https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumId=141&topicId=195307

Sort of more interested if people get there goods and the level of service.

I see they have buyer protection, wondered if it works ?

I know from past experience ordering goods from overseas does not always work out ! 

beenz:

 

Anyone use Aliexpress ?

 

I heae it discussed quite often and seems like the new wave to take over TM.

 

Any thoughts comments on the platform ?

 

 

 

ta

 

 

Yes. A few hundred times over the past few years.

Plenty of threads on here discussing it.

For the last three years or so, I have placed around ten orders a month with them.

Usually for small cheap items but also for things costing up to a couple of hundred bucks.

Anything from a usb cable to a small lathe. second hand CPUs, RAID hardware, auto tools, iPhone batteries, ghoul masks to scare trick or treaters, musical instruments, dashcams, car radios, rosin for violin bows, freeview pvrs, media players, socks, clothing, photo accessories, saxophone reeds, guitar strings, flushable toilet seat covers, household lighting, LED bulbs, cake decoration accessories etc etc etc.

Ooops, I forgot to mention SSDs, eSATA docks, SATA cables, LSI Raid controllers, SATA controllers, cooling fans, heatsinks, milling machine bits, router bits, drill bits, bimetalic hole saws, grilles for fan outlets, electric oil change pumps, magnifying glasses, laptop batteries, ethernet switches, ethernet cables, infrared remote sensing thermometers, breath testing gadgets and loads more.

And I have of course forgotten loads more stuff.

Like the flute, clarinet, guitar tuner and dozens of ink cartridges.

Oh yes, the milling machine as well as shoes and batteries of every type.

Of course, one or two orders went bad but the aliX refund scheme saw me good in the end.

I have only ever encountered one vendor who was really bad and aliX got me my money back and kicked the vendor off the site.

What is not to like?

Of course, there are some sharp operators but you would have to be stupid to actually lose serious money and get nothing back.

Torches and one of those LED lights that straps on your head.

I might buy a reflector telescope next.

Used it a bit. Had one issue with something. Put it in dispute and was refunded after a few day when the supplier didn't respond.

Because of their buyer protection, you cant really go wrong as long as you understand some of the stuff it junk.

If you get anything shipped by China mail it does take ages.

Depends on seller.

Some good, some liars.

Shipping depends on how it's shipped. Sometimes arrives in 1 week, sometimes 2-3 months.

Some things.

1. Never accept a partial refund on something until you are certain that is all you will be getting refunded.

One scam that was popular some time ago was sellers would list EMS or fedex shipping at $20ish, and then say "sorry, this was shipped airmail by mistake, please put in a refund for the $20" - people would, and when nothing arrived at all they were not able to get a second refund of the items price. I think this has been fixed but I have not had any dodgey sellers try it on.

2. Keep _all_ packaging for any partial shipments untill the rest of the stuff arrives (or doesnt as the case may be) - sellers will say things were in the packaging and want you to weigh it all to prove what was in there was all that you got.

This is a reason I try to avoid doing big orders. Yes it means more silly little parcels arriving in the PO Box - 15 of them some days, but each parcel has one or 2 things in it so easy to keep track of what has arrived and what has not.

3. Tracking is always hit and miss. You will get a random looking number from some sellers that is their logistics companys internal tracking number. It will only work on that logistics company website but will usually show you the postal system tracking number when you look it up, this can be stuck into NZ post and will work, but will often not track at all untill many days after the number was generated.

4. If a seller is vastly cheaper than others for the same thing, with the same photo it will probably not ship and they rely on you forgetting to put a dispute in. Keep an eye on your outstanding orders for ones that have buyer protection running out soon. Aliexpress will email you but its often too close to expiry unless you watch your emails like a hawk.

beenz:

 

Anyone use Aliexpress ?

 

I heae it discussed quite often and seems like the new wave to take over TM.

 

Any thoughts comments on the platform ?

 

 

 

ta

 

 

 

 

 

The owner was quoted the other day about the most important things for his business. 

No 1 was the customer. 

No 2 was (can't recall). 

No 3 was the shareholder. 

As opposed to No 1 usually being the shareholder. 

