Clever ebay scam

[DaveW]

That's interesting, spent well over £1500 with SMT zone buying their 0805,0603 and 0402 E96 kits, I got quick replies from them through email at about the US working times, looks like they've got some physical prescence in California if that's any help,

http://www.smtzone.com/

Certainly won't be buying anything else from them for work if this is what they get up to...

[saturation]

You also need consider that China Post may not treat, track, or respect packages in ways the UK, US, or other developed countries treat mail.  In many developing countries, packages are shipped by courier or private mail to prevent theft and damage.

I'm not sure how true this video is, but I've heard mix input from friends who work with factories that mail can be treated roughly at times, when shipped via China Post.  I haven't seen scars on my packages recently, but in the early 2000s, I'd get an occasional box with huge dents, tears.  In the past 2 years, they look nearly pristine, but that's just handling, tracking to avoid losing mail is another process a post office has to develop.

Just for info and a warning regarding overseas purchases......

I recently lost GBP12 on a soldering iron tip thermometer that never turned up. Another, ordered at the same time from the same seller arrived quickly (2 weeks from HK) I chased the seller and they provided a tracking number that showed the item as having left Hong Kong but no other tracking detail. After many weeks I tried to negotiate supply of another temperature meter but was met with silence. Communications had been great with them promising to help me....right up until I asked them to supply a replacement 

The item was tracked but not insured (as it was only worth GBP12). The seller supplied a valid tracking number (for my consignment ?.... I'm not certain) so claimed their part of the deal was complete. I saw their point as they had apparently sent the item and it was lost in transit without insurance.  For GBP12 life is too short so I bought two more thermometers at GBP8 each from another seller  They both arrived safely.

The moral of this story is.... for expensive items,  pay the extra for tracking AND loss insurance.  Free shipping can be a curse rather than a benefit if things go wrong (no insurance ?)

[Fraser]

I personally witnessed several heavy boxes fall out the back of a UK 'white van man' type courier as he was searching for my consignment. It was a sickening sight to see those boxes tumble out of the van and fall  almost a metre to the hard Tarmac road    Couriers always claim that if a consignment is packed properly , it will survive the journey.... but do you normally pack allowing for a 1 metre drop onto concrete ? 

On a more positive note I have recently had four Marine Radars delivered to my house by various couriers  . One was an open scanner type with an all up weight of 36kg and the others were radome enclosed types weighing around 26kg each. The fragile monitors were also in the boxes with the heavy scanner heads. None suffered any transit damage in spite of their large size, weight and difficulty to protect with padding. I was quite surprised that the open scanner didn't get dinged in transit. The courier almost got a hernia delivering it to the house  (the box was the size of a coffin  A prime candidate for poor handling in transit.

[Kiriakos-GR]

There is many funny videos out there, about anything. 
Definitely not an EMS installation, and it could be a local private domestic company for carrying small parsers like business to business.

The EMS network is better organized than a army,  with a daily traffic of hundreds of tons.
The young ones could believe that those boxes on the video contains Rigol scopes, but that's not true.     

The label " Fragile " it was not invented with out reason.

All the people who works on the postal services worldwide, they like their work, their are proud about it, and they do it with passion.
And actually all those workers are our own brothers and fathers.

I have visit lots of times the local postal service, and I have see how well and systematically they work,
even by handling small packets or even larger cargo.

[alm]

You also need consider that China Post may not treat, track, or respect packages in ways the UK, US, or other developed countries treat mail.

Do you really expect UPS or Fedex to treat your packages better? Why do you think they tell you that packages should be able to survive a 6 foot drop? US shipping companies are perfectly able to destroy packages beyond recognition. Just ask anyone shipping large, fragile items like antique radios or scopes. Some people seem to complain that it's rare for anything big to arrive unharmed these days, even if packed properly.

The label " Fragile " it was not invented with out reason.

Exactly, it tells you which ones to kick instead of just throwing them.

[RCMR]

You also need consider that China Post may not treat, track, or respect packages in ways the UK, US, or other developed countries treat mail.  In many developing countries, packages are shipped by courier or private mail to prevent theft and damage.

I don't recall whether I posted it here or not but this week I received a package from a Chinese company.

It was supposed to contain two "Almost Ready to Fly" (ARF) RC model aircraft.

The box was so badly crushed that in places it was no more than 50mm thick (it should have been about 600mm).

It really did look as if someone had repeatedly driven over it with a forklift until finally, the crumpled consignment was noticed and thrown  back into the processing stream.

When it arrived, I refused to accept it.  Hell, when I picked it up in the middle, the ends sagged down to point directly at the ground -- it was so crushed and floppy.  In fact, it resembled a large wrinkled envelope rather than a carton.

I have to say however, that the company who sent the package were brilliant (I'll give them a plug -- it was HiModel.com ).

Within 48 hours of me contacting them, they had resent the entire order and emailed me the tracking number.

Just goes to show that while some companies (like GoodLuckBuy.com) don't give a tinker's curse about honoring their contracts with customers, others (like HiModel) are better than many Western companies in respect to their customer support and after-sales service.

Like all things -- it's Caveat Emptor.

I've already built a list of good and bad online Chinese vendors -- I wonder if we ought to perhaps start a sticky in one of the forums that will allow others to share their experiences.  This could save some of us from wasting money with bad companies and help reward the good ones by directing more business their way.

[Kiriakos-GR]

The label " Fragile " it was not invented with out reason.

Exactly, it tells you which ones to kick instead of just throwing them.

