Ali Express - is it safe?

Forums › Off topic › Ali Express - is it safe?

1 | 2

duckDecoy

896 posts

Ultimate Geek

Subscriber

#2960109 27-Aug-2022 09:47

traderstu: Aliexpress is fine, but you could also check out reolink.com I purchased a camera from there recently with no issues. Shipped from Hong Kong if I remember correctly.

That's what I ended up doing, and it was cheaper too.

MarkM536

309 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2960175 27-Aug-2022 13:36

AliExpress is fine. I've easily spent over $1,000 with the platform over the years.

But do be aware of buying cctv from AliExpress. They are the 'grey market cameras'.

As Neb has pointed out already;

neb: Just be very careful with buying Chinese-made cameras off Chinese marketplaces, what you'll typically get is domestic-sale ones with Chinese firmware running hacked English-language firmware that can't be updated or replaced. That's why they're so cheap.

The cameras are often the Chinese market version and the seller attempts to decompile the firmware and translate to English, then upload again.

It often means updates will cause the camera/nvr to brick. There is also theoretically a possibility of the seller installing extra spyware/malware but I haven't heard of any cases.

I use Dahua cameras, bought locally and on AliExpress from Empiretecandy. Empire Tech Andy is on ipcamtalk.com and has honoured warranties to me. I choose him to buy cameras from AliExpress because I know his reputation.

Finally; If you buy from AliExpress, or anywhere over seas, Consumer Guarantees Act doesn't apply.

If the product becomes faulty, the AliExpress seller usually doesn't bother responding.

JamieWilson

6 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2960457 28-Aug-2022 13:35

Always sort by 'Orders', this helps to weed out a lot of the small shops which don't make sales - which is generally for a reason. Don't buy anything with less than 100 sales on the item.

Look at the star rating and don't buy anything below 4.5.

From here, look at the reviews from buyers who include pictures of the product.

I've only had problems when buying clothes and wallets when I first started out, but that was because I ignored all of the above. I was buying from sellers who had like 10 sales and 5 stars.

Common sense and 'Is it too good to be true?' goes along way on these sites. I probably wouldn't spend more than $100 unless you're in a position to lose it and get nothing in return, haha.

1. Search by keywords, the less the better.

2. Sort by 'Orders'.

3. Check star rating > 4.5 & Orders > 100.

4. Read reviews and look at the customers uploaded images.

PS. like other posts have said, always buy off Amazon AU first as you can always get your money back if something goes wrong. Aliexpress and Wish are the wildwest.

Journeyman

1186 posts

Uber Geek

#2960531 28-Aug-2022 18:41

I've made quite a number of orders from Aliexpress over the years and only very few have gone wrong. No issues with the 3 orders I've made over $100.

Just keep your wits about you. Don't expect too much if you're only paying $2 for something. Have a look at customer reviews as sometimes they post photos.

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2960533 28-Aug-2022 18:47

And if it's something a bit more expensive, grab a screenshot of it when you buy it, and make certain that specific keywords describing the item are present in the title. You have to be careful there, they'll show a photo of the original made-in-USA/Germany/UK anodised-alu item they're selling you a copy of and then send you a plastic one instead, so look for a listing that explicitly mentions aluminium in the title so you can file a dispute if they send you a plastic one.

This isn't saying stay away from Aliexpress, you just need to know how to play the game.

Speedy885

182 posts

Master Geek

#2960620 28-Aug-2022 22:18

Would not buy from ali etc at the risk of getting dodgy non upgradeable China Region ones. Amazon Australia is the best bet or look on Trademe as there is sometimes good pricing on Dahua gear and when you weigh up Warranty and things like that, sometimes better to buy local as I have had Cameras die and got replaced as the warranty period was 3 Years.

geoffwnz

1587 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#2960796 29-Aug-2022 15:43

PBTech carries at least some of the Reolink range. They are where I got an indoor and outdoor camera from recently.

While searching initially, I found there were sellers on Amazon who did ship the Reolink cameras here. May have been Amazon AU possibly, I don't recall.

MotorDrive Rallying

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

insane

3236 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

#2960967 29-Aug-2022 20:23

My very first order went sideways. Ordered the AU 240v version product but was sent a 110v only version.

The seller was unwilling to correct it, only offering a $5 travel adaptor.

Disputed resolution was for the seller to refund me just 50% after I courier the unwanted item back to them, which itself was going to cost more than the refund.

So no, I don't recommend buying from them at all.

frankv

5680 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2961240 30-Aug-2022 17:17

It's as safe as any Old West town. ;)

Beware of bait-and-switch advertising. It's common for sellers to show a picture of one item and the (lower) price of another similar one. When you click through, you'll see that the pictured item is one of the (much more expensive) options for that item.

Also beware that the subject line and the description of an item may be different.

My experience has been mostly that more expensive stuff is better. I've bought 3D printers and such, and they're all good. Cheaper stuff is dodgy. Especially SD cards and USB sticks -- the ones I bought were all fake and/or faulty and/or fake capacities.

You do get 2 weeks to assess the items and file a dispute with AliExpress. Mostly I've got refunds where stuff has been faulty.

elamuruguk

2 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2980579 11-Oct-2022 12:29

duckDecoy:

traderstu: Aliexpress is fine, but you could also check out reolink.com I purchased a camera from there recently with no issues. Shipped from Hong Kong if I remember correctly.

That's what I ended up doing, and it was cheaper too.

Does it attract additional tax from NZ customs for the items purchased from direct reolink.com (my bundle comes over NZ$1000). Seems its been shipped from Hong Kong.

From their website:

For products NOT shipped from the local warehouses (the recipient's address and the shipping warehouse are not in the same area or not in the same country) and without any customs fees declaration, we do NOT be held responsible for any duties, taxes (including VAT) and brokerage fees (if need be). These charges are the recipient’s responsibility.
We usually declare a lower value to help customers alleviate customs tax. If you have any special request about the declare value, please add a note when placing your order.

allio

885 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2980713 11-Oct-2022 16:16

I've had an almost universally good experience with Aliexpress. I initially set myself a hard $10 limit (basically "would I be able to easily let it go if this item didn't arrive?") but after lots and lots of successful orders I eventually relaxed that, and now don't really hesitate to buy expensive items. Just spent $80 on some banana plugs yesterday and I have no doubt they'll arrive (eventually) and be of good quality.

Out of at least 50 orders I'd say I have dealt with one dodgy seller, who asked for more money after I purchased, sent me a fake tracking number to complete the sale when I didn't respond and then tried to get me to agree to a refund outside the Aliexpress system. As soon as I lodged a dispute it got sorted promptly and I got a full refund.

1 | 2