Ali Express

[Dex Sawash]

Any tips on buying stuff from Ali Express?

Use some sort of sandboxed card payment?

[touchingcloth]

I use Apple Pay so I don't need to give them my card details directly, and use a credit rather than debit card in case I ever need to do chargebacks.

All that said, I've found their customer support and refunds process to be really good on the occasions where I haven't received items, even though I think in every case the issue has been with customs at my end rather than anything that sellers have done.

[Sonny_Jim]

Been using it for years, mostly for electronic bits and bobs.  Never had a problem, a couple of times stuff hasn't turned up and I've had to request a refund which has always come through ok.

[Sebastian Cobb]

Been using it for years, mostly for electronic bits and bobs.  Never had a problem, a couple of times stuff hasn't turned up and I've had to request a refund which has always come through ok.

Same. The few times I haven't got stuff the price has been too good to be true. But after I found the refunds process to be good I was far less concerned about taking a punt.

I think they take paypal as well if you want to abstract card details, but I never bother.

[Dex Sawash]

This is all great news and I will soon order a load of assorted anus diddlers extremely cheap parts for my "new" free old car.

[Terry Torpid]

Be prepared to wait a very long time. The website tracking page shows an image of a plane, but it's actually some lad on a pedalo all the way from Qingdao. By the time he gets round the Cape of Good Hope you'll have forgotten what you ordered.

Speaking as a postman, when we see a pile of grey plastic untracked packets from China, if we're not going your way, we're not going.

[dissolute ocelot]

Agree with the above, although who doesn't like getting an unexpected parcel long after you forgot ordering it? If you want to be extra-safe you could use a pre-paid credit card (check MoneySupermarket or somewhere for the best deals) but it will cost you more and unless you really want privacy, it's not terribly worth it. I've never had issues with a variety of far-eastern shippers including Ali Express when paying with credit card, and most banks seem clued-up. Debit card hypothetically carries more risk as they could hypothetically clear your account out and you'd then have to struggle to get money back (or to get your overdraft fees back). You're probably in more danger in the UK though.

[Ferris]

I use DHGate for stuff and it's much the same. Takes weeks to arrive but waitin' and wishin' is half the fun.

[Sebastian Cobb]

I use DHGate for stuff and it's much the same. Takes weeks to arrive but waitin' and wishin' is half the fun.

I've found them crap for electronics or diy stuff but great for bong glassware.

I doubt this is useful to you or the op.

[Gurke and Hare]

Speaking as a postman, when we see a pile of grey plastic untracked packets from China, if we're not going your way, we're not going.

That Universal Service Oath only goes so far, right?

[Ferris]

I've found them crap for electronics or diy stuff but great for bong glassware.

I doubt this is useful to you or the op.

Noted!

It's good for watch parts, and as long as you buy from a known seller you can get some quality rep watches on there for absolutely fuck all (eg a pretty good rolex submariner copy for less than the price of my F-91w). Or so I'm told anyway.

[touchingcloth]

That Universal Service Oath only goes so far, right?

Hippostcratic oath.

[Terry Torpid]

That Universal Service Oath only goes so far, right?

[Dex Sawash]

Got a batch of parts for my VW Golf

1. Shift knob and boot- accidentally ordered wrong configuration, doesn't fit but very nice. $6 Will reorder correct one, another $6

2. Driver door inner handle/window switch escutcheon. Hard plastic, not flexible plastic so will probably break if removed. Spray painted sort of correct color. Had to trim and grind to make it fit

3. Euro style headlight switch with front and rear fog lamp provision and full ass off (no DRL)
NO PROBLEMS $5.47

4. Set of 4 wheel center caps $10- automatially cancelled due to not being shipped on time- will just get from Amazon for $16

[Ferris]

I'm browsing about for watch parts and mechanisms. Seems alright price wise, but if I go this route I won't get anything to build or tinker with until April which seems like quite a wait.

It puts me off a bit tbh.

[Dex Sawash]

They do send tracking updates every 14 hours to help pass the time.

[touchingcloth]

3. Euro style headlight switch with front and rear fog lamp provision and full ass off (no DRL)

How do I know if my headlight switch is Euro style?

[Ferris]

They're all euro style by the time

[touchingcloth]

I bet DRL, you dirty auld bollocks, I bet D fucking RL.

[Dex Sawash]

How do I know if my headlight switch is Euro style?

USA switch has 2 positions. Off and on. The only difference between is the dash illumination doesn't come on in the off position. I don't really ever want to use only the parking lights but I want the FREEDOM! to as Ian Volkswagen intended.

Also good to shut all the lights off when Roscoe P Coltrane is after you.

[touchingcloth]

Oh, so Euro style is off, semi-on, on?

[Ferris]

They're all semi-on by the time I've

[Dex Sawash]

Oh, so Euro style is off, semi-on, on?

Correct

[touchingcloth]

I've got a semi-on.

[QDRPHNC]

[Dex Sawash]

Thought about doing a "weirdest thing found on ali express" thread but there is far too much weird shit and something weirder is always just a few clicks away.

[Dex Sawash]

fkn rabbit hole this. Trawling the images people put in reviews, the dirty bastards.

4th order expected today. Amazing you can order 8 things from 8 sellers and it starts with 8 tracking numbers and they manage to combine it all in one package before customs and even include some items that had ludicrously long projected shipping times in that package.

Only letdown is $1.75 bluetooth "bone conduction" headphones (fake aftershokz) that are just 80s walkman headphones without the foam covers in aftershokz form factor. Still not bad for under $2 shipped.
 

[Dex Sawash]

Here's my favo(u)rite so far

Spoiler alert

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[Lt. Organphalia]

Probably the most creative before and after shot I've ever seen.

Congrats on the weight loss, amphetamines ASAP always works.

[Dex Sawash]

Was going to order a pair of those Feiyue shoes from @Ferris recommendation but just got these instead.

You think anybody wants a roundhouse kick to the face while I'm wearing these bad boys?

Spoiler alert

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