Celestron Edge HD from Alibaba

[Mickconn77]

Have potentially sourced an 8” edge hd from a supplier on Alibaba at a decent (but not ridiculous) price. Has anyone had any experience with sourcing scopes through Alibaba or AliExpress? Are they genuine? Am I likely to get scammed?

[alpal]

I got ripped off from Alibaba about 6 years ago.
The goods never arrived and I had paid in full - about $240.

It was a total loss.
I hear they are better now.

[Drac0]

I've had no problems with AliExpress, but have always been wary of Alibaba without actually buying through them.

[mura_gadi]

Aliexpress is a portal to a lot of Chinese retailers...

You need to review the store, not Aliexpress etc...

[sunslayr]

It is likely to be genuine. The biggest issue will be warranty or rather lack of one. That and shipping damage, you will have to rely on the seller not ghosting you if you have any problems.

[glend]

Be aware of the shipping and inbound (GST) as it will be stopped by customs. It may seem a great bargain but think of these hidden expenses, plus any warranty issues (Who covers this and where does it have to be sent).
Investigate the Alibaba retailer, as the product may actually be a 'B' grade stock dumped by the factory after failing to meet export QA standards. Just because it is badged as Celestron does not mean it is the same scope as that sold by Teleskop Express, or Celestron USA.
I suggest you ask your questions on the Cloudy Nights (USA) astro forum, where Celestron products are very popular and There is a highly developed factory owned distribution network.

[Mickconn77]

Thanks so much for this insight. I had considered the potential of being issued a counterfeit scope but not one that doesn’t meet quality control. This is a very real concern.
For the sake of waiting 3 months and saving $300 I’ve decided to hold off and wait for my Australian reseller to come through. At least they will be my port of call for all warranty issues etc.
If it’s too good to be true it usually is.

[astroron]

IMHO anything sourced out of China these day especially big bucks items,
should be treated with a great deal of caution.
Pay the extra and get at least some peace of mind.
Glen's advice is a good one
What you order is not necessarily what you will get.
Cheers:thumbsup:

[Culford]

I would seriously give China a big miss. I used to live in China and love it's culture and people. However, it's government is a borderline terrorist organisation and the Chinese economy is becoming increasingly erratic and unreliable.

For my astronomy needs I rely on products from Taiwan and Japan.