Online purchasing, recent experiences and the implications for living aboard.

[GILow]

Hi all,

I don't know if it is simply that I am buying a lot of stuff in preparation for moving aboard, or if the nature of the stuff I am buying is a problem or, if online shopping has become a bit hit and miss, but I am worried.

Of the last five online purchase I have made, two required a refund because the vendor either sent the wrong thing or simply kept delaying sending (because, as it turned out, they didn't actually have the stock), one took over three weeks to arrive when it should have taken three days. (The other two arrived without problems.)

This is odd, because I don't think I've had this much trouble in the previous 20 years of online shopping combined.

Now I am really worried, because once I add the complication of not having a land address handy, these sorts of stuff-ups feel like they are going to be harder to handle.

And my recent experience of Australia Post losing my laptop and all my electronics for a few weeks was also a very ominous sign. I had always assumed I'd do a "Care of post office" delivery for anything I needed, and time my arrival at the post office based on probable delivery dates. Now I am not so sure.

So, is anyone else having problems, and can anyone suggest a solution to the timing issue of using a post office for deliveries, particularly when I expect to be on the move a lot?

(P.S. This is in Australia.)

Matt

[rbk]

I always do an online research of reviews not from the site you’re purchasing from. You have to sort through the bs and always go straight for the lowest reviews and see if there is a common denominator between them. If you see a lot of the same thing chances are those are the real reviews, most of the 4 and 5 stars are paid reviews or the company reviewing itself.

[john61ct]

A good mail forwarding service helps for flexibility and reliability, but adds a delay.

[chrisr]

it's an ongoing problem for us too.

having stuff sent to family who can hold / forward often works, but not if it's urgent.

some marinas are really good (eg mackay). others are really bad (eg southport yacht club)

answer seems to be flexible and tailor make the delivery address to suit the circumstances

i'll be interested to see if anyone has a 'catch-all' solution

cheers,

[TassieBloke]

Hi Matt,

We almost exclusively buy online, even our shopping for pickup at the local Woolies

EBay and Gumtree are our main points for purchasing, and when necessary for OEM stuff, direct. I have found that EBay can be quite misleading as to where the stock is held, and delivery times. Now I ALWAYS check the reviews because that is pretty much where customers will complain of long delivery times. Deliveries from China can be very hit & miss in the time indicated. I have had relatively cheap parts arriving in a chinese mail bag 2 days after ordering. I have had a part arrive 3 weeks after ordering when it indicated that the stock was in Sydney (that's when I started checking reviews). I have never had to go through the refund process on EBay yet, but I am particular about who I eventually buy from.

Many suppliers will not ship to a PO Box (which we have), only a physical address. Fortunately, my employer is cooperative, and we get most of our stuff delivered here without many issues.

AusPost is a shadow of its former self. Normal post has become so unreliable, that I pretty much always choose Registered or Express as shipping (maybe their strategy?). This way you can track and annoy them when it still hasn't arrived after 3 weeks coming from Tooradin to Hastings ;-)

If we didn't have access to some sort if physical address, it would be a real problem. I know of no other way than to use an address of someone/relative etc. This creates other headaches, and I certainly wouldn't use the Marina address.

It will be interesting to read what others use as a means here in Aus.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by rbk

I always do an online research of reviews not from the site you’re purchasing from. You have to sort through the bs and always go straight for the lowest reviews and see if there is a common denominator between them. If you see a lot of the same thing chances are those are the real reviews, most of the 4 and 5 stars are paid reviews or the company reviewing itself.

Good advice, but I am having problems with sites and companies that used to be great.

For those that want to test their perception of the authenticity of reviews, there's a good test here:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-...nline/11406160

[GILow]

Originally Posted by chrisr

it's an ongoing problem for us too.

having stuff sent to family who can hold / forward often works, but not if it's urgent.

some marinas are really good (eg mackay). others are really bad (eg southport yacht club)

answer seems to be flexible and tailor make the delivery address to suit the circumstances

i'll be interested to see if anyone has a 'catch-all' solution

cheers,

I hadn't thought of asking marinas... that's a good idea, thank you. (Though, for budget reasons, I am REALLY keen to avoid frequenting them over the next few years.)

