Buying Overseas.

Striker (Tony) · #1 19-01-2005, 01:23 PM

For any of you people who have bought eyepieces overseas.

What company and websites have you used or found to be the best...I am comparing prices at the moment.

I have found heaps of overseas online websites where I can purchase virtualy every eyepiecs available but are wondering what company or website anyone has used....

I dont have any issues buying overseas as I have bought heaps of items this way on Ebay....so if you can give a list or even one you have used and found to be credible.

Much appreciated.

I will list a couple but I have never purchased of either as yet.
http://www.skiesunlimited.net/index.php
http://www.kendrick-ai.com/astro/ep_meade.html

iceman (Mike) · #2 19-01-2005, 01:29 PM

DBA Astronomy are great to deal with.. Dale is a top bloke and he is VERY helpful.

http://www.speednetllc.com/dbaastronomyproducts/

Starkler will vouch for him too.

Striker (Tony) · #3 19-01-2005, 01:33 PM

Thanks...keep them coming...

BTW are these eypieces any good...well for the price anyway....
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=3867972111

I contacted the seller who has heaps of them and will sell them in bulk........he wants $25 USD (33.00 AUD) each and that include Postage.....

Comet Hunter · #4 19-01-2005, 03:08 PM

Not sure about the quality, but for around $33 I'd be interested in one if we ended up with enough interest to organise a group buy.

ving (David) · #5 19-01-2005, 05:23 PM

they are meades... do they come in different grades?

Striker (Tony) · #6 19-01-2005, 05:31 PM

nope all the same 18mm Wide Angle......must have produced to many of them...I have seen them selling the same identical one on other overseas sites for $50-60 USD + PH

Here they are selling for much dearer in USD but it does say was made for the ETX 60/70 scopes?

http://www.opticsplanet.net/meade-wa18.html

Starkler (Geoff) · #7 19-01-2005, 06:31 PM

OS retailers i have purchased from and never had a problem.

DBA - very good communications
O'Neil optical in canada - good communications
Kendrik - a bit slower but still ok

What takes a lot of US dealers out of the running for me is their insistance on using carriers like fedex for shipping. $80 to ship an eyepiece? bugger that !

Ask for USPS airmail parcel post or USPS Global priority airmail. Its the cheapest shipping solution and items arrive within 5-14 days.

Striker (Tony) · #8 19-01-2005, 07:01 PM

Starkler..I just joined up on Skies unlimited and went through the shopping cart process like normal....then when it come up to postage it gave me 2 option's both off $65 USD postage for 1 x Meade 14mm Ultra wide....how rediculous.....so I sent them a nasty email stating unless you can provide a realistic postage service that should be around $20 USD for such a small item with that much weight....you are going to have 1 short membership from me.....

1 x Meade series 5000 Ultra wide 1 1/4 for $199 USD...if the postage was realistic I would buy one...and many more.....they have Naglers aswell....

My wife and I have ordered heaps of perfume through from the states...I got like 3 x 125mm bottles of expensive perfume delivered within 7 days for like $18 USD postage...1 x 1 1/4 eyepiece weighs 1/3 of that weight....*******s....grrrrrrr

#9 19-01-2005, 07:04 PM

Up until now I have used OPT and found them great. They even paid for return of an eyepiece, a Pan24 that was faulty. They stuffed things up a bit returning the new one but. Something I found out re customs is that if you get something in for less than $500aud you dont pay any duty or GST. This I found out the hard way only appears to apply to stuff bought in via Post eg USPS. My return eyepiece came back via express courier and unknown to me the cutoff point is $250aud. So I got hit by customs. This I thought was a pain in the arse as it was a warranty replacement, but you cannot argue with the Aust Customs Service. I am at present negotiating with OPT as I did not request a couriered return, and in any case they put "gift" on the package which also raised the red flag at customs..
You live and learn

Vermin (Tom) · #10 19-01-2005, 07:04 PM

I've ordered many things from Woodland Hills Camera without problem:

http://www.telescopes.net/index.html

Returns are no drama and Carlos is quick to reply to emails.

Have also had excellent service from from Astrosytems:

http://www.astrosystems.biz/

Avoid this mob like the plague:

http://focuscamera.com/

They are unhelpful rude and lie about the stock they have on hand.

Striker (Tony) · #11 19-01-2005, 07:27 PM

OPT...what does that stand for...got a link Exfso

Comet Hunter · #12 19-01-2005, 07:32 PM

OPT - Oceanside Photo + Telescope

http://www.optcorp.com/

Striker (Tony) · #13 19-01-2005, 10:21 PM

Thankyou......

I like this one....... https://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=30-34-38-1369

and this one... https://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=30-46-51-6171

and another... https://www.optcorp.com/product.aspx?pid=30-68-71-355

Oh I could keep going but that will do for now.....

Astro_Guy · #14 19-01-2005, 10:23 PM

Striker,

If you would take a moment to review the shipping options at Skies Unlimited, you will see that the price you were quoted was for UPS Worldwide Express service. This is something entirely different from parcel post. The price you were quoted came directly from UPS, it is based upon the combination of your address and the package weight, and it is not marked up in any way. It is not our policy to extend our profits using fictitious shipping charges.

Best Regards,

Bob Black
Skies Unlimited
www.skiesunlimited.net

Striker (Tony) · #15 19-01-2005, 10:39 PM

its simple.....you put your information country postcode and then it calculates shipping costs.....it does that then it gave me 2 and only 2 options which were $65 each...didn't give me any other options to choose?

2 opitions are World wide Express or Worldwide Expidited....cant see any other shipping information.....?

If their is it should come with the same options you provide....

While we have you here.....whats the cost to ship a 10-20mm 1 1/4" eyepiece to Brisbane Australia

janoskiss (Steve H) · #16 19-01-2005, 11:04 PM

Astro_Guy,

Striker did not ask for no UPS! But I'd like one of those, because it's real annoying when the power cuts out while you're in the middle doing something in a hurry.

How fishy does this sound:

"It is not our policy to extend our profits using fictitious shipping charges."

Hey, it's not my policy to be overworked and underpaid either, but I still do it!

Illegal and immoral activities by medium to big business are never official company policy but unfortunately more often standard practice than not.

#17 19-01-2005, 11:26 PM

I can tell you what it cost to get my Pan24 from OPT to Adelaide with USPS and it was fully insured and trackable. When special was on. USPS postage $32 and it arrived within 7 days and I could track it all the way. As I said before if you get stuff in this way you dont have to pay customs etc if under 500buck Aust, but if via UPS ie a courier the cutoff is 250bucks Aust. I think. I actually paid OPT $305.85 including freight for this and at 75c which the Aust dollar was then it corresponded to $407.80Aud. This is a lot cheaper than Bintel's $485 and then you have to pay freight from them to wherever you live.

rumples riot · #18 20-01-2005, 12:03 AM

Lets watch the name calling gents, keep it friendly. Remember our friendly little site needs more people and everyone has differences of opinion. Its Ok to differ in opinion, just watch how you express it.

Thanks

Paul

Starkler (Geoff) · #19 20-01-2005, 12:29 AM

In a nutshell , check the shipping options before getting excited about the prices quoted.

janoskiss (Steve H) · #20 20-01-2005, 12:55 AM

rumples riot,

Sorry, sorry, I do this sort of thing too often. Tactful expression of disagreement/disapproval is an art I've long yearned to master! Lost the little manners I had, when I read "It's not our policy to" instead of "We do not".