[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Won't such people also face difficulties in importing such items from China?

They won't if they are importing something in bulk that has not yet been 'officially' banned, and are paying the duties/taxes, bribes etc for the clearance of their consignment. Imports from China are still coming in, exports to China from India are still going. It is only the individual imports from sites like Aliexpress that will suffer.

Anyway, my point was about how many are/were profiteering from this by selling the same thing at 5-6 times the actual price.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by mvadg

Yes. If "such people" are not connected to the right people in high places. Which also means those who are connected will have less competition - "license raj"! I think the speed with which this consignment was cleared shows the vendor has connections. This is exactly the reason traders want to boycott China, not because the are patriotic - their connections will fetch them greater profits.

Which consignment?

The anecdote was from a few years ago.

Not current post the border skirmish.

The facts on the ground, minus hearsay, are different.

Cheers, Doc

[deathwalkr]

Won't paying duties and customs increase the prices of such items they have to import? As per my limited understanding, AliExpress sellers were undervaluing the item prices on the invoice and declaring it as a gift? so as to evade or reduce customs charges?

I am all for getting cheap stuff but resellers are there to make profits only. What's their purpose otherwise?

And saying this is to help a certain Indian businessman grow is just weird!

Oh well...

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Won't paying duties and customs increase the prices of such items they have to import?*

Well, you forgot to add freight charges because they can add substantial costs to an import.

Read my previous post again. I was referring to 5-6 times the product cost quoted for the same product available* directly on sites like AE. Even if you add duties,freight cost, bribes, profits etc, how can anyone in their right minds justify such exorbitant prices charged by an Indian to another Indian? How can Rs "X" on AE become Rs 6X. Isn't that daylight robbery? Or is it ok to loot a fellow Indian that way in the name of patriotism?

Let me give an example of this. As I said earlier in the thread, I bought aviation merchandise and aircraft scale models from Aliexpress. All of them were lost cost ones in the Rs 1000-1600 range - value of which did not even qualify to be charged duty. The very same models I have seen being sold on Amazon.in for Rs 6000-7000 with delivery after 3-4 weeks. As I said earlier,even if you factor the other costs + profit, is it justified to ask for such high prices in the name of being an "Indian" re-seller? The profit margins are right out of the ball park and only crooks engage in such profiteering from such low quality, low value products.

The other factor is non-availability of the product because it is not manufactured locally.

Example 1: I bought many low cost patches for my collection from AE.

This IJN Zero patch, bought 3-4 years ago from AE,costed me around USD 0.80 including shipping by Registered Post(which roughly translated to Rs 50-55).


There was no way such patches would have been available in India locally, unless you knew someone serving in the military who gifts you his unit/morale patch.

Lately, a few Indian firms have started designing and making same stunning and unofficial military patches locally, for which I am extremely happy and grateful. I have a bought quite a few for my collection from them and I will support them. But the cost is a factor - most of those patches cost nearly 3-4 times or even more than the AE ones.



Example 2: The high end diecast metal aircraft scale models are exclusively built in China. I believe all major International brands have their factories in China for obvious reasons. I avoid buying those expensive models from AE purely because it is a huge risk considering how " honest" the customs are. In the Aircraft Scale model thread, there are atleast a couple of examples how models have magically disappeared after landing up with Customs!!!

I remember I had one Rs 1200 Sea Harrier model that arrived to me in damaged condition from AE. The package had a "Opened by Customs" seal. I found the model box taped shabbily and the model itself broken at multiple places, as if some sadistic chap had deliberately done it. Bear in mind none of the other models that I got never had any damage, they always had "Not Opened by Customs" seal. When I gave this feedback to the seller, he said he, like always, had used a strong box and insulation material to protect it from transit damage and it wasn't his fault, but still was willing to refund the entire amount back to me as per AE policy. I declined to apply for the refund. Luckily for me, all broken parts were in box and I managed to re-fix them with glue and same patience , including one wheel stuck to the packing tape. How that wheel managed to stay there during its trip from Bangalore to Mangalore, I will never know

Coming to the point, I buy those branded aircraft scale models from an Indian scale model dealer/re-seller, whose prices are close or slightly above the prices quoted on international websites. He pays all the customs duties, GST etc and yet his prices remain reasonable. And no, he doesn't do charity and sell it at cost price, the prices include his profit margins as well. As a collector, there's no import risk for me that I had when buying directly from AE. All risks and import costs are his. As long as he is reasonable with the final product cost being charged to me, I don't care how much profit he earns off me. That's how it should be, not being looted in day light by being charged Rs 20-30K for a model that cost Rs 8-9k!!!!

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

I am all for getting cheap stuff but resellers are there to make profits only. What's their purpose otherwise?

Their purpose is also to remain reasonable, ethical and honest like a good businessman when quoting their prices/earning profits and not engage in blind profiteering in the name of non-availability of products.

I have a few models in my collection that I bought for 6-7k and are now not available anywhere. What If I put them up for sale ar 40-50k to my some other collector who is particularly desperate for that particular model? Just isn't ethical or right.

[deathwalkr]

Yes. It is absolutely ok for you to sell your special edition models for whatever price you deem fit.

And could you post a couple of links of these aircraft models selling on amazon? The supplier in China caters to the world so economies of scale work out cheaper for him. The reseller here caters only to this country.

