Jigsaw puzzles from Japan

Covid-19: Shop status updates

End August: progress report! We are operating, with severe restrictions, but the situation is gradually improving. For example, in July we saw the resumption of limited postal service to Indonesia and New Zealand, and one or two at a time, countries are being added to the "operating" list. There are still many countries (e.g. United States and Australia) to which we can only offer either Yamato express (handled by UPS in the States) or surface.

As well as having a huge backlog of puzzle requests to address, we are having supply problems. Ironically, the pandemic has brought record sales of jigsaw puzzles (as people work out how to live indoors!) and the manufacturers are battling to keep up production to meet demand.

So for the time being, please use the form on the checkout page to make a request for puzzles. The options are more suitable for quantity orders, and it will help if you indicate whether you are looking for (relative) speed, at higher than the normal cost, or economy, which will take even longer than normal.

So how long will it take?

• EMS is the Post Office express courier service; where is it not available we can use Yamato. Delivery times are similar for both services: normally 5-7 days, but with universal delays nothing is guaranteed, and it is better to anticipate two or three weeks.
• Airmail, where available, is taking much longer than normal. For example to Canada we have had several cases taking one month; in practice this is the SAL service at the regular airmail cost.
• Surface is the only economy option, and it is slow, typically 8-10 weeks to North America or Europe, somewhat less to Asia or Australia. But it seems that surface is hardly affected by the pandemic, so extra delays are not common.

How much will it cost?

• EMS express (where available): as always, this costs a premium over the regular airmail parcel rate, proportional to the weight. For example, two 1000-piece puzzles to Canada: 4700 yen.
• Yamato express: unfortunately uses a crazy system of "sizes", based on the sum of the dimensions of the package. There are huge jumps from each "size" to the next, and the cost varies from less than EMS to several times as much, depending on how close the shape of the package is to a cube! We cannot calculate any of this automatically, because we have to measure the actual package size. For example: four 1000-piece Ghibli puzzles to Canada: 4900 yen; but two 1000-piece Haruyo puzzles to Canada: 9300 yen.
• Airmail: for example, two 1000-piece puzzles to Canada: 3050 yen.
• Surface: the only real economy method available at present. For a single puzzle it costs almost as much as airmail, but the real saving comes with a larger order of at least three or four puzzles. For example: four 1000-piece puzzles to Canada: 3600 yen.

The above examples are to Canada: Europe rates are the same, except for slight increases for Yamato and EMS. Asia and Australia generally cost somewhat less.

Other issues

• Our most popular shipping method has always been SAL, economy (low-priority) airmail. This is suspended everywhere, and since it relies on the vast overcapacity of commercial airlines is not likely to return in the near future.
• We still have big supply issues: 150+ titles temporarily unavailable. This situation is gradually improving. If you want an out-of-stock puzzle, just ask and we will get back to you when we have stock.

Please also see more details below