Fasttech Shipping Time To South Africa

[Feliks Karp]

I currently only buy local. Just wanted to know what other avenues exist for me as a consumer. I saw LG HG2s for $23 dollars for a 4 pack on Fasttech. Thats about R100 a battery. Its double that price here. Rx200s is $43 which is about R688. Here it's R1050. Thats massive profit margins...

You've never bought camera equipment have you? Try a R30 000 difference.

I'd pay that "massive" profit margin of R220 (there are stores that sell it in the R900 range) knowing that I bring in and support the local scene as well as deal face to face with someone, how much extra are you going to pay to ship it back if something is wrong, and then for them to tell you its user error (or whatever they want)?
Same story with the batteries, a local vendor recently had issues with fakes, and has very nicely come forward and issued a response which includes replacing them.

I'd pay the R220 for that.

 

[MorneW]

I order my batts from Gearbest. Only ever ordered 25r's and HE4's. Takes 4/5 weeks to get here. Not a single issue yet. My last order begining last month worked out to R62 per batt all incl. for HE4's.

 

[AlphaDog]

You've never bought camera equipment have you? Try a R30 000 difference.

I'd pay that "massive" profit margin of R220 (there are stores that sell it in the R900 range) knowing that I bring in and support the local scene as well as deal face to face with someone, how much extra are you going to pay to ship it back if something is wrong, and then for them to tell you its user error (or whatever they want)?
Same story with the batteries, a local vendor recently had issues with fakes, and has very nicely come forward and issued a response which includes replacing them.

I'd pay the R220 for that.

Whats R220? Its a 100% profit on the batteries and R362 profit on the rolo!

 

[AlphaDog]

I order my batts from Gearbest. Only ever ordered 25r's and HE4's. Takes 4/5 weeks to get here. Not a single issue yet. My last order begining last month worked out to R62 per batt all incl. for HE4's.

Any issues with authenticity?

 

[MorneW]

Not yet...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Lord Vetinari]

Whats R220? Its a 100% profit on the batteries and R362 profit on the rolo!

668 plus 220 equals 888. R2 Shy of a Rolo at the last price I saw. His statement makes sense since he used the R900 mark that Rolos usually come in at.

 

[AlphaDog]

668 plus 220 equals 888. R2 Shy of a Rolo at the last price I saw. His statement makes sense since he used the R900 mark that Rolos usually come in at.

I was talking about a RX200S plus batteries...

 

[Feliks Karp]

I actually should apologize, I went a bit off of the thread's topic. I just don't find R220,R300, or even R362 to be an extravagant amount in relation to the risks involved when ordering something that has a crapshoot of arrival time and/or after sales support. In my experience so far that "massive profit" was worth it. End of the day we're both consumers, and there's a price point each one of us is willing to pay.

 

[Effjh]

I'm sure the profit is more than R300 odd anyways as they buy bulk and probably get it discounted. And you know what, that's perfectly fine. We are buying imported goods, they have to deal with customs, overheads (websites/retail space) and shipping costs.

We pay for the convenience as bringing it in yourself, after customs and within a reasonable time frame, it will cost you a ton more than what they are selling it for. The vendors need to make a profit, they need to eat man.. you can't expect them to sell stuff at cost.

It would be cool if we can get local manufacturers, but the industry is too small in SA at the moment. And China can produce the gear at a fraction of the cost anyway. So your options: Pay what I consider a reasonable price to get the latest gear soonest with after sales support OR wait 3 months for gear that will be out of date by the time you get it at and save R200-300.

 

[The_Ice]

Good points @Effjh (and nice avatar, lol VOOP, I just got it)
I sold my Twisp Clearo, in order to buy a Toptank mini starter kit on Fasttech, for the same price!!!

I thought that was the greatest plan ever made, but now I am paying the price. Having sold my only vaping device, has caused me to relapse. I ordered on the 1st of May (Labour day sale) and it seems my packages arrived in SA on the 21st. Now it becomes a question of how efficient the SAPO will be in getting my stuff to Stellies.

In the meantime my cigarette bill is catching up to the saving I made, and I don't really see the point of causing myself this stress.
But I do think that some things (that are not urgent) can be bought on Fasttech, but I will not leave my destiny in their hands again.

PS I am really looking forward to leaving the stinkies again. AND I REALLY MISS VAPING!!!!

 

[Greyz]

The last Fasttech order @Stosta and I did together, we paid for DHL Global Mail shipping. The goods still took 3 months to get here...
Best part about ordering from FT, it's takes so long to get here you've forgotten what you ordered and opening the package feels like xmas because you don't know whats inside

 

[Stosta]

The last Fasttech order @Stosta and I did together, we paid for DHL Global Mail shipping. The goods still took 3 months to get here...
Best part about ordering from FT, it's takes so long to get here you've forgotten what you ordered and opening the package feels like xmas because you don't know whats inside

Yeah, definitely felt like Chirstmas! The downside was that half of the stuff was for devices that were put out of commission while waiting for the goods to arrive!