I can understand your pain on not getting stuff from China but ranting about the resellers is what i don't understand.

Oh and I've been a AE customer since 2013

Those patches are damn cool by the way

[Jaguar]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

I can understand your pain on not getting stuff from China but ranting about the resellers is what i don't understand.

The resellers are nothing but middlemen and they pocketing more than a fair profit is what skanchan95 is talking about. In most cases, they are not adding any value add and the delivery is also not fast as the shipment originates from china after we place the order. They don't even offer any warranty. All they are doing is jacking up the prices. In a free market, these resellers will be obsolete.

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Yes. It is absolutely ok for you to sell your special edition models for whatever price you deem fit.

You have your opinion, I have mine.So let us agree to disagree on that topic and leave it at that

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

And could you post a couple of links of these aircraft models selling on amazon? The supplier in China caters to the world so economies of scale work out cheaper for him. The reseller here caters only to this country.

Almost all of them are now no longer available from Amazon for obvious reasons....it is no longer easy to procure those models from China. But I could a find a couple still listed on Amazon and I am attaching the screenshot from the app before they too disappear. Look at the price and the estimated delivery date. It is obvious what the seller does.


That Alouette is a cheap Chinese brand called Amercom. I don't think it should cost more than USD 20-22 on AE(under normal circumstances) . I have an F-15, Sea Harrier and F-18 from that brand. There is no way that quality and brand is worth 5K. If you pay 1K more , you can get great looking models from far more well known brands.

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

I can understand your pain on not getting stuff from China but ranting about the resellers is what i don't understand.

The last model I bought from AE was in November last year of a T-90 MBT.


I stopped not because there was any threat of any ban then, but because I could not find any more cheapish models to my liking listed on AE. As I said I continue to buy models of reputed brands from an Indian dealer and should be having a couple more additions in the next 10 days. So, neither do I miss AE nor do I feel the need to browse AE using VPN. Imports and exports from and to China are not officially banned yet for importers/exporters who do it legally. Just that the customs are creating more hassles now.

Originally Posted by deathwalkr

Those patches are damn cool by the way

They sure are. If you wish to buy them, google Aerodek Aviation or look them up on Instagram. They are a Bangalore based firm making great looking patches.

[Red Liner]

Have you guys tried ebay? I reckon the same sellers from China exist there.

[padmrajravi]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Have you guys tried ebay? I reckon the same sellers from China exist there.

I have been trying eBay for the past few weeks. Most of the items do exist there, but the prices are nowhere close to aliexpress. In fact these are also resellers who are importing from China to a middle man country - Like US and then sell it worldwide. So naturally, the prices will be jacked up. I ordered a china origin item from a german seller. . Waiting to see if it reaches me. The shipping is through German post and India post.

[itisravi]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Have you guys tried ebay? I reckon the same sellers from China exist there.

ebay.in was a viable alternative with a slightly higher mark-up than AE but it was justified since the item was guaranteed to be delivered in a week or two. But Flipkart shut it down a few years back. ebay.com has all the problems padmrajravi mentions.

[iron]

On iOS the Aliexpress app has been de listed and is not available for download any more from the App Store.
I am guessing it would be the same on play store.
If you have the app, upon opening it promptly displays a Notice which says Due to local conditions, the provisions of services to your location is currently unavailable.

I had ordered rubber grommets for the fairing of my bike as existing ones had worn out and needed replacement.
Had ordered them on 13th November 2020 before the app got delisted and have received the package today. Surprisingly, The country of origin is mentioned as Solomon Islands.
Is this done to get by customs??


I had also ordered an ignition switch, Fuel gas cap on the same day which got cancelled. The reason I ordered them was because of massive price difference between ali express and Suzuki OEM sold here. When enquired with Dream Suzuki quoted me 6000/- approx for the Ignition Switch, Fuel gas Cap, Seat lock & key set whereas Ali express was 2000/- inclusive of shipping.

[mvadg]

Originally Posted by iron

I had ordered rubber grommets for the fairing of my bike as existing ones had worn out and needed replacement.
Had ordered them on 13th November 2020 before the app got delisted and have received the package today. Surprisingly, The country of origin is mentioned as Solomon Islands.
Is this done to get by customs??
... .

Got a sofa cover ordered in the middle of October, routed via Malaysia. Pretty much on time, but customs had opened the package.

Another package of earrings (worth less than Rs 150)is on its way around the world, it seems to have reached Ukraine, next stop Solomon Islands...

[jothishX]

Ordered clay sponge and clay towels for detailing my car last month before this happened. Got it delivered last week luckily. The price is atleast 10x here in India

[itisravi]

My final purchase before the website ban got delivered. I should frame this pic just for the nostalgia to fondly remind me of the time where my cycling hobby was an affordable affair without burning a hole in my wallet. Or will things change? Oh well, one can only wait and watch.

[maheshm619]

Originally Posted by maheshm619

So the second item I ordered reached last week.The package "country of origin” was mentioned as Solomon Islands.

My package finally arrived today. The timeline is 04 nov (malaysia)> 09 Nov (Delhi) >17 Dec (customs Kochi) > 18 Dec (delivered).
From the courier label, it seems that package originated in Malaysia, rather than China.