May 30, 2017 18:06:05 GMT 12 Citroen said:

May 21, 2017 21:44:44 GMT 12 sub said:

Thanks Citroen, now registered wth Ali express, but found an identical item for US$175 with free international shipping. Have parked in my cart, but waiting for outcome of a trademe auction for 2nd hand near new item with a timer that doesn't work. I have an auto bid on it but won't know until the 24th if I win it or not. I have a timer plug that I used to use on a pump, so not bothered about the non functioning timer.

How did you get on with this one?

Well outbid on the TM one, sold for close to $230 from memory. Been a bit distracted last few days with other matters, but found a listing on Aliexpress for the same model you and Owen have, marked down to $106US, so ordered that last night, total of $148.35US (approx $198 NZ) including Shipping via DHL.  However, still waiting confirmation, so they may ask for more.

just checked my bank a/c balances on line, and my Visa has been debited for $216.52 - which seems reasonable if that is all it costs.

Excellent.

Please share the link

May 31, 2017 18:39:30 GMT 12 Citroen said:

Excellent.

Please share the link

Hmm, use an iPad these days, and while sometimes when I put my finger on a link, I am invited to copy and paste, but a lot of the time, as now, nothing happens!  So, took a screen shot -here it is 

www.aliexpress.com/item/New-Stainless-Steel-6-L-Liter-Industry-Heated-Ultrasonic-Cleaner-Heater-w-Timer/32720458329.html?spm=2114.01010208.3.2.z4kAiR&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4_10152_10065_10151_5010011_10068_10136_10137_10157_10060_10138_10155_10062_10156_437_10154_10056_10055_10054_10059_303_100031_10099_10103_10102_10096_10147_10052_10053_10142_10107_10050_10051_5020011_10084_10083_10080_10082_10081_10110_519_10175_10111_10112_10113_10114_10182_10185_10078_10079_10073_10123_142,searchweb201603_9,ppcSwitch_2&btsid=37c8f2a2-d79b-4f62-8a4e-ea4829eedacf&algo_expid=f7793553-734d-45d6-98bb-6c4bce8657f9-0&algo_pvid=f7793553-734d-45d6-98bb-6c4bce8657f9

Just received email that my order for the US cleaner has been shipped!

May 31, 2017 23:13:03 GMT 12 sub said:

Just received email that my order for the US cleaner has been shipped!

Hmm, too good to be true!  Didn't receive an email, but when checking status of my order I find a message asking for another US$30 due to claimed high shipping costs!
Didnt want to dick around so agreed - I guess that will add about $50, so final cost around $266 - fingers crossed.

Update, I have cancelled asked for a refund. The seller was asking for the extra payment to be made direct to them outside of AliExpress, to their PayPal a/c, which is against AliExpress rules. They than gave email address - [e-mail] - as their PayPal account? Sounds too much like a shake down for extra cash!

update, have received a response to my request to cancel and refund.  Not sure how to interpret their reply - see attached screen shot.  Are they saying sorry we will send the item anyway, or ok we will refund you?  Not very clear!

Just apply with Aliexpress for a refund. I think you need to open as a dispute if you can't get a satisfactory resolution direct with the seller.

BTW, with Paypal you use email addresses to pay to.

Jun 2, 2017 14:11:33 GMT 12 sub said:

Update, I have cancelled asked for a refund. The seller was asking for the extra payment to be made direct to them outside of AliExpress, to their PayPal a/c, which is against AliExpress rules. They than gave email address - [e-mail] - as their PayPal account? Sounds too much like a shake down for extra cash!

update, have received a response to my request to cancel and refund.  Not sure how to interpret their reply - see attached screen shot.  Are they saying sorry we will send the item anyway, or ok we will refund you?  Not very clear!

that does read like they are going to send it at the original price. have you made a payment? ali-express are very good at making sure you get your money back. some sellers are also very anxious about negative feedback. as Citroen says, paypal payments require an email address, so that part is ok, but that they want you to bypass ali-e isn't.

a downside to ali-e is that if the sale doesn't go through there is no facility to provide feedback.

