Lazada has no customer service

[Thailaw]

That's why I laugh loudly anytime I ever hear anyone calling Lazada the "Amazon" of Thailand.

Just an episode in contrast to how Lazada operates:

A couple months back, I ordered a smartphone from Amazon in the U.S. as the seller for my wife. It arrived to my mail box in the U.S. and then I had the package forwarded here, so it ended up arriving more than a month after my original order.

Upon opening the box, I discovered that Amazon had sent the correct brand and model phone I had ordered, but the wrong type (they sent a U.S. version instead of the intl version I ordered) and also sent the wrong color (I had ordered black, they sent white). So at that point, I got on the phone with an Amazon CSR and explained the situation, including that I was, at that moment, outside the U.S. for work where I had initially received the phone, hence the delay.

In what probably was no more than a 5-10 minute phone conversation, the Amazon rep agreed to 1) accept the return of the phone, even though it was past their normal return date, because I was out of the country; 2) refund my entire original purchase price including the original Amazon shipping fees; and 3) do a subsequent credit to my credit card for whatever intl shipping charges I incurred to return the phone to them from outside the U.S.

The refund to my credit card for the original purchase showed up on my card account within a day or two of that conversation. And, as soon as I put the phone in Thai Post back to the U.S., Amazon asked me to email them a copy of the postage amount and tracking receipt. I did that, and the additional credit for my return postage was likewise quickly credited to my account, before they had even physically received the phone back.

That's the way to run an online marketplace business and the way to keep your customers coming back -- not the half-a**** non-customer service approach that Lazada takes.

-----------------------------------------

Thanks. I certainly know that I could expect more from Amazon. But, ordering from Amazon comes with the problems of receiving items from outside Thailand, clearing customs and import charges and the cost of shipping from the US to Thailand, all of which can, typically do, make the item much more expensive than buying it locally. And, as far as local options go, Lazada seems to be one of the best, which may not be saying much. And there is also the problem of lack of international warranties on many items.

After I read your post, I checked on both Amazon and ebay, and they both have the Asus tablet available. The price is good, and I have a "drop box" in the US that could receive the tablets for me and forward them on, but only a N. America warranty is available. What was your cost of forwarding the phone from the US? How much were customs charges? If I can accept the lack of warranty, that may be the best way forward at this point. Thanks.

[Thailaw]

....

But if/when things go wrong, expect no help from Lazada -- NONE! ....

.... I called.....

That's a thing of the past. No way to call Lazada nowadays. "Numbe tempolaly suspended"

I spoke to them on the phone by calling their listed number yesterday (02 018 0000 -- I have made 27 calls to that number over the last 5 days), so I think the problem that you identify is, in fact, temporary (perhaps they had not paid their bill or the phone company is managed by a disgruntled customer). But when you do reach them, it won't be much better than if you hadn't spoken to them at all -- same, same.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Two different things here:

1. Separate from my post above, I just recently bought a new ASUS 8 inch LTE tablet from ITrueMart.com, which is an online retailer associated with True. They have been lately having a pretty substantial sale on ASUS tablets (FonePad, MemoPad, etc) there lately. I'd never ordered from ITrueMart before, so I was a bit leary. And they have no storefront, only online and telephone support (that I should add, apparently only speaks Thai). But my tablet arrived on-time, as ordered, and in new condition as promised. ITrueMart has a 7 day return policy, but fortunately, I didn't need to use it.

2. I order from Amazon in the U.S. all the time, and this is the best approach I know. Paying for an Amazon Prime membership gets you mostly free domestic shipping, as well as access to their online music and video streaming services, which have gotten to be quite good. And then, become a customer of Shipito.com, which is a Calif based mail forwarding service, and use their Economy Airmail service, which works for packages up to about 4 pounds. The rate considering all charges ends up being under $10 per pound to Thailand. And, thus far, I've never yet had any Thai customs assessed on Shipito Economy Airmail packages.

The one limitation about that is their Economy Airmail service doesn't allow international shipment of lithium batteries. So, for smartphone and tablet shipments, you'll have to use another of their shipping methods such as U.S.P.S. 1st class international or Global Priority, which are somewhat more expensive. In using either their own Economy Airmail or any of the USPS methods, the actual package ends up being delivered in Thailand by ThaiPost. However, the good thing about Shipito is that they charge their shipping rates based on actual weight, not DIM weight like the FedEx and DHLs, where you'll also likely get hit by Thai customs fees.

I've never used Amazon for international shipping direct to Thailand because 1) a lot of times, what I'm ordering isn't eligible for international shipping, and 2) the rates I can get thru Shipito.com usually are less expensive, especially since Shipito most of the time avoids any Thai customs fees and Amazon's international shipping service pre-pays customs fees and uses carriers like DHL that charge them.

As for my recent smartphone order thru Amazon, because of the lithium battery restrictions with Shipito's Economy Airmail, I ended up sending the smartphone thru a different mail service I had available at the time, but one that unfortunately is no longer available. So were I to do the same in the future, I'd end up using Shipito and choosing one of their other somewhat more expensive shipping methods, such as USPS, that allow international shipments of packages with lithium batteries. The smartphone package itself was a bit over 1 lbs in actual weight, but since I didn't send it thru Shipito, I can't say about the pricing. My guess, though, for sending it thru USPS would be perhaps in the $20 range for that weight package.

