TOPIC:

I regulalrly buy parts & tools from the all over the place and am generally pleased with the service (usual niggles are with UK revenue & customs), but by far the best service I get is from a company in Thailand. I buy fresh fruit, veg, spices etc guaranteed picked fresh from a market in Bangkok and to be at my house in the UK next day delivery: it used to be £4 GBP delivery but hey just put the price up - Not sure how the hell they manage the logistics but am well impressed.

Wow Tanto!! I am impressed! How big the boxes with fruits from Thailand are? That's incredible - the price and the time! I wonder how it's dealt with the customs. Some restrictions might be different from country to country. Simply crossing borders fresh fruits are prohibited in Canada. Do you have a business/merchants account? I would love to get some mangosteens and good fresh durian - the king of fruits! I am a durian connoisseur. Well, a connoisseur my own private world. Like with the sweet and sour Chinese soup. I spent I think 1.5 years living and traveling in Thailand. You just made me want to go back! haha

If you don't mind, could you forward me the place you deal with regarding the fruits? Perhaps they also send to Canada. The West Coast is not that far from South East Asia, and lots of Asians here. I'd be surprised if they don't.

Now I have to go to an Asian market to pick up something Time for some tripe and tendon! Canadians don't eat them, but we Europeans do. Well, maybe not the UK based, haha But prove me me wrong. I love the food subject. I don't eat to live, live to eat! Without a rich culinary experience life would be so sad.

Stan, hi
Ive attached the website details, I know they ship to all over Europe but not sure about Canada, but cant see why they would not.
www.thaifooddirect.co.uk/
In the past the delivery charge was the same irrespective of volume ,/ size of order: Ive brought a lot of seasonal fruits and veg, and common Thai sauces, curry pastes etc - not sure how it gets into the UK so easilly ? but to date it always has.

Thank you Tonto. I'm looking at the prices and they reminded me about the exchange rate again, and the very low value of the Canadian 'peso'. We have a huge Asian population here and lots of shops and large supermarkets carrying Asian products, so things like sauces and pastes are here, and some exotic uncommon plants. 0ne is a chain called T&T, but also plenty smaller Chinese family run shops. That's their 'specialty'. When I visited Kourou in French Guiana the corner store was run by nobody else but Chinese! haha

I think the prices in British pounds make up partially for the shipping, that's why they can keep them low - because of the very low cost of these products in Thailand for which the charge premium. And perhaps they have a bulk shipment deal. Sometimes I bought things from China for $0.99 and free shipping! Saying this, paying in pounds in Canada would make it not affordable. The same reason why many KZ1300 people shy away from any parts purchase in the UK, or Germany. The prices plus shipping are just not sustainable.

Following on the undelivered package from South Africa, I finally escalated it to PayPal. Here is how it works.

First - you must send money N0T as a gift, but as a purchase of goods or services. This includes purchase protection and cost extra 2.9%. The seller will often ask to send them money as a gift. Do not do it! Add the 3% extra on top of the purchase and have it covered - the seller can't complain they had to pay for it. Sending anything as a gift you have zero chance for recourse.

In case of trouble, as item not received, damaged or not as described, you start a refund process by going to the resolution center in PayPal. Click the transaction in question and the process starts. First - you communicate with the seller. If that fails - escalate to PayPal. They take over, contact the seller and wait for a response. After that, they investigate and decide on the outcome. Their decision will be final.

In my case - the package didn't arrive (way past expected date). Contacting the seller resulted in a bunch of lame excuses (was away, is away, his friend sent it instead, computers were down so nothing could be printed, etc.), never showed any proof of shipment. 0nly after I started the refund process with PayPal, he gave me a tracking number, which when entered showed - 'parcel not found'! Followed by name calling and cutting off communication, after giving it more time finally I contacted PayPal asking about purchase protection.

The process took a couple days, and today I got a full refund. That's the good news. At the same time it's very disappointing, as the seller is one of the from time to time active on Facebook KZ1300 club members, even showing off his bike.

Who is this guy, can you name and shame him, thereby giving the rest of us straight shooters a chance to steer well clear...