Any body ever purchased from O/S ?

[Truscott]

Has any body ever purchased telescopes and or accessory from over seas via the internet ? Looking at OPTICS Planet.com, a USA sight. It appears to have some reasonable prices for stuff but the freight to Aust seems a bit expensive! Ever had any luck trying to save a buck with this sort of thing ???

[[1ponders] (Paul)]

Some of us buy quite a bit OS, usually small stuff like eyepieces, mounting plates and dovetails, guiderings etc. Postage isn't too bad when small and light and if its under $1000 there's no customs duty. For large items like mounts you don't really save that much. I've just bought a Losmandy G11 from OPT in the states. The price is great until you factor in postage, customs, GST, etc. I didn't really save much in the long run. Also if something goes wrong its expensive to return it to the supplier for warranty repairs. The same reasoning applies to complete systems and OTAs.

So the short of it is, small light items under $1000 Large, bulky expensive items

Many of the US based astronomy stores are very good to deal with. If you do a search I know there was a couple of threads about this very topic.

My favorite OS store - Optcorp.

[mickoking]

G,day


I get a few things from the states like books, small scope acessories etc and its no hassle. I generally use international money orders coz I dont trust computers with me money but thats just me and my paranoia.

[acropolite (Phil)]

I've bought 4 times from different suppliers and had no problems. Mostly used paypal.

[33South (Chris)]

Same here, bought a few accessories from various suppliers with no probs.
Used PayPal or Bank to bank transfer (not all banks offer this service)

Even to save $$$$ I wouldnt touch anything that could need a return to base for warranty repair

[ving (David)]

yeah, you can save on the small bits n' pieces. i've done it.

[h0ughy (David)]

I have bought magazines, eyepieces, photography stuff, and lots of bits and pieces, but never a whole scope from the states. i did buy a etx RA from NZ many years ago. Postage and customs are the killers.

[Starkler (Geoff)]

Most OS dealers webpages quote shipping via a courier service such as FedEx, which is prohibitively expensive for OS shipping. The smaller dealers will usually agree to send via USPS insured airmail, which costs about $20US for an eyepiece of small item.

The few times I bought from the US , all items arrived within 14 days, and once within 5 days of placing the order, which I was pretty impressed with

[Stu]

I bought my 4mm TV Radian from some normal kinda guy who advertised on Astromart. I used paypal he used USPS, both happy. Didn't know him from a bar of soap.

But now I have a 4mm radian like new for about half the price of a new one over here.

[Robert_T]

Hi Truscott, I bought quite a few bits and pieces from several US firms using Paypal or Visa and hav had no problems - in fact often get the items quicker from the US than from Australia. Ordered Bob's Knobs (collimation screws for SCT) and received them 3 working days later in Oz!!! As the guys say, as longas you keep it to smaller lighter stuff that isn't too expensive the risk is slight.


cheers,

[Truscott]

Thanks guys good to know we have some other options!

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

I am considering ordering some EPs from Japan within the next few weeks. I would need to buy quite a bit and keep it under the customs tax free threshold at the same time to make it worthwhile. I might order an extra EP or two for resale as well. I will let you know how it goes.

[rumples riot]

In the last year I have bought stuff from the US, (OPT, moonlite and telescopes.com) and the UK (Metal Planet) over the net. Never had a problem. All have visa and all gave good service.

Paul

[Dennis]

Have a look at the ISS thread here:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/s...ead.php?t=5380

which contains some useful information.

Cheers

Dennis

[janoskiss (Steve H)]

Originally Posted by Dennis

Have a look at the ISS thread here ...

Dennis, We are IIS = Ice In Space, not ISS = International Space Station, although it would be nice to be the latter for a few days.

[Dennis]

Originally Posted by janoskiss

Dennis, We are IIS = Ice In Space, not ISS = International Space Station, although it would be nice to be the latter for a few days.

Aghhh - thanks Steve. Fingers did not follow mind or perhaps it was as you say, wishful thinking

Cheers

Dennis

[Striker (Tony)]

I have purchased most of my items from overseas...Mainly through OPT....have had some problems but get great customer service when it happens....

I will continue purchasing overseas while their is good money to be saved.