Internet Shopping

Lack of information often makes us overpay, and not 2 or 3 times, but sometimes even tenfold. This time not about photo, but about shopping online and where it can be done most favorably. About Internet shops from China and Japan.

Speculators

Everything starts with the fact that my mom's old phone's battery died. They no longer sell them in stores and mom was forced to go to the market to kiosks, which basically are expensive. There she bought a non-original battery from China for 10 Ls and happily continued using it. Everything would be fine if the son hadn't accidentally come across some interesting websites, where the exact same battery with delivery to Latvia costs 2 Ls. Therefore I will tell about some Internet shops that I have tested and for years have been regularly ordering all kinds of stuff.

Dealextreme

First place in my top is occupied by www.dealextreme.com from Hong Kong. Immediately I point out that on the website prices are indicated with delivery to Latvia already! Of course that is pleasing, but underneath hides the fact that DX uses the cheapest delivery by regular mail, which can take even months. Also the cheapest packaging is used. Sometimes it doesn't work out and the product arrives damaged. All you need to do is photograph or film the damaged product, fill out the appropriate form and the product will be sent again or a monetary compensation will be offered. I would recommend always insisting on the product being sent again, especially if the product is properly damaged and is non-functional. Additionally DX allows keeping the broken product, meaning there's no cost for sending the broken product back.

When looking at the indicated website, some will say that prices are unreal (ridiculously cheap). How does such a system work with them and why are prices so low? First of all, DX the Internet shop doesn't have a warehouse and it directly cooperates with the manufacturer. In the middle there are no speculators, no intermediaries, no other distributors. Between You and the Chinese manufacturer there is only DX. Because of the large volumes, they have a special contract with the post office, which allows significantly reducing shipping costs. That's why product prices are attractive. Another important thing is that for an order in which there are several items, DX can send it 2 or 3 times by dividing it, because sometimes some product is out of stock at the manufacturer's warehouse or they can't produce fast enough. Therefore there's no need to be scared if from a large order only part arrives. DX sends immediately what they can, and the rest later.

Another pleasing thing is that in the product catalog there are also original items. Yes! You might not believe it, but in China they also sell original items. Their price is immediately significantly higher than Chinese knockoffs and in the product name there is the word "genuine". If you compare DX original product prices with our shop prices, even adding all VAT and other taxes, DX price will still be lower than bought in our shop. If you're ready to wait for a month, order confidently. As an example I can mention the original PS3 controller, which in Latvia at ELKOR store costs 42 Ls, the DX original costs 27 Ls, but the knockoff 13 Ls.
DX sells originals and knockoffs of Apple, Sony, Kingston, Sandisk, Wii, etc.

If your hands don't grow from the right place, then DX offers spare parts ranging from PSP to the original Apple iPad, iPhone screens.

And the most important thing that is common to this and other below mentioned shops is active forums and real reviews. Honestly I haven't anywhere else seen that an Internet shop allows posting negative reviews for their products. This is a rare exception!
Therefore before ordering something, carefully read reviews and forums, and if the product is bad, it will be written about it! Product forums are a huge buyer's help and support!

If you're a lazy observer and haven't noticed anything sensible, share your TOP useful purchase experiences:

Electricity meter that shows connected device consumption link
The brightest bicycle light ever seen link
Samurai lens hood link
Great gift for beer drinkers link
Hidden camera link
Ink for printers (there you can also find special cartridges) link
Must have for every household. Thing I use every day link
Gas detector link
So you don't forget at the steering wheel link
Great liquid soap dispenser with sensor link
Small gadget for men to surprise their woman link
Most stolen item from DX ever ;) link

I think this is an excellent shop to find gifts for friends and relatives, and surprise yourself.  

Focalprice

Focalprice can probably be one of the biggest DX competitors. Its structure and operating principle is very similar. Some products however can still be found cheaper than at DX and the product range is somewhat different.
 

Tomtop

This is another worthy brother of DX and Focalprice with similar prices and somewhat different product range. Especially TomTop pleases with prices for women's underwear. Ladies, surprise your men ;).
 

Volumerates

Volumerates is DX's direct relative, intended for wholesale, but it's still possible to order individually and sometimes here you can find what is not available at DX.
 