Jun 4, 2017 13:15:50 GMT 12 rocl said:

Jun 2, 2017 14:11:33 GMT 12 sub said:

that does read like they are going to send it at the original price. have you made a payment? ali-express are very good at making sure you get your money back. some sellers are also very anxious about negative feedback. as Citroen says, paypal payments require an email address, so that part is ok, but that they want you to bypass ali-e isn't.

a downside to ali-e is that if the sale doesn't go through there is no facility to provide feedback.

I sent them another message and they confirmed that they are sending "the item", and yes I paid at the start and almost right away got a confirmation email quoting order number and tracking number with DHL.

So far attempts to track using those details provide no information..  I asked the seller yesterday if the tracking number has changed, but no reply yet.

I still have few days up my sleeve - Aliexpress buyer protection expiring 25 June, so if tracking gives no result by end of week, I will hit the disputes button.

I hope it works out, as that's a great price.

Jun 5, 2017 18:13:21 GMT 12 Citroen said:

I hope it works out, as that's a great price.

Exactly!  I messaged them asking them to confirm it had been shipped, and their reply just now was, because of the high cost to ship, it has been sent by sea!  And that there is no tracking number.

 Oh well, if it arrives then it is a good deal.  Probably take six weeks!  At least I have Aliexpress warranty.

Aliexpress warranty might run out by then...just saying...

Jun 5, 2017 19:29:16 GMT 12 Citroen said:

Aliexpress warranty might run out by then...just saying...

Yes, runs out on 25 June, so if not here by then will be raising dispute, and from what I read on Aliexpress, the warranty period can be extended.

Well, I asked the AliExpress seller to provide me with evidence that the item had been shipped as he claimed. He said it was being sent sea freight, and I assume there would be some sort of documentation involved. When he failed to respond I messaged saying I did not believe the item had been shipped, demanded order be cancelled and asked for refund.

Their response - to paraphrase it "we do not wish to deal with bad people like you. You only think of yourself, not of us. We have recalled the item and cancelled the sale".

No mention of refund, so queried that. Still waiting answer. I cannot open a dispute yet as when I try to I get a flag saying a dispute can only be raised 10 days after shipment, which on paper was 31 May.

Puts me well off dealing with AliExpress. And I still have not found an EBay Aus seller willing to ship to NZ. I have a niece living in Melbourne, will talk to her mother and see if we could reach an arrangement whereby they could onforward it.

Re the AliExpress order, the seller confirmed he would refund "according to the rules of AliExpress". Just to make sure I filed a report about the seller listing the item with a set price for delivery, and then asking for extra payment direct to them. Awaiting response.

One good bit of news, my rotisserie motor arrived today from Kogan.

Just have to settle my refund then look for another US cleaner. They seem to be creeping up in price.

sub - it looks all good, from here, the same.

See 'Assembly Instructions' I posted here back on 7 May - item 5.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

sub looking back at your post re: Aliexpress correspondence, its the same seller that rocl and I got asked for more money from "Shanghai Taiyou Industry Company" (see page 2 of this thread).

He got asked to give them US$99 more, I got asked for US$50 more, and you got lucky with only US$30 more!

Seems to get less each time...

Yes, noticed that after I paid! Too late then. I've sent a report to AliExpress (that seller had listed incorrect prices and had asked for money to be paid directly to them).

I have saved the listing that rocl bought from to my cart - though have asked them to confirm that the shipping cost they quote is correct before ordering. Fun and games, not!

bit annoying that a dispute cannot be raised, as I presume that would expedite repayment, until expiration of 10 days from "shipping date" - in my case 31 May, even though in reality it was never shipped!

I filed a report on AliExpress complaining the seller had listed incorrect pricing and had asked for extra payment direct to the seller, which apparently is in breach of AliExpress rules. Not impressed by outcome. Never received an email or message, but when checking my order status found a link to "Reports & Disputes", opened that and found they had written the report off, saying "claim not established"!

