₦airaland Forum

Jayveed:
Seems you've been in this business for long.
I'd like to know the amount you paid for the import and customs duties so I can prepare ahead

Paid import duty of 14k on the 10kg pack. I guess custom can't just let that pass without charging it. Haven't paid any other custom duty on the other packages. Import duty is random. You can pay import duty on same package that others will get free. The custom people are so random, but I've noticed that you are more likely to pay duty on goods shipped by DHL than other courier services in my experience. That does not mean the others are free of duty, custom duty in Nigeria is VERY random.

adeniranfam:
How did u get agency

Word of mouth. Won't recommend the agency though due to how it went down.

chocolatee:
pls what is the cost of shipping in alibaba and can you recommend any shipping agency

Cost of shipping varies from store to store. Here are some few examples:

I've shipped 10kg package for $175 via DHL, item worth $500

I've shipped 1kg package for $40 via DHL, item worth $45..very important item

I've shipped 2.2kg package for $38 via FedEx, item worth $113

Funny enough virtually all sellers will tell you that FedEx is costlier I don't know how one seller like that
shipped the 2.2kg package for $38!


I use shipping agency for very heavy stuff, I can't recommend any agency as all of them comes with one wahala or the other.

ceaser:
Bro, how do you do your purchases on Alibaba? Is it in anyway similar to what obtains on AE?

It's kinda similar, but I think it gives you the buyer more work but it is more flexible.

1) Search for the goods you like.

2) Contact seller.

3) Negotiate both the item price and shipping fee. This negotiation is where the most work lies in. You'll see a seller that has, say lithium batteries 100AH to 250AH with price $4 to $300 (1-50pcs). But when you ask the seller the cost of one piece of 250ah, the seller will tell you $558, a cost not covered by the range. The next thing the seller is asking for your name and email address. Most firms may have like 20 salespersons. The only way they track the price offered to you is via that email provided. Notice the different salespersons can give you different prices for the same goods! So you better really know the price of what you are buying. Notice in the screenshot below one of the salesperson added a dollar to the cost of the charger. And also knew that Danny has given me a PI

4) Some sellers will even get you cheaper shipping method, but most of the time I don't use it as some of the shippers they'll get for you have no presence online and no guarantee what happens after your goods get to them.

5) I'm never in a hurry when dealing with the Alibaba sellers, we can spend 5 days negotiating till I get a fair deal. Apart from that, it is similar to AE, just that AE is more suited for retailers. While Alibaba is for people buying in bulk. Even stores with MOQ of 1 are still hesitant to sell that one when contacted.

SpeedRacer:
Hello please this is my first time using Dhl, tried to track it on dhl website but it says invalid although seller says the tracking number will change in a couple of days on track 24 it says shipment awaiting pickup .
How many days till it gets to dhl or it gets to Nigeria

I have once had to wait 9 days to see the DHL tracking of a goods sent via DHL by an AE seller. But that was the only time I used DHL from AE and it was in the middle of the pandemic and seller ended up using FedEx. These days I buy mostly from Alibaba and the maximum it takes is just a day to show. I have had same day tracking of a package sent out that same day. I think AE shipping is a bit slow as it appears it goes out in batch. Alibaba is faster as the seller does the dispatch...and most of the sellers I met there are in a freaking hurry to dispatch the goods and get their dollars

Try tracking via 4px site shown in attached image.

Meister:
I was called last week to come collect my order that arrived Nigeria June 14th so this your estimate is flawed

I guess you missed the "or so days" in the post you quoted...in logistics nothing is cast in stone. I have had shipping delayed by 14 days by a "reputable" logistic company in the country for shipping within Nigeria. They said the vehicle broke down or something along that line.

sapienman:
Hello house.

I noticed that Yanwen is now the king of speed when it comes to shipping, particularly small items.

I have a question though: Do items shipped via Yanwen deliver to states beyond Lagos?

I don't want my item to get stuck at Lagos.

All post that gets delivered to Lagos can also be delivered anywhere in Nigeria. Just do a plus 5 or so days to the date it arrives Lagos to the day it gets to you.

ojeysky:
Certainly a lead acid should not be on the list of batteries for such a project. LTO and Lifepo4 or any other lithium chemistry will full my list of options.

Ultimately this is a project for the pros and the recommendation of @NiyiOmoIyunade is in order. I hope he will keep us posted though (assuming it works out), just to learn about all the ingredients that finally cooked the soup.

If I second this will it it be too much recommendation for one person?

For real, he is the one I'll think of too. It's a huge project that deserves someone that knows how it goes.

SpeedRacer:
Used Stanbic card not certain of the rate yet but it was more than the estimate Ali was showing in Naira

Check your account balance, do a minus of the old balance and the current balance and note the value, then divide the value by the USD amount of the item you bought to get the charge equivalent of the ₦ per $ value charged by Stanbic.

FYI: Aliexpress prices in naira is usually lower than the bank card rate exchange as most of the time they use ₦382/$ or something around that range for their calculation, a rate no bank uses; at least not at the moment.

SpeedRacer:
Just bought 2 Samsung screens from another seller
Negotiated DHL from 55000 naira to under 15000 naira he says 23 days max and if the previous screen arrives before then I'd probably sell it and refund or let post office return it .

