What’s going on with the RF 200-800 backorder

[LaneW]

Estimated shipping date was Dec 14.  I ordered through Adorama, and they just say that they are backordered.  Seems to be the same story ordering direct from Canon and other sellers.  What is really going on here?

[woodwoman]

I understand all about supply chain issues.  All I'd like to hear is something from Canon regarding a potential next round of shipments and/or some information on what may be impacting their ability to ship or to give a projection on when people can expect to receive lenses.

[Waddizzle]

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@woodwoman wrote:

I understand all about supply chain issues.  All I'd like to hear is something from Canon regarding a potential next round of shipments and/or some information on what may be impacting their ability to ship or to give a projection on when people can expect to receive lenses.

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As noted above, this is not the proper venue for those questions.  This is merely a user forum.  It is social media.  This forum is neither Canon Sales, Service, or Customer Support.  I suggest you contact your vendor, whomever that might be.

[woodwoman]

I know this is a user forum.  I was simply expressing an opinion on a topic of interest to me and wondering what other users opinions were.  Canon has no answers.  I wasn't expecting one from them in this medium.  I have reached out to them directly and they  have no timeline or information.

[Waddizzle]

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@woodwoman wrote:

I know this is a user forum.  I was simply expressing an opinion on a topic of interest to me and wondering what other users opinions were.  Canon has no answers.  I wasn't expecting one from them in this medium.  I have reached out to them directly and they  have no timeline or information.

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My mistake.  You seemed to be requesting a response directly from Canon.

Was Canon your vendor?  You should be reaching out to your vendor.  What does your vendor say?  The vendor is the party who seems to have made promises, to you, not Canon.  Every vendor is in a different situation.

[Tronhard]

As has already been exhaustively pursued, we are not associated with Canon sales or logistics.  However, it has been clearly indicated in media and my other information sources, that supply chains and logistics are seriously interrupted by shipping and supply issues.  This impacts such things as simply getting specific screws to manufacture lenses, to shipping the actually completed lenses around the globe.  There are now several choke points that are seriously hampering logistics including:
Diversion of shipping through the Red Sea due to attacks on shipping by Houthi rebels and Iran, and there have now been similar attacks in the Indian Ocean.  While the Houthi claim they are attacking shipping associated with Israel, that is hotly debates and many shipping companies are taking a safer route around South Africa, which adds considerable time (and no little cost) to the shipping process.  Even the war in Ukraine is have impacts far outside of the actual combat zone itself.

Shipping moving across the South China Sea are being cautious as confrontations between China and Philippian authorities have increased - China claims most of that body of water, against conflicting claims from Vietnam and the Philippians.  Then of course there is the Taiwan Strait which is also very busy shipping route and choke point.
  
On top of that there are supply issues of raw materials caused by strikes and other forms of industrial unrest.  China is itself experiencing some issues with industrial disruption and disjoint internal logistics according to the material I have seen. 

My point is that no single issue is going to be able to be pinpointed as THE cause, but they form a picture of global disfunction that is causing challenges on many levels.
Down in Oceania, I am told that each authorized dealer got one 200-800 lens and that's it until more can make it here.  There are no indications when more will arrive.  I somehow doubt that Canon are rejoicing over this and are likely far more frustrated than we are.

[LaneW]

Rick. Thank you for your considerable insight. You make many good points.

I guess my frustration, and concern, is the lack of any of this kind of information from Canon. I have called and written but got little from them, and there is not a way that I know of, to communicate with higher ups. So I can only hope that someone there is reading these concerns.  If the issues you express are causing delays, I would just like to know what’s going on. If it’s now going to be February, rather than December 14, I would like to know. And I don’t have any confidence in a February date based on what I have seen so far.

[woodwoman]

Yes, I have.  I purchased from Canon.  I simply asked here to see if anyone had heard ANYTHING other than nothing.  

I have contacted Canon and their customer service has no information.  

[woodwoman]

Canon was my vendor.  

[tomynysmon]

you know we use dd/mm/yyyy over here ?  So I reckon its 1st April not 4th Jan

[mdougc]

Well buggers! I did know that, and I failed to translate.
We lived in Swansea for a couple years. My spelling has been cocked up ever since. 🙂

Thank you.