Eyepieces

[shaft]

Is aliexpress safe to buy from? Their eyepiece prices are amazing.

[pregulla]

Chances are you won't have any problem, but there is a risk of getting defective eyepiece, then it depends on the seller. Even the ones with a good rating may not be very cooperative on high value items. If you buy something that has a "free return option" you are pretty safe. Out of 15 eyepieces or so I bought there I got 3 with defects: 

ES82/8.8 half of the field of view was messed up - returned via "free return"

ES82/30 with some grease on eye lens and few specs on field lens coating. The seller wasn't helpful. Aliexpress gave me 30% refund via dispute. I was able to clean the grease and the specs on filed lens don't seem to hurt performance. 

SkyRover XWA 20mm. Minor scratches on field lens. The seller (SkyRover official store) was very helpful. Offered either to pay for return shipping, and give me a full refund + a coupon for future purchase or a partial refund. Can recommend dealing with them even without free return protection.

[Elp]

It helps if the item you're planning on buying has an official store on there, any very high price items I'd buy locally. Note, the prices are normally listed without VAT and also note the variance in delivery costs between sellers.

[Ratlet]

Would go through the official stores on aliexpress for eyepieces rather than one of the generic stores.

For svbony stuff always check their website proper as it can be cheaper.

Look out for items marked 'choice' as they will usually have free shipping and free returns.  

[Alan64]

I order from AliExpress regularly, and without any real issues to share.  But then, I do reside in the U.S.

[RT65CB-SWL]

I purchased my Svbony SV215 3-8mm zoom via AliExpress, (via their shop/store), without a problem. Kept up to date with delivery status too!

[Ratlet]

6 hours ago, Alan64 said:

I order from AliExpress regularly, and without any real issues to share.  But then, I do reside in the U.S.

I think it is no riskier than ebay.  I always pay with paypal so you've got a bit better protection.  I'm a frequent  (borderline I need an intervention) user of Aliexpress.  Bought stuff ranging from tripods and eyepieces to electronics.  I think the only problems I had was a small OLED screen got cracked in transport (I deemed it not worth the hassle to ask for a refund as it cost £1.50) and a M54 adapter which had dodgy threads and was quickly refunded after sending a video of it not screwing in to my telescope.

[Stuart1971]

I use Aliexpress regularly, for various items, in fact I have just had an Askar 71f quad scope delivered from the Sharpstar Aliexpress store, and it was here within 4 days via FedEx, and in perfect order, and much cheaper than a UK dealer….

I order all my adapters, cables and anything that I need for Astro use, from there, and always been excellent, cheaper and mostly as good quality, you can slo get certain adapters that are just not available anywhere else too…👍🏻
One thing I will say is i ALWAYS and only use PayPal to buy from there….

Edited August 13 by Stuart1971

[Alan64]

I've gotten better plastic focussers for achromats with shoddier ones, in 70mm and 80mm sizes, also all manner of things for bettering my equipment.  I also got all five of the TMB-clones, planetary eyepieces, that I wanted.

  

[Ratlet]

7 hours ago, Stuart1971 said:

I use Aliexpress regularly, for various items, in fact I have just had an Askar 71f quad scope delivered from the Sharpstar Aliexpress store, and it was here within 4 days via FedEx, and in perfect order, and much cheaper than a UK dealer….

I order all my adapters, cables and anything that I need for Astro use, from there, and always been excellent, cheaper and mostly as good quality, you can slo get certain adapters that are just not available anywhere else too…👍🏻
One thing I will say is i ALWAYS and only use PayPal to buy from there….

Do you have a link to it?  Do they collect vat at purchase?

[Stuart1971]

30 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

Do you have a link to it?  Do they collect vat at purchase?

No, but it was not collected here either, i think they put a low value on the package….😉

I got it for a YT review, then I will be selling it as a new…

[Elp]

Ali by default collects VAT at checkout, it has been a requirement for distance sellers since Brexit for UK purchasers. What the seller did in this instance was circumventing international law, but customs should have picked up on it so...

[Stuart1971]

Hmmm, just had a look on the store, again and they are no longer on there….maybe out of stock ATM…🤔

[Stuart1971]

Just now, Elp said:

Ali by default collects VAT at checkout, it has been a requirement for distance sellers since Brexit for UK purchasers. What the seller did in this instance was circumventing international law, but customs should have picked up on it so...

Well it all depends on the value they put on the package, as to whether customs pick up on it….🤔 TBH I don’t think they ever put the true value on, but maybe it’s just me 😂

[Elp]

Oddly, they don't have much stock of anything which is strange for an official store.

[Stuart1971]

Also when these Chinese companies send out items for reviews they also tend to put SAMPLE on the package too, I just got a Dual band filter from a new Chinese company and it cost me £15 in fees, and had SAMPLE across the package, but did have a value, then again it is one of there first batch of these filters and so is part of there prototype set…

[Ratlet]

1 hour ago, Elp said:

Ali by default collects VAT at checkout, it has been a requirement for distance sellers since Brexit for UK purchasers. What the seller did in this instance was circumventing international law, but customs should have picked up on it so...

I thought it was only on items below a certain value?  I've no idea these days.  I usually skirt about £150 for big items.

