Problem buying wheels from Aliexpress

lesfirth

Help please. I ordered and paid for some wheels from Elite wheels. Tracking is as follows
01-08-2022 12:12 Undeliverable item, has been returned to shipper UNITED KINGDOM
26-07-2022 21:48 The item has arrived at the domestic sorting centre
26-07-2022 21:47 The item is on transport to the local sorting centre
26-07-2022 11:14 The item has been returned and arrived at PostNL
19-07-2022 07:20 The item is being processed by customs
19-07-2022 07:11 The item will be scheduled for a new delivery attempt
19-07-2022 07:11 The item has been processed in the country of destination
19-07-2022 07:00 The item has arrived in the country of destination
16-07-2022 11:18 The item is on transport to the country of destination
14-07-2022 14:31 The item is at the PostNL sorting center
14-07-2022 14:31 The item is received by PostNL
14-07-2022 14:04 The shipment is handed over in bulk final acceptance of the item to be confirmed
14-07-2022 11:54 Consignment received at the PostNL Acceptance Centre
11-07-2022 04:00 The item is ready for shipment
11-07-2022 03:59 The item is pre-advised to PostNL
Contacting carrier Cainiao is impossible.
Elite wheels now tell me that carrier can not return them so they are lost! and I did not clear customs so its my fault.
I was expecting to pay vat and duty but nobody asked me to. Anyone know what should have happened?
Any advise?

ugo.santalucia

Sounds like your best option is to follow the claim procedure on Aliexpress, once the item has passed the deadline...

MattFalle

contact credit card company for loss claim as well.

PMark

Does sound strange, don't understand how not clearing customs is your fault. If the carrier lost the item, would have thought they are liable. But when I last ordered from Aliexpress, the VAT was taken at time of purchase. When I have ordered stuff before from US where VAT was payable, the delivery guy just collected at my door.

As Ugo said, if Elite aren't being helpful, raising with Aliexpress is probably your best bet.

lesfirth

Thanks for the replies.
Aliexpress say I have to wait till 7th Sept to raise the problem with them . Fortunately I have wheels i can use. It is no big problem.
The frustrating thing is that no human will talk to me and if you can find a relevant Email address you dont get a reply.
The route to me from Elite wheels is Cainiao Heavy Parcel line , Post NL and Parcelforce. I think it is Post NL that have screwed up and my wheels are somewhere in Holland.
Thanks again.

ugo.santalucia

I want to upgrade my winter bike to 11 speed, to avoid having to swap cassettes around when I borrow the wheels from one bike to another... but I don't want to spend money for that, so I decided I am going to give Sensah a try. Just not sure what the best option is... it's a 1x, so I don't need the left shifter... should I go for the 1x specific groupset SRX or just get the Empire shifter and rear derailleur.... or get the Team PRO shifters and pair them with a Shimano RD? Difference in price between the options is not much, + or - 20 pounds

me-109

2x might give you a wider market if you decide to move them on. Otherwise just get what you need as a minimum.

ugo.santalucia

me-109 said:

2x might give you a wider market if you decide to move them on. Otherwise just get what you need as a minimum.

Yeah, the other thing is that these 1x derailleurs are designed for massive cassettes, which I don't really use...

me-109

Isn't there a mix and match option? If you can get levers and mechs separately that might sort that one - 1x and road mech.

PMark

If you want the lightest setup, I would go for the Empire SRX PRO 11x shifters, plus a standard Empire PRO derailleur (meant to be around Ultegra weight). Although that is rated at max 34 cassette (so if not enough, go for the SRX derailleur). Otherwise Team PRO and a Shimano derailleur, which will give you more options if you need spares in future.

ugo.santalucia

PMark said:

If you want the lightest setup, I would go for the Empire SRX PRO 11x shifters, plus a standard Empire PRO derailleur (meant to be around Ultegra weight). Although that is rated at max 34 cassette (so if not enough, go for the SRX derailleur). Otherwise Team PRO and a Shimano derailleur, which will give you more options if you need spares in future.

I am leaning towards the latter option...

lesfirth

lesfirth said:

Thanks for the replies.
Aliexpress say I have to wait till 7th Sept to raise the problem with them . Fortunately I have wheels i can use. It is no big problem.
The frustrating thing is that no human will talk to me and if you can find a relevant Email address you dont get a reply.
The route to me from Elite wheels is Cainiao Heavy Parcel line , Post NL and Parcelforce. I think it is Post NL that have screwed up and my wheels are somewhere in Holland.
Thanks again.

Up date. I was able to raise a dispute with Aliexpress earlier than I was told originally.
I have had a full refund from Aliexpress. Customer service from them was excellent.
Unfortunately customer service from Elite wheels was very poor.

trevor.hall12

If there are duties to pay Parcel force always send a letter with the amount and ways to pay

lesfirth

trevor.hall12 said:

If there are duties to pay Parcel force always send a letter with the amount and ways to pay

Yes. This is what I expected. However this is Elite message- "Hello, friend
Because you did not clear customs in time, the package was returned, but the CAINIAO logistics method has no return service, which means that we have lost a set of wheels, so we cannot refund you "
Tracking says they HAVE been returned.
Needless to say I am not a fan of Elite wheels.

ugo.santalucia

fuxkheads....

trevor.hall12

lesfirth said:

trevor.hall12 said:

If there are duties to pay Parcel force always send a letter with the amount and ways to pay

Yes. This is what I expected. However this is Elite message- "Hello, friend
Because you did not clear customs in time, the package was returned, but the CAINIAO logistics method has no return service, which means that we have lost a set of wheels, so we cannot refund you "
Tracking says they HAVE been returned.
Needless to say I am not a fan of Elite wheels.

I did have 1 occasion where I didn't get a letter on calling parcelforce they were waiting for me to pay the fees .
Did they ever arrive in the UK ?

lesfirth

Getting any information was next to impossible but I dont think they entered the UK.
If they did they never entered the Parcelforce system.