Dinodirect

This one is somewhat different. There is separate delivery and overall prices are higher, but the product range differs more.

Ebay

For years I've ordered various stuff on ebay, discovering the specific website I found that over many years I overpaid for many things, because, remembering that resellers hang out on ebay, who take their percentage and also get paid by ebay itself. Often you can find exactly resellers from DX who put products on ebay :(. Therefore currently on ebay I look for something very specific.

Photo

All these Internet shops also sell photo equipment. Here are links to photo offerings:
Dealextreme photo offering
Focalprice photo offering
TomTop photo offering
Volumerates photo offering
DinoDirect photo offering
Here you can find many cheap accessories that are cheaper than on ebay. Perhaps I already wrote about the budget studio light for 30 Ls, in which all mentioned accessories and the light itself are from DX.
 

Laws

Many will have questions about customs or special Latvian State duties. Below is republished material on this topic with links. My recommendation is not to exceed the 100$ limit per order.
When receiving mail, the value of which exceeds the mentioned exemptions (respectively 45 euros for mail from a private person or 150 euros for mail from a merchant) or quantity restrictions, the recipient must pay from the total customs value all existing taxes in the recipient's country:
• customs duty;
• value added tax;
• excise duty, if excise goods are received.
Experience shows that all of this together is approximately 30% of the product value, if the total amount exceeds the mentioned value.

Taxes must be paid regardless of whether:
• the product person bought is for themselves or it is sent as a gift;
• products are new or used (also antiques);
• products are intended for personal use or for resale.

Merchant or private person's order to a merchant or private person
For mail of low value goods, that from a country that is not a member of the European Union (EU) is sent to a recipient in an EU member state for payment, it is exempt from import duties if the mail value for one shipment does not exceed 150 euros.
This exemption also applies to purchases made in Internet shops (received products from countries that are not EU member states).

Private person's shipment to only a private person
Mail, that a private person from a country that is not an EU member state sends only to a private person in an EU country, is exempt from import duties if the mail value does not exceed 45 euros and with the condition that the mentioned shipment is not commercial.
A shipment is not considered commercial if:
• it is not regular;
• it contains products only for the recipient or their family members' personal use, and their properties and quantity does not indicate commercial intentions;
• the sender sends it to the recipient without payment.

Source
http://www.vid.gov.lv/getfile.aspx?sid=1004
http://www.vid.gov.lv/ObjektsPopup.aspx?oid=5529&hl=1&type=2
http://ebayforums.lv/topic/191/muita-un-atmuitosana/
http://www.vid.lv/lv/zinas/10/1087

Recommendations

When making payment with PayPal, make the currency conversion by the bank, not PayPal itself. PayPal's currency exchange rate is unfavorable (where it can be done). For payment use only www.paypal.com.
Before ordering anything, be sure to read the product description, reviews, forum comments. From reviews you can choose about product quality. Often dissatisfied buyers warn about their dissatisfaction.
Carefully read the product description. If nothing is mentioned about the product in the forum, or there are no instructions, then with the help of google you can find additional information about the product.
If the product arrives and doesn't work, then carefully read the product forum. If someone has encountered a similar problem, often the solution can be found in the forum.
If the product arrives and is damaged or doesn't work, then photograph or film it (put on youtube) and there is a special form on the page that needs to be filled out in such cases to receive compensation.
I also recommend comparing the specific product price between the above mentioned Internet shops.
Don't buy products at DX if they have just appeared. Better wait, because over time for all new products the price drops.
Don't exceed the total order price over 100$ and at DX throw in the cheapest DX product ;)
If you want to order something as a gift, better do it 2 months in advance. Sometimes products tend to be out of stock, that manufacturers can't initially cope with the demand. Also before Christmas for Japanese and Chinese it gets very hot.

Conclusion

I hope my article will help you save money on small things and purchases of small household equipment. There will be new places where you can find interesting and in Latvia unavailable gifts.
Maybe this article will encourage someone to open a business plan for the DX shop, so for a reasonable markup you could get something immediately without waiting for delivery.
Just remember that product quality and lifespan is proportional to the product price!
If you know of a similar site, or you have other opinions or reviews, feel free to comment!

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