I had always assumed I'd have stuff sent to family and forwarded to a post office from there, but after my recent experience with Australia Post, I am kinda nervous.

[GILow]

Originally Posted by TassieBloke

Hi Matt,

We almost exclusively buy online, even our shopping for pickup at the local Woolies

EBay and Gumtree are our main points for purchasing, and when necessary for OEM stuff, direct. I have found that EBay can be quite misleading as to where the stock is held, and delivery times. Now I ALWAYS check the reviews because that is pretty much where customers will complain of long delivery times. Deliveries from China can be very hit & miss in the time indicated. I have had relatively cheap parts arriving in a chinese mail bag 2 days after ordering. I have had a part arrive 3 weeks after ordering when it indicated that the stock was in Sydney (that's when I started checking reviews). I have never had to go through the refund process on EBay yet, but I am particular about who I eventually buy from.

Many suppliers will not ship to a PO Box (which we have), only a physical address. Fortunately, my employer is cooperative, and we get most of our stuff delivered here without many issues.

AusPost is a shadow of its former self. Normal post has become so unreliable, that I pretty much always choose Registered or Express as shipping (maybe their strategy?). This way you can track and annoy them when it still hasn't arrived after 3 weeks coming from Tooradin to Hastings ;-)

If we didn't have access to some sort if physical address, it would be a real problem. I know of no other way than to use an address of someone/relative etc. This creates other headaches, and I certainly wouldn't use the Marina address.

It will be interesting to read what others use as a means here in Aus.

It sounds like you are having the same sorts of experiences with eBay that I have been having. I wish I’d had your advice of checking the reviews specifically for an indication on non local stock.

On the upside, having gone through the refund process with EBay three times now, I have found it very satisfactory. But that’s all very well when I can just order from someone else and wait by my letter box, not so good when I don’t have a letter box.

What’s your concern with marina delivery? I guess accountability would be a problem if something does not show up.

As for Auspost... yeah, not great.

[JPA Cate]

Interesting issue. We started cruising when snail mail was common. We used to get mail 2 or 3 times a year, and there was a lot of it. Parcels were always shipped to us, aboard Yacht in Transit "Insatiable," Poste Restante, town, State, nation.

Once you have established a relationship with a marina, they usually will hold parcels for you in the office or storeroom.

Another thing is that you will soon have yachtie friends in an area, who, although they travel, are basically there most of the time. You can ask if you can have something sent to their address. Often they say yes.

And, as mentioned above, there are mail services, the use of which keeps you from imposing on friends. Our friends from Kettering, Mike and Sue, whom you might remember, used an Australian one for years, and found them good.

Finally, there is Poste Restante, and even little mail outposts like the one in Cygnet, will, for a fee, accept a parcel.

The real challenge is planning the arrival of the parcel to coincide with your own, more or less....It can be really aggravating to have to wait and wait for expected mail.

It may be a little cynical, but it doesn't hurt to move the time quoted up this way: promised for delivery within 3 days, move it up to weeks and add one week. Most of the time *it* will be there within that time frame. Our best ever service was from West Marine in the States, who had a pressure water pump diaphragm to us in Hobart 3 days after the phone call order went in. Our worst was for our folding prop, which was about 6 weeks. Oh, yes, one parcel for Tasmania went to Dar Es Salaam first, but Jim's sister found it in a dead letter office in New York City, and sent it on to us, somewhat battered.

Don't worry, no one ever promised us a rose garden! There is a great deal in this world that truly is uncertain. Accept and enjoy.



Ann

[Wood]

@GILo


Several recent Ebay purchases I have made have also been problematic. Mostly sellers not shipping or not shipping within reasonable time after purchase. Sometimes they state the product is located in my country but is actually in Asia. Ebay is also making it more difficult for buyers to resolve these issues quickly. I spoke with a customer service supervisor just yesterday who admitted they are experiencing a significant uptick in USA complaints vis Asian goods. She attributed it to the unsettled nature of the tariffs causing supply chain problems.



I have not had any problems with well known online chandleries.

[El Pinguino]

I buy close on 100% of my boat toys on-line.

Australian based I have had no problems.

Major outfits I have dealed with in the recent are
OutbackMarine,
Arnolds,
12voltTechnology
Defender(US)
SeamarkNunn (UK)

No probs with any of them or others.

