Ebay China purchases... Be CAREFUL!!!

[greenechidna]

I'm sitting in front of an Airflow plus8 electric fan bought for my granma in 1968. Still going strong 47 years and 3 generations later

Well done Warner - Drayton.

Just as well you decided to have a poke around inside.

[Homepin]

I'm sitting in front of an Airflow plus8 electric fan bought for my granma in 1968. Still going strong 47 years and 3 generations later

Well done Warner - Drayton.

Just as well you decided to have a poke around inside.

Yes, but what did it cost back in the day? I would bet it was 1/3 of a weeks pay!!!

Now you can buy an infra-red, remote controlled pedestal fan (Made in China) for $18.........pretty easy to see why Chinese products have taken over the shelves of practically all big retailers.

[greenechidna]

True...I bought a 51cm TV in 1999 for $540 and a VCR for around $300

Life pre China was pretty dear.

[pinballowner]

I'm sitting in front of an Airflow plus8 electric fan bought for my granma in 1968. Still going strong 47 years and 3 generations later

Well done Warner - Drayton.

Just as well you decided to have a poke around inside.

Wouldn't pass the finger test now a days though 

http://www.ergonomicsusa.com/product/jointed-childrens-finger-probe/

[greenechidna]

It's drawn blood more than once.

Still safer than the soldering iron.

[Caveoftreasures]

Here's a good one for you guys.

I met a fellow a year ago that imported 5 large shipping containers of LCD/LED 55 inch Televisions in from China.
He spent almost a million dollars and was going to triple his money.
Problem was, when Aust Customs took a peak at his containers just on a random check, it was decided to "confiscate" half a dozen TV,s to test them out (yes Customs Agents were stealing some).

The problem began a day later when one of the TV,s started to smoke whilst being turned on.
Soon it was apparent the TV,s may ALL have a problem.

The containers were checked again, not cleared and we're all poorly built.
They looked amazing before and after being turned on, but they all had the same small design fault.

The entire million dollars of 55 inch TV,s were sent to the recyclers.
The importer lost a million dollars.

That's what happens when you don't have electronics and electrical experience.
The importer lost everything.

Thankyou for Flying China Airlines.
He should have gone to Japan or Korea with his million bux.

[GORGAR 1]

So is our country flooded with crap from China? That's a worry 

[Homepin]

So is our country flooded with crap from China? That's a worry  

No, read my post above about Chinese quality and Cavey makes a valid point. Most of the problems arise because WESTERN buyers either lack the appropriate knowledge OR are greedy and squeeze the supplier to the bottom cent.

China is every bit as capable, possibly more so, of making first class ANYTHING as pretty well any other country it's just that buyers and large retailers CHOOSE to screw the supplier as low as possible to boost their bottom line and that's when the problems start. They put a man in space - you can't do that by cutting corners and making shit!

My old man used to always say:

"You can't make cream out of cow shit" - this is so true in China - if you want cheap you will get it, but don't expect it to be the same high quality as something that is a little more expensive.

There is a fine balance that I tread EVERY day here with my suppliers. I have most of them trained now and that's why I like to stick with the same ones where possible. That last $0.50 that you want as a discount on the $5 item (that retails in Australia for $80) means the difference between a good, merchantable product and something that is going to be made cutting corners and likely to give you quality and recall problems.

I NEVER squeeze my suppliers to their "lowest price" because I know what happens - I have seen it dozens of times.

I laugh when I hear people say "Made in China CRAP"! They are very ignorant of exactly what is going on and just how THEY are the mugs being manipulated, and NOT by the Chinese either - blame your OWN countrymen for 90% of the problems you may ever have with "Made in China" items!

[Caveoftreasures]

So very true Mike. I saw greedy Aussies in the electronic security industry do the same thing and just try n ring every cent out of paying for quality items. They were just stupid and too greedy n didn't use their brains.

The Chineese importer used to say " I can sell u mercedes Benz for mercedes Benz price but if you pay me shit money I give you Mercedes Benz on outside and it's Daewoo shit on inside".

In his broken English I knew he was saying, if u fuk me on price, you really fuk yourself too with cheap nasty product".
It wasn't rocket science. I bought his most expensive stuff and compared it to Bosch.

I gave people 5 year warranty on Bosch and two year warranty on Chineese stuff because it was very good but not the absolute best. I always sold Bosch stuff first. Then Bosch stuff started getting made in China and no longer Germany.
The Bosch Chineese stuff had a one percent failure rate and the German stuff a five percent fail rate.
The Chineese worked harder because they badly WANTED the massive contract.
The price dropped for us but the quality was superb.

Famous Chineese Proverb from Confucious. Lol
"You get what you pay for".