 

[Cespian]

The biggest issue I have with Fasttech is their blatent lies of whats in stock (and the lead times attached)... hence items that they state are "in stock" or "ship next day" can quickly change to "reordering" after the order is placed.

However, once the order is shipped, the max lead time to SA I've experienced recently was 13 days (via China Post and Singapore Post). Quick Quick... it then lives at Customs/Post Offices for another 2 to 6 weeks. Folk in Gauteng can expect their packages alot quicker than other parts of SA as the parcels come in to the main mail hub in JHB through the JHB Airport. Us capetonians still need to wait for that parcel to be loaded onto a truck, sent to our local customs (and sometimes to our local post offices) which takes ages.

Overall my lead times can be broken up as follows:

Processing Order: 3 - 10 Days
Shipping to SA: 9 - 15 Days
Delivery to local post office or local customs: 14 - 45 Days

I've received 2 items in total from fasttech that were busted when they got here (shoddy centre post of a cloned Plume Veil and cracked Gold Tugboat RDA clone)... too much stress to send it back and request a replacement. By buying locally, you have that piece of mind that should something not be up to standards, our vendors generally come to the party and replace without asking too many questions. I generally know the cost of things and anything over 150% markup (considering supply an demand as well) I wouldnt never purchase, but thus far, the markup of our local vendors have been more than reasonable, considering the stress of bringing the items here, convenience of a 2 to 3 day max delivery time and great customer care.

 

[Stosta]

The biggest issue I have with Fasttech is their blatent lies of whats in stock (and the lead times attached)... hence items that they state are "in stock" or "ship next day" can quickly change to "reordering" after the order is placed.

However, once the order is shipped, the max lead time to SA I've experienced recently was 13 days (via China Post and Singapore Post). Quick Quick... it then lives at Customs/Post Offices for another 2 to 6 weeks. Folk in Gauteng can expect their packages alot quicker than other parts of SA as the parcels come in to the main mail hub in JHB through the JHB Airport. Us capetonians still need to wait for that parcel to be loaded onto a truck, sent to our local customs (and sometimes to our local post offices) which takes ages.

Overall my lead times can be broken up as follows:

Processing Order: 3 - 10 Days
Shipping to SA: 9 - 15 Days
Delivery to local post office or local customs: 14 - 45 Days

I've received 2 items in total from fasttech that were busted when they got here (shoddy centre post of a cloned Plume Veil and cracked Gold Tugboat RDA clone)... too much stress to send it back and request a replacement. By buying locally, you have that piece of mind that should something not be up to standards, our vendors generally come to the party and replace without asking too many questions. I generally know the cost of things and anything over 150% markup (considering supply an demand as well) I wouldnt never purchase, but thus far, the markup of our local vendors have been more than reasonable, considering the stress of bringing the items here, convenience of a 2 to 3 day max delivery time and great customer care.

Even if I know a Vendor is putting on 100% markup, I would still prefer to get locally. As @Cespian has said, this way you have peace of mind. Also, waiting on a Fasttech order SOUNDS like it will be okay, but in practice it sucks, it really does. Pay the locals the money for sorting out all the headaches for you, get it next day... Win.

 

[CraigK7]

Hi. I ordereed screws for my serpent mini and new glass. Used the recommendation shipping where u pay a little extra. The one after the slowest method. But not the fastest. I now realized it might not be couriered, and the adress i used is a work address. Which doesnt jave a post box. How can i now recieve a invoice? As i have realised its probably not going to be courier. I guess i am a armature in this field

 

[Raindance]

Hi. I ordereed screws for my serpent mini and new glass. Used the recommendation shipping where u pay a little extra. The one after the slowest method. But not the fastest. I now realized it might not be couriered, and the adress i used is a work address. Which doesnt jave a post box. How can i now recieve a invoice? As i have realised its probably not going to be courier. I guess i am a armature in this field

Track your order via the links on FT and as soon as it shows as having arrived in the country start contact the guys at Cape Town International Mail Centre. Will hang around in JIMC a while if customs wants to clear it there. Once in CT you can ask them to keep it for collection at the counter at your nearest PO or the mail centre itself. Just take your ID to collect it, I have never been asked for an invoice but have a printout of the one on the FT site ready just in case. They usually don't bother for amounts under $20.

Good luck!

 

[CraigK7]

Track your order via the links on FT and as soon as it shows as having arrived in the country start contact the guys at Cape Town International Mail Centre. Will hang around in JIMC a while if customs wants to clear it there. Once in CT you can ask them to keep it for collection at the counter at your nearest PO or the mail centre itself. Just take your ID to collect it, I have never been asked for an invoice but have a printout of the one on the FT site ready just in case. They usually don't bother for amounts under $20.

Good luck!

Thanks for the advice, will I receive info when it arrives in SA, I remember someone above saying the last tracking info the received was "Shipped"

 

[Nova69]

I had goodluck with fasttech so far with no defects,shipping from China to me 3-4 weeks max using Hk post.My latest order via turkey is till on its way 5 weeks and counting.