Hey everyone, new to posting on boards, but not to the ordering process. Got my Beans today (18th) from the tude's xmas promo. I ordered on the 7th and my beans went through the dreaded ISC Chicago location. I've ordered 3 times from the tude and have had nothing but success. Just wanted to let pholks know that items still make it through ISC Chicago, though it does seem they have a reputation as a tough sort facility.
It is strange how some packages are easy to track and others are sitting in ISC. I tracked mine just fine this time, though as some have mentioned, your package can show up anytime, regardless of the tracking information. My first order didn't get lost, but it literally never showed up on the tracking until the day I got it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but it is very important to remember that for international letters like the tude sends do not have to be scanned when they start moving around in the USA, if you have tracking info, it is simply because some USPS dude or dudette decided to scan something. USPS is going under fast, it is amazing we get any mail.
I used to use Dr. Chronic, but I got the green tape, and though it was a few years ago now, I remember there was no effort at all to provide a "stealth" option. We can all speculate as to what is happening when a package is in Customs, but I really think it comes down to chance and luck. I like to order around holidays or busy times in mailing simply in hopes that the volume of packages that the USPS is handling forces customs to push packages through, and with the methods that the Tude offers, I think your chances are good.
Anyway, hope everyone has great success with the mail and with the fun that occurs once you get your gear!! One of these days, hopefully very soon, we will be able to order a domestic shipment, no more of this international game though I do love the TUDE!