Wife has used them a few times with no issue, one product was below advertised standard and she got a partial refund on it.

There is alot of fake stuff, even if they promise its legit, but you can always open a dispute and get a refund

surfisup1000:

 

beenz:

 

Anyone use Aliexpress ?

 

I heae it discussed quite often and seems like the new wave to take over TM.

 

Any thoughts comments on the platform ?

 

 

 

ta

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The owner was quoted the other day about the most important things for his business. 

 

No 1 was the customer. 

 

No 2 was (can't recall). 

 

No 3 was the shareholder. 

 

As opposed to No 1 usually being the shareholder. 

 

If by the other day you mean five or more years ago. He might have changed his tune since the IPO though!

P.S. No 2 was employees.

FWIW, I've bought quite a number of things on AliExpress, and continue to do so.

Some "stores" appear to be virtual... I'm sure they just pass their orders onto other stores or warehouse for shipment to you. So, even if you order several items at the same time from one store, they'll probably be shipped separately.

I've been screwed over a couple of times (faulty or misrepresented goods), but wouldn't have been if at the time I'd known and followed richms's suggestions above. On big-ticket item refunds, even if you get a full refund, you lose quite a few dollars in exchange rate conversion fees, because you get a refund rather than having the original transaction cancelled.

By the time you get the faulty goods, or know they aren't going to turn up, start your dispute, and wait for it to be resolved, a month or two or three has passed, and *then* you start again with buying the item from another vendor.

Beware that some items appear on in a search that is filtered as "Free Shipping" only, and then add shipping charges in the checkout. When I've challenged the vendor about that, they've reduced the cost so that there are no shipping fees. (You can click on the "Buy" button in the checkout, but skip the "Pay now" button on the next screen to place an order without actually paying for it. The vendor can then adjust the price of the transaction).

Beware also that buying one of an item may be free shipping, but 2 or more may get shipping costs added.

If you shop around and are buying in bulk, you can haggle for better deals.

The free shipping filter seems to detect free shipping to any country, and there are many things that are free to the US, but cost a small amount to all others.

Often the free shipping on one or 2 but then cost on more is the change to tracked, which they kick in at a certain value. Even if you buy heaps from the same seller across lots of listing, it seems to only charge it once if you check out all at once. But then you run the risk if they split it up or not and the hassle that brings.

I am an "A4" level buyer on Aliexpress which means, I buy a lot of stuff there.

To answer the questions posed:

> Sort of more interested if people get there goods 

Yes almost always the goods arrive, eventually.

> the level of service. 

You are dealing with Chinese vendors with vaguely passable english, working for way less than you would even bend down to pick up, many of the stores are resellers/drop-shippers for large vendors ("Newfrog" being the one I usually run up against) and won't know anything about the product anyway.  So, in rare occurances you might get a useful answer out of a question, but generally speaking if you have to ask a question, it's not the product for you.

> I see they have buyer protection, wondered if it works ?

Yes.  For items that don't arrive.  If you follow the process properly, it works.  That is to say, don't bother messaging the seller "my thing hasn't arrived", just open a dispute.  Don't accept a resolution from the seller outside of the dispute process.  Don't agree to close the dispute, a dodgy seller will try all manner of things to get you to close it, right down to "my boss will punish me, please please close".  Just leave the dispute open until the seller resolves it (by refunding) or it goes to the resolution service.

For incorrect items, I usually just shrug my shoulders and carry on with life.  Occasionally I've made a dispute for some modest part refund, I've never had a dispute declined.

> I know from past experience ordering goods from overseas does not always work out ! 

Of course, it's a risk.  You never can be sure that what you ordered a month ago will be the right thing when you open it up, or broken, or such poor quality as to be useless, or doesn't meet specs, don't order stuff from Aliexpress if you want certainty, order from a local NZ seller so you are protected under the CGA.   

Ive done my fair share of orders from there.  Only had any issues once, a screen protector for my tablet - packaging was a little bashed around and one corner had a crack.  Contacted the seller, we came to the agreement of a 50% refund.  All sorted quickly and easily.  Very simple process compared to ebay/paypal or even rogue trademe sellers that just tell you to piss off and refuse to sort issues.