Received and Received by Lab - what's the difference?

[mihun]

Kit
2012.02.10. Received By Lab
2012.01.14. Received

I wonder who the heck received my kit on Jan 14 if not the lab? And if it was not the lab, just say, a random guy at the reception, how could they batch it before giving it to the lab? And why did it take nearly a month after having received it to give it do the lab? I am a bit confused.

Family Finder
2012.02.01. Batched 449
2012.01.26. Ordered 449
mtDNAPlus
2012.01.25. Batched 448
2012.01.19. Ordered 448
Kit
2011.12.09. Sent
Y-DNA37
2012.01.18. Batched 447
2011.12.08. Ordered 447

[T E Peterman]

I think that "Received" means processed in the mail room. "Received by Lab" probably means that the kit has entered the lab for processing.

Timothy Peterman

[mihun]

Thank you. You are probably right. However, I am still wondering why did it take so long to take it to the lab. I ordered these tests in early December, and I am on tenterhooks.

[thetick]

And why did it take nearly a month after having received it to give it do the lab? I am a bit confused.

There are two reasons and probably more. The tests are done in batches to be more efficient. Second, there is a backlog from the Christmas sale. The machines used to extract DNA are very expensive, so FTDNA just can't just order more machines for the peak times and be profitable.

[nathanm]

Also remember there are two labs: Houston, Texas, where FTDNA is headquartered, and Tucson, Arizona, at the University of Arizona. I'm not sure what the break down is of which lab does which tests any more. Before, UofA did the basic Y-DNA and mtDNA tests, but that might be changing with the lab expansion in Houston. Hopefully Matt or someone else in the know can chime in here.