LOL

This is why is probably safer to buy only products that comply to IP67   

About EMS CN  the Youtube is dry about direct links.
And so I had to drill with the Chinese search engines so to find some material. 
Here is a link about the EMS, all the EMS workers use uniform clothing, and markings.
Also their  trucks or planes or everything that they use has special colors and markings.
And so all those videos with workers with no uniform clothing are fakes.

http://tv.sohu.com/20090301/n262534091.shtml
 

[SgtRock]

Dear RCMR:
--GoodLuckBuy, indeed that is priceless. I guess FatChanceJack was already taken.
Clear Ether

[Kiriakos-GR]

FatChanceJack

LOL   

The most funny part from those stories, is that when you paint them red on ebay,
all of them use the same poem : What are you doing I am trying to feed my family with this job.

Any way, everything is on the game that called life. 

[Fraser]

RCMR's suggestion of a list showing which companies offer good or poor service is, IMHO, an excellent idea. The problem is that all companies have their off days so the ranking needs to be the result of positive or negative votes. No idea how that can be done on a forum but I still like the suggestion. I like to support companies (UK and foreign) that put some effort into their customer service.

[saturation]

I don't know how they treat it but given their liability, it would cost them.  Private carriers are responsible for transit damage in the US, at least UPS and Fedex.  USPS only if you add insurance.  Proper packing for each carrier is defined by the worse case handling it will typically undergo with them.  For delicate items, a responsible shipper will use courier freight, and they handle it even more delicately, such as big screen flat TVs.

UPS policy:

http://www.theupsstore.com/products/pages/pac.aspx
http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/service/claims/hlp/damage_process.html



As for antique radios, ham gear etc, one can't rule out poor packing by the sender is as much to blame.  I have yet to file a claim with any carrier for damaged goods in 30 years of buying via mail.  Many who ship T&M gear professionally use packing foam, it allows standard carriers to transport what normally should be courier.  For individuals, there are smaller packs:

http://packagingproducts.larsenpackaging.com/item/expandable-foam/flashpac-foam-in-bag-instant-foam/item-17243?#Specifications

In the US, USPS is contracted to deliver UPS and Fedex to more remote locations and complicate filing claims. The more rural the location, the more likely handlers are less well managed or could have dueling banjo type employees.   

You also need consider that China Post may not treat, track, or respect packages in ways the UK, US, or other developed countries treat mail.

Do you really expect UPS or Fedex to treat your packages better? Why do you think they tell you that packages should be able to survive a 6 foot drop? US shipping companies are perfectly able to destroy packages beyond recognition. Just ask anyone shipping large, fragile items like antique radios or scopes. Some people seem to complain that it's rare for anything big to arrive unharmed these days, even if packed properly.

The label " Fragile " it was not invented with out reason.

Exactly, it tells you which ones to kick instead of just throwing them.

[saturation]

Here's a recent discussion in an expat forum about issues with China Post:

http://www.gochengdoo.com/en/forums/thread/4041/china_post_problems

You also need consider that China Post may not treat, track, or respect packages in ways the UK, US, or other developed countries treat mail.  In many developing countries, packages are shipped by courier or private mail to prevent theft and damage.

I don't recall whether I posted it here or not but this week I received a package from a Chinese company.

It was supposed to contain two "Almost Ready to Fly" (ARF) RC model aircraft.
...
Like all things -- it's Caveat Emptor.

I've already built a list of good and bad online Chinese vendors -- I wonder if we ought to perhaps start a sticky in one of the forums that will allow others to share their experiences.  This could save some of us from wasting money with bad companies and help reward the good ones by directing more business their way.

[ivan747]

I wonder if we ought to perhaps start a sticky in one of the forums that will allow others to share their experiences.

Let's do it! \O/

[alm]

For delicate items, a responsible shipper will use courier freight, and they handle it even more delicately, such as big screen flat TVs.

Unless your delicate product is worth about $10, like some of the old tube gear. The fact that it's cheap doesn't mean that it doesn't suck if many of them arrive with shipping damage.

As for antique radios, ham gear etc, one can't rule out poor packing by the sender is as much to blame.

True. However, some people that I see complaining have been shipping delicate stuff for years and do everything they can to protect the stuff. It's just hard if price doesn't allow for expensive options like foam-in-place. Shipping damage seems to have gotten worse in at least some parts of the US in the last few years.

I have yet to file a claim with any carrier for damaged goods in 30 years of buying via mail.

There seem to be significant differences between the quality of carriers in different locations, not just rural vs. big cities.

Many of the packages you saw in the video probably also survived if they were properly packed, it didn't look like that much deceleration compared to the standard 2 meter drop off a conveyer belt or cargo hold.

[dfnr2]

Seller A is smtzone
Seller B is aidtech

I have bought from SMTzone before.  They operate out of California, and have always answered the phone, and answered questions about their products, and deliver on time.  I have never had any problems.  I really like their SMT organizers. 

Whenever I see a store selling new stuff on Ebay, I always check if they have a regular site, and if they do, and if they accept credit card payments, I do that instead.  If I am not sure of the company, I generate a temporary credit card number online.  That way, if there is an issue, you have real recourse via your credit card company.  Also, I notice that many companies actually charge less if you buy from their website rather than Ebay, probably since they don't have to pay the fees.

Dave

[Kiriakos-GR]

Also, I notice that many companies actually charge less if you buy from their website rather than Ebay, probably since they don't have to pay the fees.

Dave

I prefer to pay the something more, and have the chance to paint them Red.
Some "sellers" are not that serious with web sales, they think that is another tiny universe for kids familiar with computers.
Even If I do not favor Ebay, their points system has a true value.