159 replies to this topic

[mv1612]

I just ordered the 16mm with $85 and the 20mm with $93.50, free shipping to Canada. I just couldn't help myself seeing those prices. Was it wise? Will I lose the money?  It remains to be seen. It's not really the first time I'm ordering from then. I ordered a 32mm Celestron Omni with $21 and it worked, got it 3 weeks after the order. No rush for me. Hopefully all will be OK. 

[havasman]

Hope do it works out for you.

 

But if we all buy from AliExpress, Amazon and Ebay then we'll give up reliable, ethical resources like Agena and Astronomics who will not stay in business to compete with the mega internet sellers. Oh, and Cloudy Nights goes away too. There is often more to a cost than the listed price.

[N3p]

I read a thread about that previously.. it's apparently works with Aliexpress, only take more time to get the item. Also, I think they have 100% refund if you don't get your item at all which also happens apparently.

 

Personally I think their website looks phony.. I also prefer the idea of ordering from a website with a well known reputation and if it can be American or Canadian too..

[mv1612]

Indeed, I agree we should buy whenever possible from reputable sources. And I do use the regular sources when the price difference is, well, acceptable. But $150 vs $85?  C'mon. If you agree to use the reputable source in such a case, more power to you. But I can't, not in such a case, my wallet is not big enough. Also, shipping is free for almost anything in the US. But not all of us are US citizens. I have to pay $17 per eyepiece from Agena. You really are in a privileged position, please understand that this is not the case for all of us CN users. Hope you understand, clear skies to you all.

Edited by mv1612, 10 December 2019 - 08:03 PM.

[N3p]

For me it's mainly a credibility problem,

 

Just the other day I saved a screenshot from Aliexpress.. and it speaks for itself. In my mind, when I see that on a astroshop along with the eyepieces at half the price, it just don't feel right..

 

Edited by N3p, 11 December 2019 - 06:57 AM.

[REDSHIFT39]

It's always a risk with Aliexpress.When I order something from that site it is never anything more than $30.00 which is the most I am willing to lose on a transaction.They do say they will give you your money back if you don't receive the item and it is confirmed on the tracking page of the parcel carrier that it was not delivered.Most of the time they do give the refund  but there has been 2 instances that I have been refused a refund because the carrier wrote that it was delivered when I never received it.

[mv1612]

Yes, the site is kind of funny. On the order page there is a timer for shipping the order going down in steps of a second from 20 days . Then, a button for "Extend Processing Time" , as if 20 days is not enough time for actually shipping the thing, and another button for cancelling the order. It's all kind of naive, but hey, you can tell that they're trying to do the right thing. And there's the question of credibility, but credibility is something being built over time and I think they're on the right track. Yes, I'm fully aware of the risk. If you want, I'll let you know how it goes, it will add one more point, good of bad, to their case.  

Edited by mv1612, 11 December 2019 - 08:47 AM.

[N3p]

You tell us!

 

I just checked today and they have a lots of ES eyepieces there, it's growing like cancer. I guess this must be a nightmare for the US store Explore Scientific.

[mv1612]

You tell us!

 

I just checked today and they have a lots of ES eyepieces there, it's growing like cancer. I guess this must be a nightmare for the US store Explore Scientific.

There are several sellers there, the majority of prices are "normal", maybe very slightly cheaper then here. It is rare even there to find such low prices as those mentioned here.

Edited by mv1612, 11 December 2019 - 06:38 PM.

[mv1612]

Surprise surprise. The eyepieces shipped. Much better than for the Celestron Plossl, when I had to wait 7 days for the actual shipment. Let's see when they arrive. They say "Your order should arrive within 23-38 Days" .

 

I also ordered an eyepiece case. For this the count down for shipping started at 6 days. It's not shipped yet.

[SeattleScott]

Well Aliexpress seems convinced that I am French so I will stay off this bandwagon for now.

Scott

[BillP]

I just ordered the 16mm with $85 and the 20mm with $93.50, free shipping to Canada. I just couldn't help myself seeing those prices. Was it wise? Will I lose the money?  It remains to be seen. It's not really the first time I'm ordering from then. I ordered a 32mm Celestron Omni with $21 and it worked, got it 3 weeks after the order. No rush for me. Hopefully all will be OK. 

The ES68s are really nice eyepieces!  I'm sure you are going to love them!  Congrats!!

