eBAY'ing Overseas Parts

[coxi06]

Hi folks,
just wanting some advice on ordering parts from overseas on eBay, particularly reliability, genuiness (if that's a word)
I have bought some motorcycle parts from HK, cheap, and had no problems but I'm looking at spending a couple o hundred
Cheers

[}SkOrPn--7]

No issue with me off evilbay I just check the comments to those that have purchased and if there is any negative you can generally work out the crap and unfair ones. I stick with a rating above 98% so for me all good I'm happy to purchase bike parts and there the real deal no knock off's.

Ricky

[coxi06]

yeah i always avoid the 'red flags' of neg/neutral feedback and generally 99% or higher for me...in the market for some Zipps

[open roader]

Similar to above, have purchased carbon bars, carbon bitties etc from HK and Taiwan based fleaBay vendors with resonable feedback records and have not regretted spending $$$ after several years good service and use..........

I like to see actual photos of the articles for sale ie. an average pic taken by a genuine vendor is a better option than a slick commercial stock photo............

[coxi06]

open roader.............Your parts been genuine or knockoffs?

[open roader]

The carbon bars were one piece MTB "Hylix" branded - similar manufacturer to "Merek" who market their own products in house as well as being the manufacturers of the genuine parts for major brands like Pinarello / Cinelli / Colnago etc

I've also purchased biddon cages, computer brackets, seat posts etc all 100% carbon fibre, well made and again all 'in house' branded items which similarly are genuine items marketed directly by the manufactueres under their own brands but also principle makers for well known names like Control Tech.

If you spend (waste) as much time as I do looking at brand name items and the cheaper fleaBay (and elsewhere) offerings one soon comes to recognise shapes and designs and who makes what for whom and often (as in the case of Merek) they are quite open about being OEM for big name brands...........

So to specifically answer your question, I don't buy knock offs and am yet to be deceived by a knock off sold as the genuine article as price is usually a dead give away here (see Campagnolo Bora Ultra 2 wheels coming out of HK and Taiwan on fleaBay currently........)

[Stuey]

I'd recommend also reading any negative feedback comments. For example, see the regular bike parts seller on there with the name 'Fibicia' or similar that has 98+ feedback but the comments indicate that they are worse than the rating suggests.

[ozdavo]

I personally wouldn't expect any Zipps from HK/China etc to be genuine.

[Arlberg]

Yeah counterfeit parts, especially carbon wheels are rife coming from Asia.

Genuine wheels such as the Shimano Dura Ace C50's and Zipp 303 and 404's do not come with Novatec Hubs! Of course genuine Shimano wheels come with Shimano hubs. yet these fake wheels are all over the internet, and people buy them and yet still put positive feedback for the seller on ebay when its so obvious they are not the genuine articles!

Nearly all are generic chinese carbon wheels with fake decals attached. The same with the Zipps.