Anyone else noticed that Amazon and Ali Express are getting better and eBay is getting worse for buyers?

[rcx132]

eBay used to be good for small items because of free delivery. But delivery would be slow. Now that they've got rid of PayPal, buyers only get 30 days protection, which isn't enough. I had some parts take weeks to arrive, then longer before I found time to fit them. They turned out faulty and eBay stuck to their 30 day protection policy, I lost £70.

There's more and more available on Amazon, delivery is fast, sometimes really fast, order in the morning, with me in the afternoon has happened to me. Customer service is better, I've had Amazon honour the two years protection we're supposed to get under consumer rights, without too much arguing.

Ali Express still seems to be a mixed experience. A lot of stuff is not much cheaper than it is on UK sites. But there are some real bargains to be found.

What are your experiences and thoughts ?

 

[Mark 2]

In recent weeks I've ordered bits on eBay and they have turned up (usually quicker) in Amazon packaging.

 

[voipio]

For an occasional user, where Prime doesn't make sense, Amazon is more expensive for low priced items, because of the postage that is whacked onto orders less than £20.

 

[bourbon]

eBay used to be good for small items because of free delivery. But delivery would be really slow. Now that they've got rid of PayPal, buyers only get 30 days protection, which isn't enough. I had some parts take weeks to arrive, then another few weeks before I found time to fit them. They turned out faulty and eBay stuck to their 30 day protection policy, I lost £70.

There's more and more available on Amazon, delivery is super fast, customer service is better. I've had Amazon honour the two years protection we're supposed to get under consumer rights, without too much arguing.

Ali Express still seems to be a mixed experience. A lot of stuff is not much cheaper than it is on UK sites. But there are some real bargains to be found.

What are your experiences and thoughts ?

What's this two year protection thing then? could affect me in my job

 

[Morris]

For an occasional user, where Prime doesn't make sense, Amazon is more expensive for low priced items, because of the postage that is whacked onto orders less than £20.

There is often a free postage option if you look but slower delivery. It's not always obvious though. The last two items I have bought were like that. I'm not usually in a rush for stuff though.

 

[rcx132]

What's this two year protection thing then? could affect me in my job

The rules changed several years ago, and there's a few bits of legislation, so I'm hazy on the details. There was a consumer rights law that goods had to last a reasonable amount of time, upto six years, may have then changed to five years. I don't recall where two years came from, that may have been the minimum time most goods have to last. There's also Section 75 which applies to credit purchases over £100 which give unlimited time to claim (within statutes of limitations), and Chargeback rules for other card purchases, but is limited to 120 days.

 

[ajlelectronics]

What's this two year protection thing then? could affect me in my job

Non existent! The CRA2015 is the legal document.

 

[hotponyshoes]

I thought the ebay protection started from the date you received the item?

 

[leadpig]

I have found amazon have got worse not better, they seem to stock a lot less stuff now, and it annoys the hell out of me when you Google search for things and amazon comes up, but when you use link the item is no longer available

 

[Bobupndown]

Things like car parts and tools seem to have a much bigger selection on ebay than Amazon hence I'd normally buy from there. The next day delivery with Prime is very good although often it is 2 days living in Northern Ireland

 

[Robotstar5]

In recent weeks I've ordered bits on eBay and they have turned up (usually quicker) in Amazon packaging.

I've had that happen a couple of times, I think the ebay seller advertises stuff available on Amazon and when you buy it they order it from Amazon delivered to your address. Just another version of "box moving" with their percentage added on.

 

[Bobupndown]

Wonder what % they work on?
Need to be turning over a lot to make a decent income and I'd say it would take a lot of work keeping on top of availability and prices.

 

[julianf]

I've had that happen a couple of times, I think the ebay seller advertises stuff available on Amazon and when you buy it they order it from Amazon delivered to your address. Just another version of "box moving" with their percentage added on.

I'd assumed they had their own stock at an Amazon fulfillment center and just ran eBay listings on the same stock, and used their Amazon account to ship it?

Ie they were not buying stock from Amazon, but just using the logistics provided by Amazon.

I don't know, but that sounds way more feasible than buying from Amazon and reselling.

 

[bricol]

I paid with paypal on ebay last week - been that long since I used ebay I had to look up my paypal password - so paypal remains an option?

I often find I can buy a lot of stuff cheaper from local suppliers that I go past anyway.

 

[rcx132]

I thought the ebay protection started from the date you received the item?

I thought I saw that in their help pages but when I go into my purchase history i get a message saying that dispute window has closed due to being thirty days from when I ordered the item.

 

[rcx132]

Non existent! The CRA2015 is the legal document.

Are you saying CRA no longer offers the protections we had before?

I just found this on Citizens advice... suggesting the six year rule is still there: https://assets.ctfassets.net/mfz4nb...f06133fbc03/ConsumerRightsSummary-GoodsOL.pdf

 

[ajlelectronics]

Are you saying CRA no longer offers the protections we had before?

I just found this on Citizens advice... suggesting the six year rule is still there: https://assets.ctfassets.net/mfz4nb...f06133fbc03/ConsumerRightsSummary-GoodsOL.pdf

No, I was rushing so didn't make it clear. It was the two year business that I was talking about. There is no statutory guarantee period and CRA overrides any attempt to reduce your legal rights.

 

[optima21]

I use ali-express for most of my radio control parts as its been pretty reliable if you can wait (plus many of the items arnt available on ebay). also I think you have to record on aliexpress that you have received the item for the sellers to receive full payment.

 

[rcx132]

I'd assumed they had their own stock at an Amazon fulfillment center and just ran eBay listings on the same stock, and used their Amazon account to ship it?

Ie they were not buying stock from Amazon, but just using the logistics provided by Amazon.

I don't know, but that sounds way more feasible than buying from Amazon and reselling.

I think you're right. The merchants use Amazon logistics, or if they've run out of stock at the warehouse they use for their eBay shop, they may get the item shipped from their Amazon fulfillment stock. I had a merchant do this for me once, they were pretty clear that was what they were doing. Reselling just wouldn't work out on the margin especially as Amazon take a big cut, something like 30% IIRC. @Robotstar5

 

[mart]

eBay used to be good for small items because of free delivery. But delivery would be slow. Now that they've got rid of PayPal, buyers only get 30 days protection, which isn't enough. I had some parts take weeks to arrive, then longer before I found time to fit them. They turned out faulty and eBay stuck to their 30 day protection policy, I lost £70.

There's more and more available on Amazon, delivery is fast, sometimes really fast, order in the morning, with me in the afternoon has happened to me. Customer service is better, I've had Amazon honour the two years protection we're supposed to get under consumer rights, without too much arguing.

Ali Express still seems to be a mixed experience. A lot of stuff is not much cheaper than it is on UK sites. But there are some real bargains to be found.

What are your experiences and thoughts ?

I have no idea what you mean by "got rid of Paypal-I still pay for e bay items via paypal

Ebay provide some limited protection , AND Paypal apparrently still provide 180 days (6 months) protection. I have used both.

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