Alibaba , has anyone used it to buy ?

Ali express, which is operated by Alibaba works the same way as eBay. As everything is in China it will take an age to come and will be pot luck on quality.
Place I work had a lot of people buying stuff off it 4 years ago and they had no issues with it. Things like Huwai phones that weren’t released here etc.
 

Exfarmer

Member
Location
Bury St Edmunds
Do be careful of the small print often you will find the quoted price is for one but minimum order is say ten.
Virtually everything will be subject to duty when it arrives in UK, but may not be charged if gross cost is less than £50
no idea if it has any way of refunds if goods are not up to scratch.
I must say I was very tempted by a certain piece of kit I saw in Taiwan but did not go for it when I saw it would have come out at at £25,000 for ten of them plus delivery of one container
 
Do be careful of the small print often you will find the quoted price is for one but minimum order is say ten.
Virtually everything will be subject to duty when it arrives in UK, but may not be charged if gross cost is less than £50
no idea if it has any way of refunds if goods are not up to scratch.
I must say I was very tempted by a certain piece of kit I saw in Taiwan but did not go for it when I saw it would have come out at at £25,000 for ten of them plus delivery of one container
Thanks for that . I did wonder if there were hidden charges . I was looking at water troughs and fence posts etc . Alot of it looks identical to the stuff we buy here but it’s a tenth of the price ! I suppose the old saying “ if somethings to good to be true …..”
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
I have bought a couple or 3 low value (sub 100 quid) motorbike related items directly and had good service. No tax as below the threshold..

Delivery from China at present is a complete lottery by all accounts, but depends on what carrier the seller uses.

I looked at the cost of a couple of mulching rolls for using pre drilling with a DD, and also the rather cool composting machines used out there. I decided I was not willing to risk the capital...
 

Exfarmer

Member
Location
Bury St Edmunds
I have bought a couple or 3 low value (sub 100 quid) motorbike related items directly and had good service. No tax as below the threshold..

Delivery from China at present is a complete lottery by all accounts, but depends on what carrier the seller uses.

I looked at the cost of a couple of mulching rolls for using pre drilling with a DD, and also the rather cool composting machines used out there. I decided I was not willing to risk the capital...
The charging of duty is purely a lottery it seems, what is annoying is that some companies see it as a great excuse to scam you. Such as Royal Mail!
it greatly helps if the seller puts a very much reduced gross value on the outside which seems very common for Chinese sellers. So I had a £300 pair of glasses billed out as a pair of goggles £21
on the other hand I had some lenses sen from the states a couple of years ago which cost £60 duty was £12 and Royal Mail charged about £20 for collecting it!
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
I was changing the oil on my Honda ATV when I was rushed to hospital on an unrelated matter. Came home a few days later and went back to work. The quad was playing up....

The reason was I'd forgotten to refill with oil, badly scored the pot which was beyond repair. Saw a new one as a kit advertised on Ebay for £150 including delivery, but from China, as against about £500 in the UK. I asked advice on here and several recommended to go for it. The kit arrived with value declared as £20 so no import duty! Fitted it myself and the quad has been running perfectly ever since.

I am now a regular purchaser from Alibaba and have had no problems. Rather the reverse. A carburetor bought for a fraction of the UK price wasn't an exact match. I complained, The Chinese returned my money but did not want the carb back. What is more, I've discovered Honda USA get many of their parts made in China, including the pistons and cylinders! The fact that there may be a minimum order stated or perhaps other terms is hardly a deception. Alibaba is a ste fo selling wholesale, don't expect retail terms -- or prices. And you should always read the small print anyway, that's just good business sense. If the listing states a minimum quantity, it's always worth asking the price of one. They may quote rather than lose the deal, they are that keen. The Chinese are very eager to get your business, unlike some western companies I have dealt with. I even have a Chinese vet in Taiwan but he is more of a personal friend!:ROFLMAO:
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
I was changing the oil on my Honda ATV when I was rushed to hospital on an unrelated matter. Came home a few days later and went back to work. The quad was playing up....

The reason was I'd forgotten to refill with oil, badly scored the pot which was beyond repair. Saw a new one as a kit advertised on Ebay for £150 including delivery, but from China, as against about £500 in the UK. I asked advice on here and several recommended to go for it. The kit arrived with value declared as £20 so no import duty! Fitted it myself and the quad has been running perfectly ever since.

I am now a regular purchaser from Alibaba and have had no problems. Rather the reverse. A carburetor bought for a fraction of the UK price wasn't an exact match. I complained, The Chinese returned my money but did not want the carb back. What is more, I've discovered Honda USA get many of their parts made in China, including the pistons and cylinders! The fact that there may be a minimum order stated or perhaps other terms is hardly a deception. Alibaba is a ste fo selling wholesale, don't expect retail terms -- or prices. And you should always read the small print anyway, that's just good business sense. If the listing states a minimum quantity, it's always worth asking the price of one. They may quote rather than lose the deal, they are that keen. The Chinese are very eager to get your business, unlike some western companies I have dealt with. I even have a Chinese vet in Taiwan but he is more of a personal friend!:ROFLMAO:
100%

I have found the Alibaba Chinese retailers to be straight as you did. Had a problem with a bike add-on fuel tank as the filler pipe was wonky. Took a pic and asked them to send a replacement, inside a week, a whole tank and pipe arrived.

When I ordered off FJ Dynamics last year for an Autosteer kit, I transferred the funds on Sunday morning, the kit was with me Thursday. DHL, finally chased me up for the VAT 2-3 months later... Not a problem as was claimed back next quarter :)
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
The charging of duty is purely a lottery it seems, what is annoying is that some companies see it as a great excuse to scam you. Such as Royal Mail!
it greatly helps if the seller puts a very much reduced gross value on the outside which seems very common for Chinese sellers. So I had a £300 pair of glasses billed out as a pair of goggles £21
on the other hand I had some lenses sen from the states a couple of years ago which cost £60 duty was £12 and Royal Mail charged about £20 for collecting it!
They are very helpful like this... ;)

Unlike the American sellers!! :(
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Do be careful of the small print often you will find the quoted price is for one but minimum order is say ten.
Virtually everything will be subject to duty when it arrives in UK, but may not be charged if gross cost is less than £50
no idea if it has any way of refunds if goods are not up to scratch.
I must say I was very tempted by a certain piece of kit I saw in Taiwan but did not go for it when I saw it would have come out at at £25,000 for ten of them plus delivery of one container
Yes, but the container is worth 5K now... ;)
 

Turnip

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Aberdeenshire
If i was to buy some fencing wire would it be up to me or up to them to arrange shipping?
Really depends on the small print. Most of the time the seller arranges shipping but you need to sort out import etc.

With regards to quantity for orders I've gotten away with asking for a sample before thinking of potentially placing a larger order. That way I got the one off. It does seem to be geared towards wholesale not consumers. Have also ordered the minimum quantity as it was equivalent to single UK price and then sold several privately on ebay.
 

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