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I can't believe that AliExpress sells a DE razor for .66 cents!

I think "Buyer Beware" covers most of what is being said here, and I agree.

Things to look out for,
- Counterfeit articles, looks like the real thing, isn't
- Fakes, somewhat obviously different to an experienced purchaser, but someone unfamiliar might see the name and think it is it.
- Bait and Switch, look at pictures closely, is everything pictured going to be sent? is it the same as advertised?
- Seconds/Factory rejects/Sub-par - not meant for retail market

From my experience, and from what others have told me, the worst to not as bad companies, roughly, are:
Ali Express, Amazon, EBay (special case, see below), Etsy
Ali Express really does seem to be the worst of them.

EBay if it is a company run through EBay, seems okay, and in some cases you can get enough info/pics from sellers to have a better idea if you are being taken for a ride. You can't really ask Amazon or Ali Express to send more pictures or answer a lot of questions.

Etsy really started more as a craft space. I haven't been on in ages. I always found it on the expensive side, but at least a few years back they seemed on top of the game at keeping out fake/forgery stuff. It may have changed.

I think the rule of thumb is... if what you get is crap, and you can't return it or get your money back... can you live with that loss compared to the gamble on what it might have been? Then go ahead. Is it worth putting in a bit more money for a more reputable dealer/situation?

I suppose the final question is, of all the places you might be able to get the item, which business model do you most want to support?
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
As a private citizen in Canada I shipped a brush From Alberta to Ontario Canada and it cost more than the brush when I bought it for new. Company's get much better rates than a average Canadian and the American postal system is much cheaper for a private citizens to send small parcels in the CONUS than in Canada and many other parts of the world. As for China I'm not sure how their postal system works but small packages are cheap.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
As a private citizen in Canada I shipped a brush From Alberta to Ontario Canada and it cost more than the brush when I bought it for new. Company's get much better rates than a average Canadian and the American postal system is much cheaper for a private citizens to send small parcels in the CONUS than in Canada and many other parts of the world. As for China I'm not sure how their postal system works but small packages are cheap.


I'm not sure how the postal system works either, but I'm learning about it. This article may or may not be accurate. I've read similar material in numerous places but that doesn't mean I'm vouching for this material. Do your own homework. If you find contradictory and reliable information I'm like to know about it.

Happy shaves,

Jim
 
I'm not sure how the postal system works either, but I'm learning about it. This article may or may not be accurate. I've read similar material in numerous places but that doesn't mean I'm vouching for this material. Do your own homework. If you find contradictory and reliable information I'm like to know about it.

Happy shaves,

Jim
I don't know because I don't ship, but I have heard this is due to the volume. You ship one brush, it's expensive, but if you shipped 5000 brushes, I guess you'd get a much cheaper rate. I wouldn't be surprised if there were also some shady deals, but that's the basic way it was explained to me.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
They export so much product that it ends up being dirt cheap. They fill containers with thousands of orders every day. The cheapness equates to it taking forever to arrive at your door.
I also think it has to do also with flights available leaving for destination, when the winter Olympics where on recently in China I seemed to get my products quicker and when Covid 19 first hit with no vaccines with few flights coming or going out of China they were slower delivering from China from what I recall.
 
Check the Alibaba wholesale site and search for stainless steel handles. You'll recognize quite a few on some razors sold by US shaving sites. Don't be shocked at the price in bulk. You'll quickly realize what kind of markup there is on these products, especially aium blocks!
 
Buying from AliExpress is a real lottery. You might get a bargain or you might get a massive disappointment. I've bought a couple of THT titanium handles that were really nice. I've also bought "titanium" handles that turned out to be stainless steel when they arrived. I offered a reduced price and got a 50% refund. If you insist on sending the goods back then the postage will wipe out the value of the refund.

Everything that requires quality or attention to detail is likely to be a pale imitation of what you expected.

I've found postage to the UK to be very reasonable. I understand that the Chinese government subsidises postage on exports, but not returns.
 
The only shaving related thing from Aliexpress that I really like is their synthetic brushes. At least they (mostly) don't copy anyone and from what I understand, just like almost all badger hair and knots comes from China, the same goes for the synthetic knots too, so in a sense, we all buy from China whatever we like it or not. However, their razors, are very bad in my opinion. I've had a few and while they can most definitely be used for shaving, I wasn't impressed by their performance and quality at all.

The Chinese razors (in general) have poor blade support and blade chatter is pretty much something to be expected and normal and for me the razors they make are more like crude copies rather than well enginered and tested products. They also sell blades, shaving soaps and other stuff and it's beyound me why anyone would buy such things, since pretty much any shaving soap or a blade on the market is going to be much better. But hey - YMMV.
 
