Buying SEGWAYs from Alibaba?

**E320** · 01-19-2008 04:09 PM

Hi guys,
I wanted to share my latest business idea and hear what you may think about it.

I live in a nice, small European country where people are yet unaware of such beautiful thing as the Segway.

So I believe that importing some might be a good idea.

Since the official price ~ 4.900$ is a little too high for them to sell effectively, I have found a few Indonesian companies selling them at Alibaba at about ~ 1.700$

What do you think of it? Maybe some of you have already purchased similar goods from there? How safe is their "D/P Document Against Payment or Bill of Exchange" payment? What quality of the product am I to expect? How much in shipping charges am I roughly to expect for a 50kg segway send from Indonesia to Europe?...

Thanks!

**seungbongpark** · 01-19-2008 05:36 PM

Alibaba is good for little things. I wouldnt trust Alibaba on the higher valued products. The best way to get information is to visit the company and take a look for yourself.

**HiTechGadgets** · 01-19-2008 07:02 PM

I think its a very good idea but you would need to educate youself regarding duties and also other sales channel you would use. There are alot of scammers in Alibaba. However they are also legit suppliers on Alibaba and other b2b sites. You just have to be very careful. I do import/export business and i was scammed a few times on Alibaba but i learned from my mistakes. I am glad it happened to me i could have lost way more. I can tell you right now Segway is not made in Indonesia they are made in China . Its better to visit the supplier in person to talk business . If you have any questions please free to PM i would be glad to help. Goodluck!!!

**E320** · 01-21-2008 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by seungbongpark

The best way to get information is to visit the company and take a look for yourself.

I'm afraid not... because the wholesellers are in Indonesia and it doesn't really seem worth going all the way there just for a handful of Segways.

Originally Posted by HiTechGadgets

I think its a very good idea but you would need to educate youself regarding duties and also other sales channel you would use.

Regarding to duties, we have an 18% VAT + some import tax, got to check up on that later, but supposedly somewhere from 3.5% to 15%. Also later when/if I would develop a good relationships with the seller, I guess they would be able to write a lower price in their papers.

Originally Posted by HiTechGadgets

There are alot of scammers in Alibaba. However they are also legit suppliers on Alibaba and other b2b sites. You just have to be very careful.

Yes, I though about working with those, who offer a "D/P Document Against Payment" option. What do you think about that, how safe it is? If I understand correctly, at first they have to ship me the goods, then upon payment I would receive the documents needed to receive the goods from the customs. The only problem I can think of is then sending a low quality / cheap product or even a box of bricks

)) , as I won't see the actual product before I get it from the customs, right?

Originally Posted by HiTechGadgets

I do import/export business and i was scammed a few times on Alibaba but i learned from my mistakes. I am glad it happened to me i could have lost way more.

It would be great to hear about your experience with them. How you were scammed? What did you learn from it, etc. ?

Originally Posted by HiTechGadgets

I can tell you right now Segway is not made in Indonesia they are made in China .

The only ones I could find on such sites come from whole sellers in Indonesia. Some have Japan marked as the country of origin, some don't.

Yet I wasn't able to find any from China.

You can see them over here
segway x2 Manufacturers & Suppliers

Maybe you know something about quality of those Indonesia/China/Japan Segways, are they genuine? Or look-alikes, etc. ?

Thanks for your help!

**getit4u** · 01-21-2008 03:30 PM

As far as gettinig scammed on Alibaba I can see that it is mostly China Co. conatcts. Your right in saying you will pay before you actually get the product. They know it is very expensive and challanging to go after them. Unless you are out a few hundred thousand you will spend more tryinig to get it back. I have been doing this for a few years and have everything in place to manufacture your products and get them on your door step by just one phone call to me.I take care of the rest. I take the responsability of getting your product. I will also always provide you with a sample first. If what you get is not what the sample was then you deal with me here in the U.S.. I have the legalities already in place to protect me and you. Other then some clothing lines, I try not to use China. They have a poor product and I get much higher qaulity form other places at the same prices. PM me if you need anything.

**veikoh** · 01-22-2008 06:01 AM

When ordering something from asia you should:
1. Calculate the logistics (transport+VAT+insurance).
2. Have a local quality control in place there as usually over 80% of the shipment is crap.

**BusinessAdviser** · 01-22-2008 08:08 AM

You can always protect yourself with contracts. Just make sure that you do it right, which means hiring an attorney.

**blazwww** · 01-22-2008 09:14 AM

buy with L/C, and talk only with Gold Suppliers!

**a764** · 01-22-2008 11:54 AM

Dear E320
You can appoint SGS to conduct a quality inspection/testing done on behalf of you at the port of origin as per your guidelines, and upon getting a certification from SGS, conclude receiving the shipment against D/P.
SGS Group
Hope this helps!
Regards
Adnan

**hinesk** · 08-28-2008 12:53 AM

Word to the wise... I was looking for a Segway and got several replies from vendors on Alibaba. I selected one that replied fairly quickly to my emails, provided pictures of the product, and really seemed legitimate. Something in the back of my mind kept telling me that this was just too good of deal but I ignored the small voice. I went through the hassle of sending money via Western Union and tracked it to know that the money was picked up. The vendor must have known he had a fish on the line so he said that his shippers made a big mistake. They shipped four units instead of 1 and he needed the money for the additional three! I listened to the voice this time and just tried to get the one unit shipped. However, the vendor doesn't respond to my emails and the phone number is disconnected. Word to the wise... if it sounds like too good of a deal, it probably is. Stay clear and keep the money in your pocket.

**Gator** · 09-13-2008 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by veikoh

usually over 80% of the shipment is crap.

Its not true... Maybe you meant 20% is crap and 80% good?
I mean common you say that if I order lets say 1000 computer keyboards, 800 of them would be broken?

**Gator** · 09-13-2008 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by HiTechGadgets

i was scammed a few times on Alibaba but i learned from my mistakes. I am glad it happened to me i could have lost way more.

Can you sahre your advice on what you learned? I mean what to beware of etc etc

**Gator** · 09-13-2008 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by getit4u

As far as gettinig scammed on Alibaba I can see that it is mostly China Co. conatcts. Your right in saying you will pay before you actually get the product. They know it is very expensive and challanging to go after them. Unless you are out a few hundred thousand you will spend more tryinig to get it back. I have been doing this for a few years and have everything in place to manufacture your products and get them on your door step by just one phone call to me.I take care of the rest. I take the responsability of getting your product. I will also always provide you with a sample first. If what you get is not what the sample was then you deal with me here in the U.S.. I have the legalities already in place to protect me and you. Other then some clothing lines, I try not to use China. They have a poor product and I get much higher qaulity form other places at the same prices. PM me if you need anything.

Are you saying that some countries have in general better quality products for +- same price? I thought it depends on factory not on country

**jamesonkoh** · 03-13-2010 01:08 AM

Hi there,

This should be kind of an old thread but, did the thread starter eventually imported some successfully? Thanks.

Regards

**CGM** · 03-13-2010 12:11 PM

http://www.suicidebots.com/2008/09/0...ur-own-segway/

I remember a while back watching a video and reading an article about a man who made his own Segway for the fraction of the cost of buying one. I can't find that original article, it listed everything from start to beginning including price and part sheets.

Anyhow, it may be an option especially if you live in an area where you couldn't sell a brand new, name brand one.