What does the shipping insurances cover - only for lost goods? Do they cover damages incurred to item(s) during shipment?

How could we pay via PayPal - the last time I checked, they weren't available locally as yet?

The thing is, how could we be certain that item(s) ordered are shipped, not damaged, or even the right item and not the wrong item is being shipped in the first place, on the sender's side?

So far, how did you guys' orders from overseas go? - Any pros and cons experienced?

This post has been edited by ninelives1980: Sep 14 2006, 02:03 AM

well if you pay by credit card then be assusred that if the item did not arrive you can call the bank to block the payment. Usually the shipping will include insurance for lost and damaged goods shipped.

provided the seller/retailer is reputable and you're not ordering very expensive stuff, i normally prefer to pay via paypal when possible, coz can get a 3.5 exchange rate when u buy from a trusted paypal seller. higher value stuff, better pay via credit card.

shipping insurance depends on what shipping they use. sometimes it's optional.

the thing is, yea, i'm ordering a quite expensive equipment.....so, i guess the safest way's to go by credit card.

u guys ever tried ordering guitars online before? - shipped from overseas that is.

did it arrive 'as in' condition?

Careful. Check with the retailer and see if they CAN ship the guitar. Some guitars were meant to be sold within their own countries only.
Like with the Dean Razorbacks, you can't sell 'em outside of the United States UNLESS it's through a supplier or you hand carry yourself through customs.

i've requested for the retailer to list the item on ebay, so i could grab it from there with 'buy it now' option

....but declined, sayin' that they won't sell the item on eBay outside of US and Canada as yet - though the funny thing is, if I PayPal them directly, they would do so.....and they won't accept credit cards....

I mean, PayPal does have transactions by credit card

It seems all the US guys are all the same - they don't do credit cards....strictly by PayPal and banker's check or sth

Yea, it's an expensive item we're talkin' about here - how did your order go for any expensive items you've purchased from abroad (if you have)?

Actually, I have a Paypal account... very easy to setup one actually.... as long as you have a credit card......

yea i've checked them out....it's quite easy the registration process


but my main concerns is mainly - if i use credit card in purchasing, i have protections on my part, for the items purchased

the thing is, like said, the seller strictly goes by PayPal - i wonder whether the protections are still there, even if I pay via PayPal using credit card....

This post has been edited by ninelives1980: Sep 15 2006, 10:18 PM

you use a 3rd party handler.
there are quite a few trusted ones out there.
you give them the cash, the seller gives the items.
and the handler sends them their rightful ways.

as a buyer paypal is pretty safe... pay directly from your credit card throught paypal and if you want to make a reverse transaction, just call up your CC company.
if the seller doesnt do international shipping you could try to look for a warehouse company in the US and have the item sent there, then have a freight company to pick it up for delivery to you

PayPal is pretty safe. I remember having a buyer protection or something like that.....

can you withdraw funds yourself from your paypal acc now?

Buying expensive item is quite easy via PayPal or credit card but main issue is our local Customs which can be tricky.

what about singaporean customs? if they're better than malaysia i might have guitarfetish.com ship over there to me instead of to malaysia

Paypal is safe.....if u don't have a credit card...you can get paypal funds from the bulk session from me......it's fast.....and safe as i never faced any scamed occasions.....

besides...i would like to know what's the minimum age to have a credit card? i'm currently 16+ years old....

Paypal ain't really all that safe actually.

Read up http://www.paypalsucks.com/ sometime.

any particular ones you have in mind?

yeap, ain't not realli fully assured - unless you go by the 'credit plus' scheme which is only available in the states though, so it's out of the question for us

you could use escrow.com as a safetrader.... but fees gonna cost a bit
asa buyer i can say that it's quite safe la.... paypal is kinda shit for sellers... but for buyer as long as u direct credit from your credit card you wont have any risk
if you fund ure paypal from your bank account...or buy credit through someone else.. you wont be able to file a chargeback... so for any online purchases... use CC

agreed. playing with paypal is like fighting a chargeback war if u get tangled in an unfortunate situation. my friend kena already. paypal just finds ways to suck money from people no matter who's right or wrong. they'll simply lock the funds, and even if you appeal and they agree the release it, they'll only release the funds after 6 months (or 8, cant remember) coz it's they stupid policy. at least via credit card, provided you got no other credit ties or money in your paypal account, you can still slap them back with chargeback, let them shut your account with a negative figure, abandon it and start a new account again till the same vicious cycle repeats. this happens when the seller con's you. but the same cycle happens also when a buyer wants to con the selller, ending up with the chargeback reversed back to the seller (paypal always does this and appealing does nothing), hence the seller essentially sold something for free. thats why many sellers hate paypal and ban credit card funded transfers by using a personal account. welcome to the shitty world of paypal.

