Balik Bayan Boxes

[mogo51]

Good morning all,

Just reading the posts here.  We will be leaving Thailand for Philippines permanently mid 2017 and were going to use LBC as SO's friends say they are the 'best' but seems like the wheel has fallen off.

Any alternatives that you can suggest? Thank you all.

[Dave Hounddriver]

5 hours ago, mogo51 said:

. . .  use LBC as SO's friends say they are the 'best' but seems like the wheel has fallen off.

Their quality of service may be detioriorating but that has not knocked them off the top spot.  You must know by now that we expats like to complain about the little things that go wrong, but we would not be able to report on LBC if we were not all still using them 

[intrepid]

6 hours ago, mogo51 said:

Any alternatives that you can suggest? Thank you all.

Mogo51,

In the past I had always gone with the cheapest and never had a problem.  If many boxes, that may mean a two hour drive.  But if only a single box, not worth the drive and would use my local shipper.  That was in the US where there are many shippers to choose from.  I do not know how many shippers may be in your area, but if LBC is the only game in town offering BB service then you may be stuck with them.  Good luck and hope to see you when you arrive!

 

[davewe]

15 hours ago, mogo51 said:

Good morning all,

Just reading the posts here.  We will be leaving Thailand for Philippines permanently mid 2017 and were going to use LBC as SO's friends say they are the 'best' but seems like the wheel has fallen off.

Any alternatives that you can suggest? Thank you all.

I wouldn't worry too much. We just sent an LBC box and it arrived in about 1.5 months. All Filipinos in my city use LBC. 

This being said it still does depend on the time of the year and the situation in Manila. A couple years ago our annual Xmas box took nearly 3 months with major delays in Manila.

There are no guarantees, YMMV, etc. but our experience has been positive and we will use LBC next year to ship our boxes prior to our move. Fingers crossed 

[mogo51]

Thanks everyone for the feedback, much appreciated.  I will stick with LBC.

This is why this forum is such a good information source, I have gained so much from the kind efforts of members over the last few years.

We have decided to move end of August 17 at the latest, I am tired of and over Thailand, where 'farangs' are only tolerated.  The hurdles are getting higher to jump over.  I know Philippines is not perfect, all would agree and I am not naive by any means, but whenever I have been in the Philippines, I have felt much more welcome than Thailand.

I am looking forward to settling down there.  Thanks again all.

 

[OnMyWay]

On 11/24/2016 at 10:35 AM, Bruce said:

My sister sent me a box from California, on LBC, on October 24th, and the driver said they are taking about 35 days.  Hope that is true!  Tracking only shows the acceptance.

 

On 11/24/2016 at 10:35 AM, Bruce said:

Nope! LBC has severely curtailed customer service, no longer supporting web chat and have hidden most phone numbers. If you are tracking on www.lbcexpress.com, you are wasting your time. They no longer fully support that site. Try  https://track.aftership.com/lbcexpress if the link does not work, google LBC tracking and choose the aftership site. Plug in your number and see the results as compared to the lbcexpress site results.

What used to take 70 days in now past 85 for Samar. Manila area should be much sooner. What makes it worse is the employees getting all the angry calls in Manila have no accurate information to give and make up excuses.

Facebook page for LBC also shows no help and many angry customers.

I think Bruce is right about LBC customer service deteriorating.  I tried the chat and as Bruce said, it doesn't work.  There is no customer service number on the LBC website.  I tried to call the LBC 800 number listed by Aftership but can't get through.  On the LBC website it only has the pickup and arrival at a Philippine warehouse on Dec. 3.  According to "Aftership" it has been with the agent here in Olongapo since the 6th, 6 days.    I will stop by a local LBC office to see if they can get something going or get me a phone number for the delivery agent.  

That being said, I would still use them.  The ocean part is ok.  The delivery agent sucks.

Here is what Aftership has:

   
LBC Express
+63 800-10-8585999
IN TRANSIT
Dec 09, 2016
04:19 pm
RECEIVED AT OLONGAPO DELIVERY HUBLBC Express
Philippines
Dec 06, 2016
04:04 pm
RECEIVED AT OLONGAPO DELIVERY HUBLBC Express
Philippines
Dec 05, 2016
11:07 pm
FORWARDED TO MUNDIAL - ZAMBALES CARGOLBC Express
Philippines
Dec 03, 2016
05:09 pm
RECEIVED AT LBC MANILA WAREHOUSELBC Express
Philippines
Dec 01, 2016
12:15 am
FOR CUSTOMS PROCESSING / Subic International Port / 2016-12-01LBC Express
Philippines
Dec 01, 2016
12:14 am
CONTAINER DISCHARGED FROM VESSEL / Subic International Port / 2016-12-01LBC Express
Philippines
Dec 01, 2016
12:07 am
ACTUAL VESSEL ARRIVAL / Subic International Port / 2016-12-01LBC Express
Philippines
Dec 01, 2016
12:05 am
ESTIMATED VESSEL ARRIVAL / Subic International Port / 2016-12-01LBC Express
Philippines
Nov 29, 2016
12:04 am
ACTUAL VESSEL DEPARTURE / Taiwan Port / 2016-11-29LBC Express
Philippines
Nov 29, 2016
12:02 am
ESTIMATED VESSEL DEPARTURE / Taiwan Port / 2016-11-29LBC Express
Philippines
Nov 23, 2016
12:07 am
ACTUAL VESSEL ARRIVAL / Taiwan Port / 2016-11-23LBC Express
Philippines
Nov 22, 2016
12:05 am
ESTIMATED VESSEL ARRIVAL / Taiwan Port / 2016-11-22LBC Express
Philippines
Nov 04, 2016
12:04 am
ACTUAL VESSEL DEPARTURE / Los Angeles / 2016-11-04LBC Express
Philippines
Nov 03, 2016
12:02 am
ESTIMATED VESSEL DEPARTURE / Los Angeles / 2016-11-03LBC Express
Philippines
Oct 26, 2016
12:01 am
CONTAINER STUFFING / -- / 2016-10-26LBC Express
Philippines
Oct 24, 2016
12:07 pm
ACCEPTED AT: CALIFORNIA BRANCH (19)LBC Express
Philippines