I even buy things like glass fuses on line.... spare 30 amp fuses for the Icom? 80km round trip or online delivered to door... $5 for 4 Narva?...hmmm....

The small purchases yes... bit tricky ... listed in Syd... turns up from China... happens now and again.. but usually OK

I try to buy directo if I can .. not via EBAY

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by john61ct

A good mail forwarding service helps for flexibility and reliability, but adds a delay.

This ^ and "freight forwarders"...each country has its own routine for freight forwarders, Customs, etc...you just have to learn the drill for each country...afluent locals & expats are a good source of info...since they shop online.

[Painted Skies]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

I buy close on 100% of my boat toys on-line.

Australian based I have had no problems.

Major outfits I have dealed with in the recent are
OutbackMarine,...

Glad to hear someone is having good luck with these guys. We ordered (and paid for) a Rutland wind generator in mid-August from Outback Marine. From their website you'd think they had it in stock. Not so; no indication there would be anything but the normal delay for shipping from QLD to Adelaide. Apparently this item is actually a special order - so we asked them to order it. Ever since then we have received a litany of excuses from Outback Marine, most recently that the manufacturer in England won't be able to ship for a further 3-4 weeks from now. We contacted Rutland in England only to learn this is not true - in fact, another vendor here in Australia claims to be able to get us a unit in 7-10 days. So we have been waiting for almost two months and getting lies and runarounds from Outback Marine while they are holding our $2200. We asked them this past Tuesday to either give us a ship date or a refund.... still waiting for a response.

Sorry Australia - we love your country but we have learned our lesson on trying to buy from Australian companies (unless it is just to walk into the store to purchase). We are going back to ordering from the US and using MyUS.com for consolidation/shipping of these parts.

[Painted Skies]

Matt,

We recently signed up for a program with Australian Post called 'Parcel Collect' https://auspost.com.au/receiving/alt...for-deliveries.' It is free. You can pick any post office to have packages sent to for collection at your convenience; they will hold them for up to 10 days. You will receive a text message when a package arrives for pickup.

When we first moved to North Haven we asked the Osborne PO if we could have packages sent to them as 'general delivery' and were told this could only be done at major post offices - not at the contract stores. Now we are receiving our 'Parcel Collect' packages there, but I don't think the manager is very happy about it. However, it has been a great service for those of us without a fixed address.

Cheers, Katherine

[GILow]

Originally Posted by Painted Skies

Sorry Australia - we love your country but we have learned our lesson on trying to buy from Australian companies (unless it is just to walk into the store to purchase). We are going back to ordering from the US and using MyUS.com for consolidation/shipping of these parts.

I think you may be on to something. I wonder if Australia is particularly bad at this right now.

So far, just this week, I have a TIG welder coming from Mt Gambier, just a few hundred km away, which was ordered and paid for on Monday with a promise that it would arrive on Thursday. Not here yet so with the public holiday that makes it Tuesday at the earliest. So more than a week. I had planned to spend this weekend welding in the shed, and I’m stuffed if I’ll use the MIG, because these jobs have to look nice.

Meanwhile, yesterday I was expecting the delivery of the boat refrigeration gear. At about 10 am I heard a small truck in the street and actually went to my door in anticipation, only to see the truck drive past slowly and pull up further down the road. Checked the tracking info on the web site at midday to discover that WAS the truck, but they tried delivering to the wrong address. Won’t see that parcel till Tuesday either.

Boat BBQ was ordered and paid for on Wednesday with a promise I could collect it on Friday. They phoned me 15 minutes before their store was due to close to say come and collect it, somehow expecting me to drive across town in peak hour in 15 minutes. At least they are open this morning.

Meanwhile I am waiting on a gps puck for three weeks so far after falling for the “Australian Stock” rubbish line on EBay. When I queried it their response was so obviously a cut and paste job. Practically a three page essay full of rubbish apologies all designed to confuse you to the point of just giving up and waiting.

All this with something like 50 days left on dry land... I’m starting to worry.

You wind-generator issue is something I can really sympathise with. (But it’s a goodie and going to be great when it arrives. ). Let me know if you need to borrow the TIG to help with the install. If I have it by then.