension of RM24/48 services means that we had to stop offering free shipping on Printer Pad products. We have discounted the products but you do now need to use DHL parcel, DPD or similar to ensure delivery
• Re-manufactured cartridge stocks are being replenished as quickly as we can get them done.
• International customers are STRONGLY advised to finish placing their orders this week (before Dec' 11th) to ensure we can dispatch for any hope of arrival before the New Year.
• Order dates, Shipping updates/details for Brexit and the Christmas period are being finalised and will be updated very soon.

 

Update: Dec' 1st 2020 @ 12:15 GMT

• As Above
• We are rapidly approaching a point where International orders will only be shipped via DHL Express, DPD Classic or Fedex due to delays already evident in the postal system and the impending Brexit restrictions. 
  We STRONGLY recommend International customers place their orders as soon as possible to avoid delays or additional problems.
• Ink supplies are being rebuilt and almost every item is now either on backorder or being restocked as quickly as we can make them available.
• CLI-551, PGI-550 standard ink cartridges and bundles will be available shortly now that the remanufactured cartridges have been completed
• Other cartridges and inks are being rebottled as quickly as possible along with manufacturing of flush clips, etc...  

 

Update: Nov' 26th 2020 @ 22:25 GMT

• As Above
• Orders are going out on other days where possible but only when time allows
• Support emails are getting replies while I'm answering the phone whenever possible. Apologies for Voicemail has been neglected due to sheer volume of calls.
• Royal Mail is still problematic but mostly with Large Letter deliveries. Expect delays for any RM shipped orders.
  
  
• We're making a big manufacturing push on refilling cartridges, including the CLI-551 standard ink set so refill bundles for the 550/551 type printers will soon be fully stocked
• CLI-42 modified cartridges are in high demand so we're trying to get the necessary cartridge stock cleaned and refilled in bulk rather than continue to do piecemeal batches. It's going to take longer but it will be a more substantial and sustainable stock level once finished.
• Just to clarify, despite a couple of rumours to the contrary, we do not have Covid-19 but we are currently in a National Lockdown and still have parent responsibilities so it is having an effect regardless.

 

Update: Nov' 18th 2020 @ 21:45 GMT

• As Above
• DPD Local, DHL Parcel & DHL Express/International are all successfully delivering, mostly on time.
• Royal Mail are finally admitting that staff absence, sickness is seriously affecting delivery speeds with delays up to 12 days for post/packages normally expected to arrive in 2-3. 
  As a result we're reducing the max value that RM services can be selected for.
• Emails are mostly up to date.. Voicemail is pending. The latter is proving problematic, apologies we're struggling with this aspect.
  
  
• Cartridge cleaning and refilled/remanufactuiring has failed to keep up to demand as we upgraded equipment and coped with enforced self-isolation, etc... so we are behind on sufficient stock of CLI-42 and PGI-72 in particular. Tweaks and fixes to the equipment following a major upgrade is ongoing and we're working hard to replenish stock over the next 2 weeks.

 

Update: Nov' 13th 2020 @ 22:45 GMT

• As Above
• DPD Local has now been implemented successfully and orders are being delivered promptly as hoped.
• Royal Mail is struggling more than ever and we're now recommending use of other services (DHL Parcel, DPD, etc...) due to delays of more than a week in some cases. Large Letter items (eg: PrinterPads on free postage) are particularly affected.
• Royal Mail shipments to International destinations are seeing delays but not as significant as domestic deliveries in the UK.
• We have been managing to keep on top of most email messages and phone calls although a voicemail backlog has built up.
• Manufacturing is ongoing with some delays due to stock shortages. Now resolved.

 

Update: Nov' 5th 2020 @ 22:45 GMT

• As Above
• Orders have shipped as normal this week
• Voicemail backlog pending
• Manufacturing is behind due to high demand/time available but we are focusing efforts on restocking CLI-42 refill ready cartridges for next Monday/Tuesday
• Phone, email and/or support system queries/messages are taking longer than normal to receive a response.

 

Update: Nov' 4th 2020 @ 20:55 GMT

• As Above
• Orders are shipping Monday and Thursday
• Support emails are resolved but voicemails are taking longer (Apologies if you're still waiting)
• The UK National lockdown (#2) starts tomorrow so some delays are expected although we are already under serious restrictions anyway so this won't make much difference.
• Phone, email and/or support system queries/messages are taking longer than normal to receive a response.

 

Update: Nov' 3rd 2020 @ 14:25 GMT

• As Above
• Orders were shipped Monday with any outstanding (received before Monday noon) shipped today.
• Support emails now caught up. Voicemails pending.
• National lockdown is pending from Thursday 5th Nov' but we were already at the highest restriction status so things continue as planned.
• Phone, email and/or support system queries/messages are taking longer than normal to receive a response.

> PS: Good luck America... 

 

Pre-Nov' 3rd 2020 Updates