So waited 10 days from supposed shipping date and opened a dispute, which was actioned immediately with result full refund to be made. That was on the 11th, but so far has not shown up in my account.

I have been doing some searching with google, and found advice that when shopping at AliExpress, to check sellers feedback and to avoid dealing with anyone with a positive feedback of less than 97%.

Hindsight is a good learning tool! The original seller has only a 88% rating. The seller rocl dealt with has a rating of 98%.

Still cannot find an EBay Aus seller of these who will ship to nz, so ordered another US cleaner from rocl seller. My order status says the seller has 6 days to process the order - bit slow! Cost including shipping is $161US, which translates to $229NZ, which is not much more than the original seller - helped by our strong dollar at time I made payment.

Fingers crossed!

Finally received my refund. $215.62 had been deducted from my Visa to pay $148.06US, and $200.76 has been refunded.

A loss of $14.86. From reading my bank's web page, they charge a fee. for selling me foreign funds!

Sometimes life's lessons don't come free of charge!

Well, seems like progress at last. When placing my 2nd order for the US cleaner, order status showed that seller had six days to complete. Each time I checked thereafter, the days kept counting down and no sign of shipment advice. Yesterday it read seller has 1 day and 3 hours to complete. Oh no, thought I, they must be out of stock and having trouble filling the order.

Checked again just now, and it says "waiting delivery" with a box to check tracking. Clicked on that and it says, "arrived in destination country", then "cleared customs 1300 15/6/17"
 
Still no advice it had been shipped, but at last it looks like it is nearly here!

Edit:  just now received email from AliExpress advising item had been shipped on 14/6/17.  Amazing, item arrived in Auckland before the email!

Remember that there's 30+ direct flights a week from China to NZ presently.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Jun 15, 2017 20:37:50 GMT 12 Owen Y said:

Remember that there's 30+ direct flights a week from China to NZ presently.

Wow, didn't know that!  That's a lot of people coming in.  

Back to to an earlier post on this topic - re a seller asking for more money for shipping - I Googled asking for the cost of shipping an item with the dimensions of the US cleaner from China to NZ.  $90 to $93.  Which begs the question, how do the sellers doing it cheaper manage?  

Arrived today. Shipped on the 14th from China, arrived at my rural address on the 16th! Faster than sending to or from parts of NZ.

It is the model PS30A, but see images - is it 220-240V or 100-120V? All boxes for model etc are unchecked, the box for 220V is unchecked (empty), whereas the box for 100V has a dot in it. Not clear if that means it is not 100V or otherwise?

Is there a safe way to check?






my photos upload

The power cord has a plug presumably for China usage, but the box also includes a Travel Adapter, marked 10A 250V.

Does that mean it is safe to plug into our outlets of 240V even if the device is wired for 100-120V?

No, a 100-120v model & should NOT be plugged into our 230vac.

Did you not ask for a 220-240v model?

Mine is full of water right now & I can't go see if it is easily reconfigurable.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Oh, that type of plug looks to be a USA one (with earth pin).

China uses plugs similar to NZ, 220v.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com

Jun 16, 2017 15:32:42 GMT 12 Owen Y said:

No, a 100-120v model & should NOT be plugged into our 230vac.

Did you not ask for a 220-140v model?

Mine is full of water right now & I can't go see if it is easily reconfigurable.

Did not specifically ask (there is no way of making a specific request when paying) but the listing shows a US cleaner with 220V.
This is the same seller rocl bought from and his is clearly 220V even though he did not specify - I guess I assumed that as they were sending to NZ they would know to ship a 220-240V model.

However, mine COULD be a 220-240V model - see my penultimate post above, how can I safely check what the voltage is?

The label appears to say 100-120v?

You could slide out the fuse drawer at the rear socket to look - I think mine is 10A 250v.
But that is not a guarantee, esp if the label says otherwise.

DarkLantern blog - darklanternforowen.wordpress.com