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Thread: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

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    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
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    Default Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    I'm tempted by cheap colorful fountain pens. Is this a relatively safe site to buy from? Is it difficult to navigate, what sort of buyer protection is there, so forth.

    Can anyone with experience weigh in? Thanks.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    I've bought cheap pens from them in three separate transactions and had no problems whatsoever. The pens took a few weeks to arrive, and the shipper supplied a tracking number. The prices are amazing. I'd use them again.

    They claim to have a buyer protection plan, but I never needed to use it. There's a search field that will return, for instance, all the Jin Hao pens for sale on the site. Finding stuff hasn't been a problem.

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    Senior Member mizgeorge's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    Provided you use Paypal (or similar) you're protected. I buy from them pretty regularly for all sorts of things and have never had a problem. Things can take a long time to arrive, but that's just the way it is right now. Inks have got a lot more expensive recently because shipping costs have been added, but pens can still be very cheap indeed.

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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    I have never ordered from them and am probably having trouble actually finding all the pens they have, and perhaps it is my inability to search well that leads me to think that a lot of the pens are pretty much the same price as on ebay.

    Certainly not all. Maybe I am only finding the expensive ones...

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    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    I was interested in the Jinhao Safari-like pens with those 'Easter Egg' colors. But you apparently can only order one, when I wanted all three. It's very confusing, since they also had other colors I wanted to try.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    I was interested in the Jinhao Safari-like pens with those 'Easter Egg' colors. But you apparently can only order one, when I wanted all three. It's very confusing, since they also had other colors I wanted to try.
    Ah - do you mean the pale ones, or the very bright ones?

    I got 12 Jinhao 599A's off ebay a month or so ago - 18.98 with free shipping. They were pretty much all bright colors - Black, White, Red,Dark Blue, Turquoise Blue, Pink, neon Pink, Orange, Yellow, two colors of Green - rather than that third Green pen, they gave me an Off-White one. My math is a little sketchy at the best of times, but that seemed like 1.50 a pen, total, and they came with the converters, so I felt I got a good deal.

    I actually needed a bunch of black ones, which I use for sketching, and probably should have bought one of the sets of black with the different italic nibs and just switched nibs around till I got what I wanted, but this may give me an excuse to buy another set of 12 in all the colors...

    I have tried to match all the pens with ink colors I have and I have come pretty close - no beige-ish or white ink, so the white pen has black in it, and the other is empty. The lighter colors required, in some cases, that I spread the tines just a titch to get enough ink on the paper to read easily... I know, why do I do this to myself???

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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    I've ordered things before - to be sent to New Zealand - never had any problems, always used PayPal. Currently waiting on a large Chinese painting (a print of course).

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    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    Quote Originally Posted by scrivelry View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    I was interested in the Jinhao Safari-like pens with those 'Easter Egg' colors. But you apparently can only order one, when I wanted all three. It's very confusing, since they also had other colors I wanted to try.
    Ah - do you mean the pale ones, or the very bright ones?

    I got 12 Jinhao 599A's off ebay a month or so ago - 18.98 with free shipping. They were pretty much all bright colors - Black, White, Red,Dark Blue, Turquoise Blue, Pink, neon Pink, Orange, Yellow, two colors of Green - rather than that third Green pen, they gave me an Off-White one. My math is a little sketchy at the best of times, but that seemed like 1.50 a pen, total, and they came with the converters, so I felt I got a good deal.

    I actually needed a bunch of black ones, which I use for sketching, and probably should have bought one of the sets of black with the different italic nibs and just switched nibs around till I got what I wanted, but this may give me an excuse to buy another set of 12 in all the colors...

    I have tried to match all the pens with ink colors I have and I have come pretty close - no beige-ish or white ink, so the white pen has black in it, and the other is empty. The lighter colors required, in some cases, that I spread the tines just a titch to get enough ink on the paper to read easily... I know, why do I do this to myself???
    The pale ones. And it turned sour.

    We were going to order about a half-dozen of the pens, some brights included. Nope. Would only allow us to order one. And we got an email to kindly let us know our account was 'locked.'

    No idea what we did wrong. The amount was not great but we wanted to delete the account altogether. Can't even do that.

    Never again. Fleabay or Amazon from now on.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    I went to the website and randomly looked at Pilot Iroshizuku inks today. The prices for a 50ml bottle ranged from $30 to much higher. I can get them here in the UK for not too much more, much quicker, and without any risk of additional fees being added. To be honest I would rather just go ahead and do that.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member Yazeh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    Since when Aliexpress accepts paypal?

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    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    Since when Aliexpress accepts paypal?
    I'm not sure, but they do now.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

  13. #12
    Senior Member Yazeh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    Since when Aliexpress accepts paypal?
    I'm not sure, but they do now.
    That's an improvement. Before we had to pay with credit card, which I didn't feel comfortable with.

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    Senior Member Wahl's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    I have bought leather pen cases from AliExpress, fast delivery, paid with CC, no problems whatsoever.

    Also bought some of the hard to find batteries.

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    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    Since when Aliexpress accepts paypal?
    I'm not sure, but they do now.
    That's an improvement. Before we had to pay with credit card, which I didn't feel comfortable with.
    Yeah, neither would we.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    Since when Aliexpress accepts paypal?
    I'm not sure, but they do now.
    That's an improvement. Before we had to pay with credit card, which I didn't feel comfortable with.
    Yeah, neither would we.
    I find the whole site a little difficult to understand, maybe it is just my not being familiar with it, but I am not finding explanations. Though I am very tempted by their "New User" discounts - some have a shipping fee, some don't. I am waiting until I feel like spending some money on postage and then I am going to go in and get all the one cent things I want at once, because I am pretty sure it will only work one time...

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    Sailor Kenshin (October 20th, 2021)

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    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    We just got a message from AliExpress. It was in Chinese.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

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    Senior Member Yazeh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    We just got a message from AliExpress. It was in Chinese.
    If you have gmail, they have a translation app incorporate otherwise put the message in google translate

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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    I have bought things from Ali Express when there is no alternative. They have delivered goods as advertised -- e v e n t u a l l y. Unlike Ebay, their shipping charges are modest, which explains this; but I actually would be happy to pay more to receive goods before I have forgotten that I ordered them!

    David

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    Senior Member Sailor Kenshin's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    Quote Originally Posted by Yazeh View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Sailor Kenshin View Post
    We just got a message from AliExpress. It was in Chinese.
    If you have gmail, they have a translation app incorporate otherwise put the message in google translate
    I don't. There is no way to know what was said.

    Now, I've read junglejim's Montblanc horror story, which never should have happened. This little Ali snafu cannot compare in scope.

    No vendor should make it hard for a buyer to, you know, BUY. And no vendor should make after-purchase service a problem. Much less a brand like MB.

    I had the money, AE had pens in colors I wanted, and I would have paid for a half-dozen. Maybe more. They wouldn't let me.

    Paypal will probably get our paltry sum back, and I will never again so much as look at Ali Express.
    My other pen is a Montblanc.

    And my other blog is a tumblr!


    And my latest ebook, for spooky wintery reading:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CM2NGSSD

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Anyone buy from AliExpress?

    SK There are several decent translating programs but I've found Google Translate far easier and better than most. Any language is instantly translated into decent english.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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