That's some good negotiating power. Is the seller on Alibaba or AliExpress? Well done

Decryptor:
Oya... Try them and eventually cry later

I don't get this

Decryptor:
You can't purchase online internationally again as a Nigerian. Just buy whatever you need from Jumia and as usual, expect a fake or defective order

To the best of my knowledge Zenith bank still works.

adeniranfam:
But I could see people recommending zenith on this forum

Used Zenith four days ago and it worked fine.

zeestone99:
You need an ac coupled system.

I agree with you.

Midex88:
Hmmmmn

Unquote the post, it looks scammy..

feflo:
It simply means a test to ascertain if the panels can still deliver the rated amps or something close to it. Remember they are used panels, I need to ensure the condition is good before use..
It involves hooking them up to a battery and checking to see how much Amp it could deliver to the battery. The battery is hooked up to a load so it doesn't get to float quickly

Many thanks

Ok, that is a good way of testing. Keep up the good job.

feflo:
Subjecting used solar panels to rigorous integrity tests

What does this integrity test entail? If you don't mind, can you get into more of the details of this testing? Thanks.

You guys are doing well.

Midex88:
Lie lie

That's the fastest way to go about it. Consider the card lost to avoid long explanations.

iKingsley:
you gave the best advice.

Thank you. I see your contributions here. Let's keep helping ourselves since it appears that's what we've got with the way our government don't give a f**k.

Alozera:
My zenith na Verve.. it will expire September sha. If I get chance, I will go renew it work Mastercard

If you don't mind the charge and there is urgent need for one, you can always get a MasterCard even before this verve expires. You can always approach the bank and tell them your Verve card is lost

yahyus02:
I didn't ask for anybody card details...the person will place it for me... everybody knows gtbank is currently unavailable for placing order on AliExpress.

Oh, I guess you didn't read my reply very well. I thought you wanted someone to help you place order, I asked if you will give YOUR CARD details to the person. The issue with what you want is what if the package did not arrive and a dispute is opened and you win? Will this person be willing to give you your money back as it will be this third party's account that will be credited? I think it's better you open account with the bank that offers this service. But anyways, just my 2kobo. Ride on with what you think is the best approach.

Alozera:
Chai..
I miss GTB.. they can never debit me for an unsuccessful transaction..
I had to opt for this useless UBA when that issue with their card payment started..

Go Zenith...

yahyus02:
Please I need someone to place an order for me on AliExpress..

Placing order is easy, why do you want someone to help you do that? Are you going to give that someone your card details too

Lemonz:
Yeah I get the statement. I'm just wondering if unclaimed packages have anything to do with low mails. They don't need to "dispatch" anything. Just update information or text or call.
I don't see low mails as an excuse. Honestly I don't know how all these work so let them just do what they are doing.

Yeah, I still have May and June pkgs in transit. I no longer bother to check the track update (only check the purchase protection after a week). I've made up my mind that I'll open dispute for it as track is just there with zero update. My PO people intermittently updates me (not online) that I have no package. So I know my package is not in the country. I don't let it bother me again. These days I shop only with DHL or FedEx shipping until the sanity returns to standard and free shipping.

Anyone that wants to do the free shipping should be ready to have crazy patience, if you can't just use DHL, FedEx, etc and hope you don't get to pay that crazy custom duties

Lemonz:
Low mails??

I guess that statement means the volume of received mails are small (low) due to issues with logistics as a result of Covid19.

alstacs:
These dead deep cycle batteries that people buy, what are they used for? I have been trying to wrap my head around this for a while now but I don't seem to understand

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO-X8Gw2nXY

BabaKc:
Oga, I take God beg you, come and explain how you were able to use this NIPOST track and trace website.
I have used more than 7 different web browsers and the site refused to work.

Works only if item is in Nigeria

VeeVeeMyLuv:
the guys are just using the pandemic as an excuse to deliberately misbehave

My major orders these days are via DHL...it doesn't come cheap at times, but no time for all these delays and stories. Can't wait till we are back to the pre Covid19 era of faster shipping via AliExpress shipping methods.

sobality:
hello

To whom it may be concern i filed dispute to an item i bought since march 13, 2020 which later update from Hand over to airline to Insert item into bag SGSINJ, june 10, 2020 and Send item abroad (EDI-received) on june 11, 2020 and failed to arrived for over 56 days since EDI-received in total 144 days since order, i was lucky my dispute is granted in that case i promise to pay back the seller when ever i got the item it $234 phone but seeing what AE become i won't refund to AE, rether compensate lucky once here which lost appeal with genuine evidence, lets hope i received mine...

kind regard...

Dispatched on 87th day WTF?!!

Lemonz:
What about a situation where it's a small item. I single smartphone. Do have experience with that?

Nah, I don't buy phone in China. But I buy other costly stuff the size of phone. I guess the custom guys are not aware how costly some of the items are as they are not usually the run-of-the-mill type of imports

Lemonz:
Does buying with dhl ALWAYS attract customs problem??

Only paid once. The goods that I paid for weighed 10kg. Others just sail through with no charges...

peterincredible:
for those thinking of using zenith bank i opened a zenith bank acount with my phone then i went to their nearest branch and ordered for atm card(visa) and within an hour i was done then i went home and bought something from aliexpress and zenith bank charged me #393/dollar so if you want to use zenith bank pls go ahead

That's how they roll.

Midex88:
Which bank

Zenith