Got to say though that askar 71F looks pretty darn nice.  Looking something like that for visual (grab and go) and imaging (wide angle from home). 

[bosun21]

1 hour ago, Stuart1971 said:

Also when these Chinese companies send out items for reviews they also tend to put SAMPLE on the package too, I just got a Dual band filter from a new Chinese company and it cost me £15 in fees, and had SAMPLE across the package, but did have a value, then again it is one of there first batch of these filters and so is part of there prototype set…

Which dual band filter was it Stuart if you don't mind me asking? That's the next thing on my shopping list.

[Elp]

24 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

thought it was only on items below a certain value?  I've no idea these days.  I usually skirt about £150 for big items.

VAT is applicable on any value just as it is inland (obvs not VAT exempt items). You can import up to £135 value of item+shipping import DUTY free but VAT will still apply and the value needs to be under that threshold after VAT has been applied (so an item £134 pre VAT will go over once VAT has been added). Duty will therefore be added on top of orders of £135+ plus the handling agent/courier will also charge a small processing or handling fee (if duties are applicable on the item being imported the percentage can be found on the .gov commodity code website database, all items being shipped internationally need a commodity code or HS code to comply with exportation rules, you'll find couriers will refuse packages without this as well as attached invoice paperwork, some circumvent this via their supplier systems or however they process the packages I noticed this with my recent SVbony order). Applicable fees gets even more complicated for very very large consignments but isn't applicable for this case.

So to simplify items under £135, VAT at 20pc applies to item value AND shipping.

For items over that amount, VAT at 20pc, and import duty, and a handling fee will apply.

The above is of course if the seller is abiding by export/import rules and declaring proper item classification and value. I think in the above case it was fine, but customers ordering en mass they wouldn't get away with putting "sample" on every parcel.

[Ratlet]

20 minutes ago, Elp said:

VAT is applicable on any value just as it is inland (obvs not VAT exempt items). You can import up to £135 value of item+shipping import DUTY free but VAT will still apply and the value needs to be under that threshold after VAT has been applied (so an item £134 pre VAT will go over once VAT has been added). Duty will therefore be added on top of orders of £135+ plus the handling agent/courier will also charge a small processing or handling fee (if duties are applicable on the item being imported the percentage can be found on the .gov commodity code website database, all items being shipped internationally need a commodity code or HS code to comply with exportation rules, you'll find couriers will refuse packages without this as well as attached invoice paperwork, some circumvent this via their supplier systems or however they process the packages I noticed this with my recent SVbony order). Applicable fees gets even more complicated for very very large consignments but isn't applicable for this case.

So to simplify items under £135, VAT at 20pc applies to item value AND shipping.

For items over that amount, VAT at 20pc, and import duty, and a handling fee will apply.

The above is of course if the seller is abiding by export/import rules and declaring proper item classification and value. I think in the above case it was fine, but customers ordering en mass they wouldn't get away with putting "sample" on every parcel.

Aye, makes sense for a review sample but I would rather pay the proper due for a purchase in a £500 scope than have it marked up as £20 value and get broken in transport

[Elp]

4 minutes ago, Ratlet said:

Aye, makes sense for a review sample but I would rather pay the proper due for a purchase in a £500 scope than have it marked up as £20 value and get broken in transport

Get the agreement of how they'll ship in writing/email. The issue I have is that the prices aren't really any different from UK prices. Sometimes brands will outright refuse to supply directly due to pre existing local distribution agreements, otherwise companies would be going out of business left right centre. You can save a considerable sum by importing, but sometimes you weigh up local service and local warranty as a priority, especially for higher priced items.

[Ratlet]

1 hour ago, Elp said:

Get the agreement of how they'll ship in writing/email. The issue I have is that the prices aren't really any different from UK prices. Sometimes brands will outright refuse to supply directly due to pre existing local distribution agreements, otherwise companies would be going out of business left right centre. You can save a considerable sum by importing, but sometimes you weigh up local service and local warranty as a priority, especially for higher priced items.

Absolutely.  I've noticed that named brands tend to as expensive, if not more expensive that buying local.  The only time there is a saving is if it is something where they are a generic item that just gets minor tweaks or the name on the case changed.  Big ticket items I would have to have as serious think about, but for a full blown scope, I'd sooner go local second hand or just bite the bullet and go for FLO/Altair.

[Elp]

Exactly, and you tend to get the opposite for small items like finder brackets, cheap as chips on Ali, UK a mysterious huge markup appears on them.

[Stuart1971]

2 hours ago, bosun21 said:

Which dual band filter was it Stuart if you don't mind me asking? That's the next thing on my shopping list.

It’s an unknown Chinese brand, Cuiv the lazy geek has already done a video on the filter, about 2 - 3 weeks ago, so check there and you will see…

I haven’t used it yet, but will review as soon as I have..it comes in cheaper than the Askar version and a bit more than the Optolong L-Xtreme version.

[Elp]

3 minutes ago, Stuart1971 said:

an unknown Chinese brand, Cuiv the lazy geek has already done a video on the filter

I know he reviewed the SVbony sv220, and he said just get it for the price, comparable to the Optolong lextreme. I have the latter so no need for it but would be an option if I didn't. The cheapest I saw it was around 60 for the 1.25 inch version but it's gone back up since, promos come around often.

Edited August 13 by Elp