This post has been edited by MetalZone: Sep 17 2006, 03:11 PM

ninelives u should consider fender strat left handed guitar at bentley
give a try dude

btw i know this question is out of topic can anyone care helping if let say i go to state and bought a left handed guitar and want to bring home (Malaysia) what is the % tax they'll charge?

remove all labels and proof that you bought it there... and hand carry it back. tell them it's yours and you brought it to US when u went there. i'll let blacktrix elaborate heh

I'll be funding my purchase via Paypal from my credit card.......don't know how safe this would be then.....

yea fender strat mexico....neck's fat as hell......so much fatter than my les paul...
but this' real off topic.....better stop b4 i get swayed too far...heh

that strat is MIM ..the cream one ..i thought was MIU cuz bentley staff said the body n neck is MIU but other accs is mexico made btw i really get confused when they said that

i try that start before and i dun really feel the neck a bit fatter maybe bacause i used to play start MIU upside down and about the tone i consider it
okay lah mine start(technically my dad start) sound richer than that

perhaps bentley was talkin about the highway one which is MIA.
body and neck from US, pickups, tuners, bridge etc is exactly the same as MIM.

..corrected.. Hendrix play rh right handed guitar restringing to left handed

thanx

::ninelives:: what type of guitar u're planning to buy there ?

Well, now with the new Airline laws...... carrying a guitar back from the states is much more problematic.

Can't imagine how I'm going to explain a Razorback to the custom officer...

"No! Really! It's not THAT sharp!"

some certain lefty......though i've changed my mind now due to other commitments attached

LOL! you can use it as a weapon they say...

i always wonder when someone is gonna smuggle drugs by hollowing out the insides of a guitar and then laminating a new top over it

if you've known the ways that've been tried out o'er the past decades, you won't even think of that ...cos' whatever been thinked of, it's been attempted and as you would have guessed....busted.

Its still best to buy locally to avoid any circumstances but its all up to you, you need to take the risk mate.

i think it depends on what you intend to buy and who you intend to buy it from. if it's about the same price or just a little cheaper, better just buy locally. if the price difference is large or you cant even get it here, i don't see anything wrong with buying internationally. As long as the seller is well known and reputable, it's fine to me by all means.

This post has been edited by MetalZone: Sep 21 2006, 04:26 PM

You got the point, but normally the price wouldnt differ a lot as you know you need to pay for shipping cost and stuff, especially the gear you are getting its in a big package. Anyhow, if the item Im looking for couldnt get it here, I'll just buy internationally and pray for the best. Hopefully it comes in a good shape.

I've purchased an item from ebay and not a guitar or accessories and it has arrived safely to me and there is also a customs (malaysia) stamp stating 'Dilepaskan'...hehehehe...well i guess i'm lucky....huhuhuhu...

Btw the shipping was through USPS (united states postal service) and arrive here handed by Pos Laju....cool...

I bought quite a lot of stuff of the net (PS2 Ori Games, movies, concerts, DVDs) before and two more coming soon (Steve Vai Live in Astoria, Apocalypse Now Complete Dossier) and so far they have always arrived safe and sound (touch wood) and no tax!!!

I think they only start taxing if it is an electronic item or something very expensive.

As long as you buy from a reputable seller, it should be ok.

or if you order a whole stack of dvds etc.
my friend had to go customs to clear one of his orders, and it was only 5 music cds.

Its pretty shitty if you found out the stuff you ordered from overseas has been opened, it happens sometimes.

from my experience if shipping via USPS/EMS... if the customs do suspect anything taxable. they'll just send u a letter, u open it on the spot there. i believe it probably does happens in some instances where the customs opens it already though.

Yeap, it does happen sometimes, but anyhow if anyone plans to buy internationally just becareful and check everything first

yea im bored and quoting myself by resurrecting a dead thread.
but heres something i forgot to post, this was from Jan 2007.

COCAINE SMUGGLED IN ELECTRIC GUITARS (FROM MEXICO)
AT THE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON INTERNATIONAL (BWI) AIRPORT





The DEA Mid Atlantic Laboratory (Largo, Maryland) recently received two electric guitars with compressed white powders concealed in hollowed-out sections in their bases, suspected cocaine (see Photos 2 and 3). The exhibits originated in Mexico, and were seized at the Baltimore/Washington International Airport by Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel (no further details). Both guitars appeared to be fully operational (not checked), and neither had obvious seams or any external indications of tampering (that is, the paint and an inner, hard plastic layer were apparently added after the drugs were concealed). Analysis of the powder (total net mass 2,878 grams) with GC, GC/MS, and FTIR confirmed 83 percent cocaine hydrochloride adulterated with diltiazem. This is the first known submission of this concealment method to the Mid Atlantic Laboratory.

Dammit! Those Les Pauls looks bad ass!!!!!!!!

hmmm... can get high on playing guitar...

I'm wondering why 80s metal bands didn't think of that sooner!

LSD patches!
or what movie was that he opened the case, then the guitar to reveal guns

Oh shit...mebbe they'll be more cautious the next time if i bring in any guitars

who knows what they'll do... chop up your guitar and check