EEVblog #1248 - INSANE A 0.02% Process Meter for $9? WTF

[BravoV]

Just curious what is the limit price that you guys tolerate and also the risk you're willingly to take for such deal from Aliexpress style of shopping ?

$20? $30? $40? $50? or even more  ?

[ataradov]

With Ali specifically - quite a bit, I've come to trust their buyer protection. I have no problem spending $100 on a "questionable", but good deal.
Aforementioned DHGate and other questionable sites - $0.

But for this specific unit - $10 would be the right price, since I really don't need it.

[beanflying]

Aliexpress like Paypal gets you nearly 100% DOA or non delivery protection. I have never had a high price item not turn up and work but a few sub $50 were easy to sort out with only one of them needing an actual phone call to paypal.

The other options I had saved for process calibrators were all $100+ AUD so this one is well worth a small risk.

Still available @ circa $100USD  https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000018968494.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.2eec71c28TnVBr&algo_pvid=b9c2fd78-f26a-4900-97d7-c5f5bb9d2311&algo_expid=b9c2fd78-f26a-4900-97d7-c5f5bb9d2311-26&btsid=49f44b32-edcf-4188-940a-06c12c678a0a&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_4,searchweb201603_52

[wilfred]

I don't shop Aliexpress very often so I am not sure about the refund policy. It is in Aliexpress' interests to not make me reluctant to shop there and so offer robust refund policies. After that it is just a question of how likely am I to forget to claim the refund before the limit expires.

At the moment I have a vague notion that the delivery time was 30-53 days and the time limit to claim is 60 days. But I'll wait at least 30 days before bothering to try finding out.

I don't think I have a particular dollar amount in mind but I wouldn't sweat the A$17 I paid for this thing (much). But I'm poor and a tightarse except when spending money on bargains.

[someperson]

In case anyone is interested, this is the lowest I was able to find earlier:
https://www.wish.com/product/5d82eea61ac87a107be9016f
Use the promo code XMRDZNK.

[ataradov]

Well, Wish is a special case. They would have to pay me to get their junk. I would be highly cautious of giving them any money.

[jh15]

so now what for a voltage reference on the cheap, and good?

I have a little plexiglass thing with 2.5 5 7.5 and 10v. Has a sticker of an HP/Agilent/keysight/what next meter serial and cal date info on it. actual voltage to many places on it.

Think it was really cheap.

[wilfred]

Well, Wish is a special case. They would have to pay me to get their junk. I would be highly cautious of giving them any money.

I've never heard of them. They are claiming the price is reduced from $866. And you have to login before even browsing around. Forget it.

[beanflying]

Wish is to online shopping what some crowd funding is to failed tech products - SCAMMERS delight.

[CheckOne Two]

Hmmmm .... not sure how many of these will actually be getting shipped .... bought one of these not long after the video came out from DHgate and almost immediately got a message from seller offering another product:

"hi friend
hope you are well .
kind reminder the item you ordered is still under producing ,
would you like change to attached new style ?
it's really nice and hot selling , hope you like it .
thanks , we waiting for your feedback "

Obviously I have messaged back saying that I would like the item they advertised but may have to wait a week or so to find out what's happening as apparently the Chinese are now on holiday till the 8th .............

[ataradov]

Out of curiosity, what did they offer in exchange?

[ritaismyconscience]

I bought one too. I got these messages:

They tried to scam me too by asking me to switch to a normal multimeter.
This is what they attached:


They did say it was still under production. Failed prototype maybe?

[CheckOne Two]

Yes same crap meter ... Hytais TS33F ..... 

Probably holding all the low price sales back and offering to those who bought at higher prices ......

[ataradov]

Yeah, sounds about right for DHGate.

[ritaismyconscience]

If they don't ship it I get my money back and $20 credit.

That's pretty good.

They got about 80 sales, they're potentially in the hole for $1600. Yikes.

[CheckOne Two]

I see we both got the same message word for word from "different" sellers so obviously same people .... I bought from "tonethiny" ....

[amspire]

DHGate still has the same sale going - for $117.

They had just sold 62 of the meters in a day.

[member_xyz]

Got exactly same messages from DHgate.
same seller yaseri.
 
Will see what happens with refund.

Don't expect them to ship.

[ritaismyconscience]

I think this guy said "lol price error" after he found out they were selling like hot cakes and that he could have made so much more profit. Highly doubt this guy is selling them at a loss.

[FrankBuss]

Got a message from one of the Alieexpress shops as well:



And did you notice that the all used the same pictures, and the same wrong spelling? "Mulitifuction", whatever this means. I think I will answer that it is not urgent and that they can take all the time they need to fix it 

But I bought it from 2 shops at Aliexpress, and didn't get a message so far from the other shop, so it seems to be at least different sellers.

[CheckOne Two]

If they don't ship it I get my money back and $20 credit.

That's pretty good.

They got about 80 sales, they're potentially in the hole for $1600. Yikes.

I wouldn't hold your breath for that offer .... from reading up online I see that offer seems to hardly ever be honoured ....

[ritaismyconscience]

If they don't ship it I get my money back and $20 credit.

That's pretty good.

They got about 80 sales, they're potentially in the hole for $1600. Yikes.

I wouldn't hold your breath for that offer .... from reading up online I see that offer seems to hardly ever be honoured ....

I'm fairly confident I'll get my money back at least. Have shopped on many chinese websites before because cheaper price

[CheckOne Two]

If they don't ship it I get my money back and $20 credit.

That's pretty good.

They got about 80 sales, they're potentially in the hole for $1600. Yikes.

I wouldn't hold your breath for that offer .... from reading up online I see that offer seems to hardly ever be honoured ....

I'm fairly confident I'll get my money back at least. Have shopped on many chinese websites before because cheaper price

Hope so .... I'll report back what happens here but apparently they will be on holiday now till the 8th ..............

[ritaismyconscience]

If they don't ship it I get my money back and $20 credit.

That's pretty good.

They got about 80 sales, they're potentially in the hole for $1600. Yikes.

I wouldn't hold your breath for that offer .... from reading up online I see that offer seems to hardly ever be honoured ....

I'm fairly confident I'll get my money back at least. Have shopped on many chinese websites before because cheaper price

Hope so .... I'll report back what happens here but apparently they will be on holiday now till the 8th ..............

Usually if they try to scam you they will use a fake tracking number to show the system that it was shipped. It's fairly obvious to the arbitrators that there's something shady going on.

[CheckOne Two]

Just got message back from seller .... now trying to raise price to $65.

I have written a detailed answer back stating the common faults with the meter and have informed the seller that the reason it was popular was because many pros realised that the QC faults could be fixed and that at $20 it was worth buying but that at $65 with the high chance of faults it was no longer worth looking at and he would probably get a majority of returns.

We'll see how that goes down ......