How to buy from ioffer.com?

[Edgar Lemos]

Hello people!

I've been searching around here and i've seen many people talking about ioffer.com and aobobuy.com (after seeking for bergies, ofcourse).

I have some questions: ioffer works somehow like ebay, right? So, we have to be careful with dealers.. how can I see who're the good and the bad dealers? You, experienced guys, could give me some advices and a list of good dealers?

How does this website works? Have you become satisfied with it?

For example, after talked to bergies:

***.ioffer.com/i/dolce-gabbana-new-d-g-men-s-leather-jacket-coat-169859237

is this a good buy? the price seems to be too low!

or this one:

***.ioffer.com/i/giorgio-armani-men-s-new-style-business-suit+gift-tie-125682157

For exemple, i'm from Portugal.. How do the customs works, etc? will i have problems with it?

Best regards and thanks for every help you could provide

EDIT: Ohh, it's my first post. I havent noticed that! I have been talking here bt through PM's

Edited September 9, 2011 by Edgar Lemos

[VesperMatt]

To me, my iOffer experiences have always been a gamble and last resort. I haven't yet been screwed but I know people who have. Sellers have feedback just like eBay and you have to pay attention to that, but I suspect a lot of their stuff is rigged.

Many sellers are really helpful up until the point you send your money, then forget it. Also, I no longer expect stuff to ship via EMS like promised. So expect to wait a while to get it, via Registered Airmail, even if they say "EMS or equivalent"

They also can be slow to send it. To the USA, it usually take 2 - 3 weeks to get my stuff and tracking (of course) can be flaky.

Quality of goods... I haven't actually managed to make a first purchase with KB yet but its obvious that unless the item is aces, he won't sell it. Pretty much don't expect much quality control from iOffer sellers and be surprised when you do get something decent. Stiching, fabric, embroidery, everything varies extremely.

And lastly, as far as payment - I always pay with PayPal and use a funding source that is good about chargebacks/disputes. iOffer has absolutely NO RECOURSE with the seller. Best you can do is leave bad feedback. There is no buyer guarantee like eBay and they do no investigation. Your next step after that is to file a dispute with PayPal and if that doesn't work contact your card company. I've never had to do that (I've started the process for items shipped very late that ultimately showed up) but I know friends who have been screwed.

My personal experience, I never buy more than I'd be willing to lose and I try out sellers first with small orders.

[hnl2pdx]

Yes, VM has given good advice. I've ordered once from ioffer and luckily, I got a good seller with a pretty darn good product that's almost gen looking and feeling. I have the gen wallet and the rep I got in a different color was almost spot on except for it being slightly bigger than the gen. But as stated, don't order more than you're willing to lose. Most of the sellers offer free shipping so maybe 1 or 2 items at a time would be good just in case.

[wat44]

this is how you buy:

1. a wing

2. a prayer

[Edgar Lemos]

Thank you all for the answers!

@VesperMatt: from who have you dealed with? if you have good guys we can trust, it would be nice to make a list of them, describing them, and help other people buying in iOffer..

Best Regards

[KB]

if you have good guys we can trust, it would be nice to make a list of them, describing them, and help other people buying in iOffer

In what way could this be good?

RWG was set up to protect it's members not to be a shopping mall for anyone trying to find the cheapest buys.

We have a list of approved buyers, they got there by showing they will consistently look after the members, no iOffer seller will give that undertaking.

You buy there you do so at your own risk, yes there may be some who are good sellers but if they are not here they are not approved by this board so any such list would be removed.

Ken

[VesperMatt]

I had originally thought the same about a list but, in addition to KB's comment's, I have to just say that I would never feel comfortable providing a list because the quality and consistency of sellers on iOffer is so varied. I could post that I had success with such and such guy and I got a decent product, but that could in no way be an endorsement for his other products. I've also had friends who have had previous successful transaction with sellers to only get gypped down the line. That's rare, but it happens. Maybe its not even intentional but maybe they were out of product? I have always gotten practically zero help after a sale. It reminds me of a McDonalds memo a local franchise owner got busted for sending out suggesting how much money they would save if they left the fries out every four orders.

Everything is so very hit or miss on there, with varying quality, that I think a crowd-sourced list would be ill-advised. I don't need to be bothered/feel any sort of guilt because I said I had good relations with someone for a polo shirt and then you bought a bag from the guy and it was crap or he screwed you and never sent the item.

Personally, when there is an imitation something I want, I have a descending hierarchy of: Contact KB, look on WatchEden, see if somebody on eBay lists it, see if I really want it bad enough to try my luck on iOffer.

KB - Full disclosure, I have yet to actually purchase from him but have no doubt recommending him based on correspondence and time on this board.

WatchEden - Another trusted seller on here who not only sells watches but also numerous goods. I'm waiting to receive my first order of Paul & Shark stuff from him.

eBay - Lots of stuff is still listed here, usually for about $10 more than iOffer BUT you get eBay buyer protection

iOffer - Well we've already discussed that.

[Edgar Lemos]

Thank you all for the answers!

VesperMatt, your reports have helped me a lot! I'll use your experience on buying to help me on my future orders!

Thank you all very much, once again!

[Dani]

pss, I have bought 20items from Ioffer not one problem.EMS no problem, its just that some will not send EMS due more risk for customs.

[TeeJay]

I much prefer CQout.com, as they have an inhouse escrow system which protects the buyer's money 100%. While I appreciate that the forum exists to protect buyers from scammers, I disagree that only Forum Trusted Dealers should be discussed here, as that is not 'protecting buyers', it is simply promoting (regardless of what the disclaimers say) specific vendors. While said vendors may indeed have proven their reliability over time, they should not be viewed as 'the only game in town, and I feel that in the interest of protecting members from true scam dealers, discussion of off forum dealers who have also proven themselves (if only to their clients) should be allowed, as that is then taking in a bigger picture than just promoting a select few who have made the grade WatchEden used to be a QCout trader, and their integrity is beyond reproach, yet even they were unable to avoid falling foul of CQout's 'three strikes' feedback policy. That is not meant as a slur on WatchEden, but an example of how stringent CQout actually is with the sellers who list there, so I feel the site should be cut a little slack when it comes to potentially recommending dealers who sell there Just my .2c

[Edit to add]

Just to balance that point, I would not suggest people use CQout unless they either 1) Know precisely what they are looking for, or 2) Are willing to accept what arrives without pissing and moaning about trivial details. ie Don't go on CQout, buy a Sub for £30 and expect to receive a BK Sub. As with everything, choose your seller then choose your watch. Know what you want, and know what to expect