When did dumb Westerners start thinking you could get gold for tin prices ? Lol

We all know, you only get gold at gold prices.

The Chineese aren't stupid. It's the Western world for being short sighted and too dam greedy. Lol

[guyricho]

Ive bought items from china from Chinese suppliers.
My experience on many occasions is Chinese quality control is the problem.
Ive bought items that were outstanding then re-ordered the same product because it was good from the same supplier and the next one was crap.
I try a different seller and the same problem

Often Chinese items are hit and miss.
Allot of Them Dont seem to check what they sell and weed out the faulty stuff.
Thats my experience

Personally I am getting tired of buying Chinese shit

China can make good stuff but you cant deny homepin that their rate of dodgy manufacturers who flood the market with crappy products is higher than countries like Japan,usa and so on
but maybe those countries quality control laws are better 

As a consumer its getting very hard to know if you will get something good from china or shit, its a risk and its becoming one not worth taking these days

Then add in the Chinglish instructions that will drive any one mad   


As for fans I have an Old national fan that I cant replace because I cant find one that pushes as much air these days. 

Regards Rich.

[GORGAR 1]

My comment was abit tongue in cheek   but having said that lol after that lady electrocuted herself with a product from China by memory head phones I buy off ebay but only genuine Apple products :)  but how do I inow there really genuine lol  

[guyricho]

Famous Chineese Proverb from Confucious. Lol
"You get what you pay for".

trust me you dont get what you payed for these days
way to many shonk Chinese sellers especially on ebay

When did dumb Westerners start thinking you could get gold for tin prices ? Lol

We all know, you only get gold at gold prices.

No if I pay tin prices I want tin not a dog turd.  

My comment was abit tongue in cheek  badgrin but having said that lol after that lady electrocuted herself with a product from China by memory head phones I buy off ebay but only genuine Apple products :)  but how do I inow there really genuine lol

Problem is Australian buyers are too trusting so we take peoples word when the Chinese seller says they are genuine.

Ive come to the realization along time ago that if you want the real deal you go pay the money from the Bricks and mortar store 
And not take the word of the scamming Chinese sellers.

regards Rich

[Homepin]

All of my comments are not referring to buying a single item on Fleabay but rather container loads. If you are buying one or small volumes especially from an eBay seller - well, good luck is all I can say.

If you are IN Australia and trusting ANY Chinese supplier to send you what is shown in the glossy brochures then you are a fool. I am asked WEEKLY to pick up the pieces from deals gone wrong and I used to help out. I don't do it any longer as the problem is always the same.

If you want to trade with China there is only one way to do it - BE IN CHINA and supervise things yourself or employ someone to do that for you. If you buy on trust and sight unseen then you deserve all you get (or don't get as the case may be).

Too many want to simply order, pay and sit back and think the cash will just roll in - it NEVER does. If you are not prepared to do the hard yards then importing is not for you, particularly from China.

I buy high quality stuff here in China every single day because I am ON THE SPOT - they cannot trick me with the stuff they sell to India and Africa.

 

[guyricho]

All of my comments are not referring to buying a single item on Fleabay but rather container loads. If you are buying one or small volumes especially from an eBay seller - well, good luck is all I can say.

maybe you should have read the Title of the thread



you calling people fools for buying from Chinese sellers but at the same time saying china isnt crap
Which one is it?

[Homepin]

All of my comments are not referring to buying a single item on Fleabay but rather container loads. If you are buying one or small volumes especially from an eBay seller - well, good luck is all I can say.

maybe you should have read the Title of the thread



you calling people fools for buying from Chinese sellers but at the same time saying china isnt crap
Which one is it?

I believe I have explained myself very clearly but let me say it again perhaps simplified:

If you are buying "one off" from sites such as eBay - good luck. These sellers are most often working from home and sometimes cobbling together things such as experienced by the OP. The proliferation of online buying platforms such as eBay, Alibaba, MadeinChina.com and dozens of others has allowed many shonky sellers to take advantage - what you see on Alibaba as one example is not necessarily what the "company" will be.

If you are an importer OR wish to buy larger quantities then you MUST be in China to buy and supervise or you may not get what you think you are buying. The people that irk me are the ones who come to China for a few days, maybe they attend a trade show and suddenly they are experts on all things China. It doesn't work that way.

China makes all levels of quality, if (as an importer) you are NOT prepared to BE IN CHINA to buy and supervise then I advise DON'T do it.

They can and DO make high quality as well as crap - Australia makes crap as well.

My comments are that you really must have a "hands on" approach if you hope to buy well from China.

I live in China and I conduct business here every day - I really couldn't care if you take notice of my comments or not, please yourself. I believe I am in a pretty strong position to comment on things that happen here but maybe some don't agree with that?