Chas's workbench

[Chas Levin]

This is a very prevalent thing now Rob, especially on Ebay and I'm sure elsewhere, people shipping from overseas (very often but not always China) and being very coy about it - or in some cases actually hiding the fact - until you've started the purchasing process. Well done for spotting that one though!
Spotting whether clips that don't specify a material are aluminium or not from low resolution internet photos is another hurdle: I think @Phil O is right and the best bet is to visit some hairdressers or hairdressing supply places.

 

[oldravendale]

Descriptions, certainly on the Bay of E, can be misleading as well. I bought some "brass" brushes. When they arrived they were brassed steel so I offered return for my money back. They didn't want them back but refunded. Then I went on Amazon and the same thing happened. Possibly the same (possibly Chinese) supplier.

Brian

 

[Rob Pulham]

and the best bet is to visit some hairdressers or hairdressing supply places.

Hi Chaz,

The irony in this case is that it was from a hairdressing supplies company.

I agree I usually try to buy from uk based suppliers when buying from eBay because I have been caught out by ordering from China then having to wait for a couple of months or more for delivery. But I have been caught out a couple of times where the company description stating they were in the UK (in one instance that I can recall in Leicester) but actually being in Shanghai or other place in mainland China as confirmed when the package arrived by direct post from China. That said on the couple of occasions where that has happened, the delivery has still only taken a couple of days.

 

[Chas Levin]

Descriptions, certainly on the Bay of E, can be misleading as well. I bought some "brass" brushes. When they arrived they were brassed steel so I offered return for my money back. They didn't want them back but refunded. Then I went on Amazon and the same thing happened. Possibly the same (possibly Chinese) supplier.

Brian

Yes, that's a rather unfortunate consequence of ultra-cheap mass production and either very slim or very large margins. In my day job, certain suppliers tell us they aren't interested in faulty items being returned too... And I'm just talking about the commercial perspective, never mind the objectionable waste and the landfill implications!

 

[Chas Levin]

Hi Chaz,

The irony in this case is that it was from a hairdressing supplies company.

I agree I usually try to buy from uk based suppliers when buying from eBay because I have been caught out by ordering from China then having to wait for a couple of months or more for delivery. But I have been caught out a couple of times where the company description stating they were in the UK (in one instance that I can recall in Leicester) but actually being in Shanghai or other place in mainland China as confirmed when the package arrived by direct post from China. That said on the couple of occasions where that has happened, the delivery has still only taken a couple of days.

Ah yes, those mysteriously quick deliveries from overseas, with no sign of Customs attention. As you say Rob, some things take weeks, some days: odd.

And I do wonder sometimes when an overseas seller uses Ebay's 'Global Shipping Program' and things arrive in Ebay packaging (branded boxes and parcel tape) with no sign of postage or Customs activity and therefore no way of knowing whether the relevant Duty and/or Tax has been paid. Is this stuff just coming over in bulk on private freight flights marked as 'miscellaneous - duty paid' and then being re-packed at an Ebay 'Fulfillment Centre' somewhere in the UK...?! Or am I getting too suspicious?