Ali Express

[sivan]

My husband was telling me that deliveries are showing up everyday at work from Aliexpress. i wonder how long its going to last....We should all probably order while we still can!

 

[scotttswan]

i've not used aliexpress but dealextreme works/worked
dx.com

 

[French jurist]

OK, my first XP with aliexpress:

I bought a DIMM RAM (8 GB DDR3) on Sept. 11.
It was delivered today in a discreete enveloppe, minimum packing (rigid blister) but it was not broken. No need to go to CPI. Happy with the purchase (tested it for 2 hours with MemTest Pro).

I bought some more packages, including a quite big one which has been stopped by the Customs 11 days ago, no notification so far... Let's see what will happen (I live 45 km North of BA so I wonder if they'll make me go to Retiro or not...).

 

[French jurist]

Second XP (nightmare?):

I bought a box of +700 small plastic earrings for my ex-GF (helping her to set up a small business so that she can live, etc.) for a price of 142 USD (incl. EMS shipping).
I had asked the Chinese dealer to remove the boxes & place only the earrings with a minimum protection (he did not... Language barrier it seems).

Was shipped from China on 09/23, arrived in Argentina on 10/03.
On 10/04, in the tracking page, appears "detenido en Aduana con aviso".

So far... normal (although I was crossing my fingers for the box not to get stopped (size: about 25 x 20 x 20 cm. Unsure about the weight but I guess it's like 1.5 kilos since it's all plastic & very tiny).

Except I never received the "aviso"...

Knowing there's a deadline (didn't remember how many days), I went to the CPI in Retiro (I live near Pilar = close to 100 kms back & forth) to ask on Friday 10/18.

I waited 3 hours (normal) and noticed the first weird thing: the paper they printed for my package showed that supposedly they had sent me two avisos (on the 6th & on the 11th if I recall)... Except I never received them & I'm at home almost all the time + the postman knows me (good tips...).

So, if I had not been there on the 18th.... I would have lost the package forever since the delay (I asked) was until the 20th (yesterday, a Sunday). How odd indeed!

In the CPI, they finally call my number and they direct me towards the "sector comercial" (on the right when you enter... something bad is coming).

I talk to the guy, explains the situation... and the guy, knowing I drove for 100 kms, etc. tells me to come back with a despachante (customs broker).

I was of course happy as a lark, so I drove back home.

And, as a true surprise, once I got home & checked again the tracking infos on the Correo's website: they had updated the status and while I was in the CPI friday, they added two lines: at 15:06 "aviso en poder del cartero" & at 17:10 "intento de entrega" ---> seems that's total BS & they are trying to cover up something here... Furthermore I always have the same postman & he comes in the morning (I even doubt postmen keep working after 5pm... highly dubious).

I started asking today for despachante's fees for such a situation: 450 USD!!! (for a package worth in total 142 USD... suuuuurrrreeeee). I'll keep searching.

Since I'm a hard headed son of my mother, I already thought about a few solutions:
-> the hard way = filing criminal charges for occulting my package (it's quite obvious from the tracking info & a quick search on the Net shows that it's quite common they don't send any notice.... to get the packages for themselves?).
-> the creative way = going to the CPI with my ex girlfriend & her baby, and that she starts crying once there.

I'll probably do a mix of both... While keeping on trying to find a despachante with reasonsable rates (100 USD would be a maximum for something that takes 1 hour).


I really wonder if they are not doing everything possible to discouradge people from getting what they bought (including the ones like me who don't lie about the value & are willing to pay all the corresponding taxes).

I might lose... but I'll do everything possible to win... Even if I have to drive a total of 500 km.

Of course, except me to have a hidden camera on me... just in case, he he.

 

[Gringoboy]

$450 usd for that amount???
Damn thieves they are.
Good luck Frenchie and use all the armory at your disposal.

 

[NYKate]

Good luck Frenchie! I have had many terrible run ins with Correo Argentino. Most recently was this weekend when they finally sent us a notice to come pick up a package. It turns out they held onto my husbands birthday gift for over a month. My friends and I were talking about this last weekend. One of the girls ordered shoes - they cost US$8 and she got them, at her door, within a month. I found the site today and am contemplating taking the leap.

 

[Gringoboy]

Kate, how much 'tax' did you have to pay on that pair of shoes?
Just curious.

 

[NYKate]

My friend said that she just paid US$8 for the shoes and they delivered them to her door. No idea what the tax would have been as she only paid that one price. I have not ordered anything yet but it is tempting!!

 

[French jurist]

Sincerely, really stick to things really small.

One good thing to take into account though: with Christmas approaching + it takes about 45 days to receive an order (perfect timing right now) = postal service will be flooded with packages, hence less controls...

 

[mc kenna]

OH YESS i remember integrity,i remember when i wanted to do things the right way and not lie about the value or the content of the package.
After awhile as i started to notice that everything was costing me 3 or 4 times more than it should by doing the right thing and taking me 3 or 4 times the time invested in such operation,so i had to decide and i opted for getting things done no matter what.
So before i do anything i calculate the amount of time i want to invest and the amount of money ,normally nothing can be done thru legal channels(8 out of 10)
Frenchie, im surprised, an ol' fox like you being caught in this bs,next time have your 50 dollars ready and i can almost be certain you'd have your package by now
And by the way summer classes start soon at Mc kenna's ranch
General bribes 101 for those just starting out
Parking tickets and moving violations 101
Getting to know your local cop and how to bribe them
How to cut in front of a line with a b s story that will make everyone sob
and many many more despicable things that make your life a lot easier in this great country
Sign up now!!!!