 

ps - Doesn't matter to me where you buy your goods and shouldn't matter to anyone else either as far as I'm concerned.  Sorry others made you feel the need to apologize over a purchase you are excited about

[mv1612]

The ES68s are really nice eyepieces!  I'm sure you are going to love them!  Congrats!!

 

ps - Doesn't matter to me where you buy your goods and shouldn't matter to anyone else either as far as I'm concerned.  Sorry others made you feel the need to apologize over a purchase you are excited about

Thanks Bill. These are my first (semi) premium eyepieces. Can't wait to get them.

[BillP]

Thanks Bill. These are my first (semi) premium eyepieces. Can't wait to get them.

I've had both the Panoptics and the ES68s.  I kept the ES ones as they performed 99% as well and their build was just as crafted.  They are just not premium in price.

[BillP]

Virgil,

 

Just noticed your sig line with the poem by Mihai Eminescu.  Just looked him up.  Wow, he's so expressive!  Just read a handful of his works and so many of them relate the stars, sky, and Moon into them!  Really liked "And If".

[mv1612]

Virgil,

 

Just noticed your sig line with the poem by Mihai Eminescu.  Just looked him up.  Wow, he's so expressive!  Just read a handful of his works and so many of them relate the stars, sky, and Moon into them!  Really liked "And If".

Yes, he is truly remarkable. By the time he wrote this poem he was a student in Vienna, and he must have heard of Maxwell's results showing that the speed of light is finite and calculating its value in 1864, I think. He was truly a universal spirit; born elsewhere, he could have been one of the greatest. If you like his expression, you might look for different translations and choose the best you like, they can be very different. Of course the original is the best  . Cheers!

 

 

 

[Dave Bush]

I've bought several from them (all ES) with no issue whatever.  A little longer wait on shipping but for the deep discounts available, it's well worth it for me.

 

Current prices:

 

ES68 24mm - $85

ES68 28mm - $136

ES68 34mm - $170

 

ES82 14mm - $123

ES82 30mm - $212

 

Some with free shipping to the US.

Edited by Dave Bush, 12 December 2019 - 05:23 PM.

[Jon Isaacs]

What sort of warranty do the AliExpress eyepiece's come with?

 

I would have to think ES USA will not support them. Best to disclose their original if selling used...

 

Jon

[BFaucett]

What sort of warranty do the AliExpress eyepiece's come with?

 

I would have to think ES USA will not support them. Best to disclose their original if selling used...

 

Jon

Also, keep this in mind about AliExpress:

 

Sellers on AliExpress can be either companies or individuals. AliExpress is different from Amazon because it acts only as an e-commerce platform and does not sell products directly to consumers. It directly connects Chinese businesses with buyers. AliExpress differs from fellow Alibaba-subsidiary Taobao in that AliExpress is primarily aimed at international buyers. AliExpress does not allow customers in mainland China to buy from the platform, though most retailers are Chinese themselves.

https://en.wikipedia...wiki/AliExpress

 

Bob F. 

[sickfish]

I have the 28, 24, 20mm love them all.

Can't remember where each came from but it was like Agena, B&H, Eyepiece Etc. and so on.

[pregulla]

There is no warranty on AliExpress. You can ship the item back at your expense if it is not as described, but there is no guarantee the seller will accept the package. Worst case scenario you get a quality reject and will get some of your money back through dispute. That being said, I got 5 ES eyepieces there. 4 were perfect, one seemed like a quality reject and I got 30 percent of the price back. The defects didn't seem to effect performance and the price after partial refund was good enough ($160 shipped for es82 30mm). Overall I am happy with the outcome, but there is some risk involved.

[Dave Bush]

What sort of warranty do the AliExpress eyepiece's come with?

 

I would have to think ES USA will not support them. Best to disclose their original if selling used...

 

Jon

Well, you can register them with ES (as I have done) so I would expect should you need any warranty work, ES would provide it.  

[N3p]

My friend ordered 2 eyepieces from Aliexpress Yesterday, one 20mm ES68 and one 24mm ES68 for a total of 267CAD he tells me, it's not too far from half the price from the physical stores in Quebec.  I just looked and there is still one 20mm ES68 for 124CAD right now..

 

I'll publish the results when he gets the EPs.

[mv1612]

... it's not too far from half the price from the physical stores in Quebec.

Exactly my case.
 

[N3p]

yep