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Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Talk about your experience, good and bad, here.
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Rixsler86
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Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by Rixsler86 »

Hi guys
I live in Brooklyn, New York. On March 21st, I purchased a couple straps from Cheapest NATO Straps(CNS). They had sent a message out about how they were having a difficult time and were having a massive sale to stay afloat.
I have dealt with them in the past. That previous order had taken about 2 weeks to get to me.
This time around, I decided to add tracking to my order. I didn’t mind if the order took a while, especially if I could See it was just sitting at customs.
On March 30th, I get a message from CNS that “Unfortunately, due to current shipping regulations in your country, we are unable to ship this item with tracked shipping. We have refunded you the shipping fee you have already paid and instead shipped your item with our untracked shipping option. You might experience some delays due to the current events worldwide, so please be patient. Thank you for our understanding.”
With everything going on, I completely understood this but I definitely felt a tinge of worry that I can no longer track the package.
Fast forward to April 28th and I haven’t received the straps. I send an email to CNS asking for any information. After a short back and forth, they realized the package has probably been misplaced and on April 29th they say they will send a replacement order. I ask about the replacement shipment and I get my last response from CNS on May 6.
On May 18th, I get an email from CNS saying that unfortunately, some of the straps from the first order are no longer available. We go back and forth on replacement straps and on May 21st they notify me that the new straps have been sent.
It is now June 7th and nothing.
I wanted to know if anyone else has experienced something similar? Should I just cancel the order? Should I leave it alone and enjoy a surprise Christmas gift? What do you all think?


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Last edited by Rixsler86 on Sun Jun 07, 2020 11:56 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by TheJohnP »

I don't recall ordering from CNS myself, so no personal experience.
But does seem that even with a global pandemic, they don't seem to have their ducks in a row.
- Offering a tracking service and then over a week later getting a refund on that option.
- Telling you about a replacement shipment on April 29 and not responding again until May 6.
- Not sending out that replacement order until May 21.

From watching the 7strap sharkskin strap thread, it does appear that overseas packages are taking an overly extended amount of time to reach US buyers than normal. So I would think that your order has been sent, it'll just take forever to deliver when you least expect it.

If not too much of an investment, I suggest leaving it alone and just be as patient as possible.
But can completely understand if you go ahead and cancel.
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Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by Rixsler86 »

I think that’s the route I’ll take (leaving it alone). I will say this, it is a bit worrisome that they haven’t posted on their Instagram for almost a month or on their Facebook for almost 3 weeks.


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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by Rixsler86 »

Moved this to the airing of grievances thread.

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Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by Sporkboy »

I have purchased 4-5 orders with CNS in the past and when a problem did come up, it was resolved quickly. Be patient and your steals (should have been straps) should come.
Last edited by Sporkboy on Sun Jun 07, 2020 12:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by LaxActium »

I ordered with tracking and never got the tracking number. Took a month to get it and once of the straps they sent me was the wrong one. Emailed them about it and 2 weeks have gone by with no answer.
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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by Sussa »

What shipping restrictions prevented CNS from using the trackable method? I know carriers are not trying to collect signatures upon delivery, but tracking should still work. I've purchased from CNS several times, always with the untracked shipping method. In normal times, the orders would take 4-5 weeks to get to the Boston area. The order I placed at the start of the fire sale took 5-6 weeks. At this point in the pandemic, I would expect a minimum of 6 weeks for delivery. The carriers all seem to be overwhelmed with packages and likely understaffed.

That said, I wouldn't give them yet another chance to fulfill your order. I love cheap straps as much as the next miser, but they're not worth this much hassle. If you don't have it by early July, request a refund from CNS or a chargeback through your credit card company.
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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by Klaatu3 »

I've always used the un-tracked shipping.  Prior to the pandemic orders usually took about 2 weeks to reach me in TX.  Then I ordered once in March and it took about a month.  Considering the global confusion...and the uber-cheap sale prices...I thought that to be acceptable.  My mindset is kinda like ordering direct from China: click & put it out of my mind, then enjoy a mild surprise when (if?) it arrives later.
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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by seaboogers »

I'll NEVER order from them again and quite honestly won't bat an eye if they go under.

It took 3 MONTHS to get my order. I understand the whole "pandemic" thing, but I received items from China within a week.

ZERO excuse for them and completely UNSAT.
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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by cheddar »

Another data point for CNS: ordered 5 straps May 21, shipped (trackable) Deutsche Post May 28, arrived in middle US today.

Seems like about a month is the average right now.
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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by DogOnTime »

A month of wait is pretty normal to me for anything international...
I think some of you are definitely spoiled by USPS, though. Canada Post is much slower, haha.
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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by TheJohnP »

Nsjong wrote: Thu Jun 25, 2020 7:31 pm A month of wait is pretty normal to me for anything international...
I think some of you are definitely spoiled by USPS, though. Canada Post is much slower, haha.

More to the point, we've been spoiled by Amazon.
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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by Rixsler86 »

Straps came in this past Saturday. Very happy with everything. Going to chuck this up to the times.


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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by Klaatu3 »

So it's been almost a year exactly since the last post in this thread...sorry if this is necroposting, but...

What's up with Cheapest NATO Straps' service? I placed an order 68 days ago (shipping to U.S.) and still no straps. (They were very prompt at charging my credit card however.) Unfortunately I didn't spring for the trackable shipping, so I'm in the dark. Most places seem to have bounced back from the pandemic slowdown.

What's your recent experience? Once in a while I see a posting in the deals thread about their sales, so I know there's still some interest.

I've ordered from them several times before, and overall have been pleased with the quality vs. price tradeoff. One of my favorites is shown below-- the "adjustable single-pass" in 20mm. But this is the longest by far without delivery.

Invic-CNS-strap-R.jpg
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Re: Cheapest NATO Straps: the saga continues.

Post by Boourns »

Klaatu3 wrote: Sat Jun 26, 2021 12:31 pm So it's been almost a year exactly since the last post in this thread...sorry if this is necroposting, but...

What's up with Cheapest NATO Straps' service? I placed an order 68 days ago (shipping to U.S.) and still no straps. (They were very prompt at charging my credit card however.) Unfortunately I didn't spring for the trackable shipping, so I'm in the dark. Most places seem to have bounced back from the pandemic slowdown.

What's your recent experience? Once in a while I see a posting in the deals thread about their sales, so I know there's still some interest.

I've ordered from them several times before, and overall have been pleased with the quality vs. price tradeoff. One of my favorites is shown below-- the "adjustable single-pass" in 20mm. But this is the longest by far without delivery.


Invic-CNS-strap-R.jpg
I ordered about 10 straps on June 10, and USPS says they’ll be delivered today. I did pay for tracking.

The first time I ordered from them, back in 2018, I didn’t pay for tracking and remember it taking closer to a month for them to arrive.
I wish that watch were 38mm?
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