Because price wise it is my belief that M.B. Klein is certainly competitive. This necessarily means that they are busy, processing orders and that the time it takes to process an order is as quick as they can do it. It's also my guess that they have heard and read over this thread and hopefully are addressing this issue!
However, there is a far simpler remedy to this issue, if you feel it is a problem and that is to shop some wheres else! Obviously, if you are complaining, you have looked at other suppliers, hopefully you will share who you have found with the rest of us!
Mark,
I think earlier on in the thread I did mention one or two companies.
If you use Peco Track then Hatton's in the UK IS the place to go. Placed my order at 9:00 am (London time) Monday morning and had the order in my hands at 12:00 midday the Wednesday after. Three days from placing the order to my receiving it from London. On top of that, Hatton's was $165 cheaper (including shipping) than Klein's for the same order. Granted, Peco is made in the UK so there aren't the added on import costs that someone outside of the UK needs to take into account.
If you want Midwest Cork Roadbed then Midwestproducts in Indiana I think. It took 4 days from the time I placed the order to my receiving it and at a comparable cost.
If you want electronics (LED's, resistors, switches etc) Allelectronics in California. 4 days from placing my orders (numerous) from the time of placing the order to my receiving it.
For paint, and from memory, I received an order from Tru Color (Arizona) in 4 or 5 days as well.
All of my orders, except the Hatton's order obviously, were shipped USPS standard mail so the only difference between these companies is the time it takes them to process the order and where the company is located. Klein's is a 5 hour drive from me, California, Indiana, Arizona and London are a bit further away.
I have used other companies in the past for scenery items, Arizona Rock and Scenic Express for example. Both those companies processed and delivered my orders within 5 to 7 days from memory.
They give us out here a 10-14 day to Port of Entry. After that it's in Ausposts or some god's hands. As I mentioned first ever to get to my place on a Monday. Usual story is if it lands Monday or Tues, should get here Thurs or Fri. If it misses Fri, won't be seen till at the earliest Tues. Usual PoE is Sydney. Several times have come through Brisbane, but still take as long to get from there (an hour away) as Sydney.
I remember when I was getting packages from Melbourne (from my mother) it used to take around 10 to 14 days for them to arrive using AusPost then USPS here. One of the things that slows international shipping is (as you mentioned) the customs side of things. I don't remember what it was I ordered at one point but it was an international order and it got held up at the port of entry with customs here for 24 or so hours.
There are two distinct things here though, the processing times and the shipping times. Shipping times are obviously going to vary depending on the shipper used and the type of shipping method paid for. Here is a very good example in fact:
At 7:42 pm (1942 hr) last night, I ordered an IPhone Docking Station (for my wife) from B&H Photo in New York City. If I had of used the "free standard shipping method" I would have the package in 5 - 7 days (USPS) I choose a UPS delivery and will have the package on Thursday. The UPS cost more obviously but that was my choice. How do I know when I will receive the order? B&H shipped it first thing this morning, less than 24 hours after receiving it.