I have had good luck buying from Aliexpress, but I have only bought synthetic brushes and razors directly from Yaqi and DSCosmetic which are fairly reputable sellers. All arrived between 3 and 6 weeks in good condition. I also purchased 6 Gillette Silver Blue razors from a random Aliexpress seller, which also arrived in good condition in about 4 weeks. The Gillette Silver Blue razor on the card, are very good reproductions of the post war Gillette Tech razors and are less likely to be counterfeit. They also are a great buy at around $2.50 USD. IMHO, the Gillette Silver Blue Tech shaves 99% as good as most of the Tech's in my collection...but you must like a light weight razor. The Silver Blue is about the same weight as the 1951 Gillette Tech with the black plastic handle.
 
Per my previous post....It is not Gillette Silver Blue, but Gillette Super Blue Razor on the light blue and white card. I had just finished shaving with a Gillette Silver Blue razor blade, and I had that on my mind. Those Gillette Super Blue razors are available at Aliexpress and are still a reasonable price. They are a Gillette product in China and as essentially the same head geometry as the last version of Tech sold in the US up until the late 70's and early 80's. The new Chinese version is not brass, but Zamac and Aluminum. Still shaves the same, but will not last as long. Gillette stopped selling USA made DE razors in the US around 1981.
 

rbscebu

Girls call me Makaluod
A couple of months ago, I ordered on AliExpress a centrestand for my motorcycle. It was the same as the OEM but only one quarter the price (including shipping). It arrived about 4 weeks after ordering.

Once received, I found that it was not the correct model for my moto and did not match the description photos on AliExpress. I lodged a dispute with AliExpress and a few days later, they instructed me to return the item and provided me with free return shipping information. The next day I returned the item and had my fill refund within another 7 days.

I then ordered the same item from another vendor on AliExpress for about 5% more (including shipping). I received the correct model centrestand yesterday.

All is now good. I wish eBay were as efficient with disputes/returns.
 
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nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
Gillette stopped selling USA made DE razors in the US around 1981.
You mean 1988

 
I didn't order the .66 cent razor but I did just order a Lemonwald (supposedly 303 stainless steel) handle from Aliexpress. It was $8 total.
I have a Yaqi agressive slant head that I got about a month ago and I yet to use it. I figured that I might as well give it a handle. Total cost between the head and handle: $15
The handle is 85mm!

Screenshot 2022-05-30 021439.jpg
 
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I didn't order the .66 cent razor but I did just order a Lemonwald (supposedly 303 stainless steel) handle from Aliexpress. It was $8 total.
I have a Yaqi agressive slant head that I got about a month ago and I yet to use it. I figured that I might as well give it a handle. Total cost between the head and handle: $15
The handle is 85mm!

View attachment 1464059
A few years ago, those stainless steel handles were sold for $1 to $2 in bulk on the Alibaba wholesale site. I can't seem to find them now.
 
A few years ago, those stainless steel handles were sold for $1 to $2 in bulk on the Alibaba wholesale site. I can't seem to find them now.
They probably figured out that they make more money selling them by the piece on Aliexpress. And even the Chinese stuff has gone up in price. A couple years ago I remember that everything on Aliexpress was dirt cheap. Not anymore!
The only discount I see is that if you buy them from Aliexpress in Bulk, they give 3% off.
Not a great deal at all!
I just needed one so for $8 including shipping, it was reasonable for me.
 

Chef455

Head Cheese Head Chef
I can. The sooner we all stop paying for the postage, the better

Reason 435 I don't buy from that country unless forced.
I also do not purchase products from this country for reasons I'll not rant about here. But please keep in mind that the article quoted is from 2017. President Trump had us pull out of the UPU in 2018. These postage rates and subsidies no longer apply. Please believe me that lightweight parcels from China have dropped off IMMENSELY since that time. I'm ballparking the number of packages I deliver to be around 600-700 and of those maybe 5 a week are lightweight from China. Prior to 2018 it was closer to 10% of my daily packages.
I'm not sure how the postal system works either, but I'm learning about it. This article may or may not be accurate. I've read similar material in numerous places but that doesn't mean I'm vouching for this material. Do your own homework. If you find contradictory and reliable information I'm like to know about it.

Happy shaves,

Jim
I skimmed. In my experience this seems more relevant and up to date but, again, do your own homework and draw your own conclusions.

Ditto on the "Happy Shaves"
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
Actually they don't sell a razor for .66 cents but more like 66 cents or .66 of a dollar.
Off by a factor of 100 there! :tongue_sm
 
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