There is one more detail to add re Shipito relating to smartphones. They will, for an $5 extra service fee, remove the lithium battery from your device, assuming it's removable. And then you could send the smartphone via their very affordable Economy Airmail service, sans battery, and then they'll mail just the battery thru USPS at a very low weight and cost. I've never done that as yet, but it's also something I'd consider for the future as my other shipping service for lithium items is not longer available. Of course, that approach doesn't help for tablets or phones where the battery is non-removable.

Edited October 16, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[fang37]

Purchased one item.

No disclosure that Lazada was an agent/go between.

Service - zero.

Again?

No.

[Thailaw]

Two different things here:

1. Separate from my post above, I just recently bought a new ASUS 8 inch LTE tablet from ITrueMart.com, which is an online retailer associated with True. They have been lately having a pretty substantial sale on ASUS tablets (FonePad, MemoPad, etc) there lately. I'd never ordered from ITrueMart before, so I was a bit leary. And they have no storefront, only online and telephone support (that I should add, apparently only speaks Thai). But my tablet arrived on-time, as ordered, and in new condition as promised. ITrueMart has a 7 day return policy, but fortunately, I didn't need to use it.

2. I order from Amazon in the U.S. all the time, and this is the best approach I know. Paying for an Amazon Prime membership gets you mostly free domestic shipping, as well as access to their online music and video streaming services, which have gotten to be quite good. And then, become a customer of Shipito.com, which is a Calif based mail forwarding service, and use their Economy Airmail service, which works for packages up to about 4 pounds. The rate considering all charges ends up being under $10 per pound to Thailand. And, thus far, I've never yet had any Thai customs assessed on Shipito Economy Airmail packages.

The one limitation about that is their Economy Airmail service doesn't allow international shipment of lithium batteries. So, for smartphone and tablet shipments, you'll have to use another of their shipping methods such as U.S.P.S. 1st class international or Global Priority, which are somewhat more expensive. In using either their own Economy Airmail or any of the USPS methods, the actual package ends up being delivered in Thailand by ThaiPost. However, the good thing about Shipito is that they charge their shipping rates based on actual weight, not DIM weight like the FedEx and DHLs, where you'll also likely get hit by Thai customs fees.

I've never used Amazon for international shipping direct to Thailand because 1) a lot of times, what I'm ordering isn't eligible for international shipping, and 2) the rates I can get thru Shipito.com usually are less expensive, especially since Shipito most of the time avoids any Thai customs fees and Amazon's international shipping service pre-pays customs fees and uses carriers like DHL that charge them.

As for my recent smartphone order thru Amazon, because of the lithium battery restrictions with Shipito's Economy Airmail, I ended up sending the smartphone thru a different mail service I had available at the time, but one that unfortunately is no longer available. So were I to do the same in the future, I'd end up using Shipito and choosing one of their other somewhat more expensive shipping methods, such as USPS, that allow international shipments of packages with lithium batteries. The smartphone package itself was a bit over 1 lbs in actual weight, but since I didn't send it thru Shipito, I can't say about the pricing. My guess, though, for sending it thru USPS would be perhaps in the $20 range for that weight package.

There is one more detail to add re Shipito relating to smartphones. They will, for an $5 extra service fee, remove the lithium battery from your device, assuming it's removable. And then you could send the smartphone via their very affordable Economy Airmail service, sans battery, and then they'll mail just the battery thru USPS at a very low weight and cost. I've never done that as yet, but it's also something I'd consider for the future as my other shipping service for lithium items is not longer available. Of course, that approach doesn't help for tablets or phones where the battery is non-removable.

Thanks. I also saw the iTrue mart site and its price for the Asus memo pad 8. Unfortunately, it is a different model than the one I ordered from Lazada, and, while both are 8" tablets, has slightly different dimensions and the case for one will not fit the other. Amazon has the Memo Pad with the same model number that I ordered and that seemed like a good alternative, but shipping to Thailand may be an issue/problem, either directly or via a re-shipper. None of this is easy, which is why Lazada, with all of its faults/flaws, may be seen by many as the best available option -- TIT!.

[fang37]

Lazada is OK for product research.

Price - many competitors match

or offer a better deal.

[wpcoe]

2. I order from Amazon in the U.S. all the time, and this is the best approach I know. Paying for an Amazon Prime membership gets you mostly free domestic shipping, as well as access to their online music and video streaming services, which have gotten to be quite good. And then, become a customer of Shipito.com, which is a Calif based mail forwarding service, and use their Economy Airmail service, which works for packages up to about 4 pounds. The rate considering all charges ends up being under $10 per pound to Thailand. And, thus far, I've never yet had any Thai customs assessed on Shipito Economy Airmail packages.

Using Shipito's California warehouse, don't you pay CA state sales tax on your purchase? Shipito has an Oregon warehouse and OR has no state sales tax.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

yes...but their Oregon location also has higher shipping rates, perhaps specifically because of that.

In the past, I've compared their shipment pricing for their Calif/Torrance location with their no-tax locations, and it didn't turn out to be any overall cost advantage for me.

In the end, it probably depends on how high the value of your purchase/shipment in using them is. If it was a quite large value purchase item, the no tax issue might come out better. But most of my individual packages with them are relatively low value (in part to avoid Thai customs duties), so it hasn't worked out that way for me. I continue to use CA.

The nice thing about Shipito is, there's really no advantage to consolidating items into fewer, heavier boxes. Their mailout fee now is $1 per box. And their best rate is their Economy Airmail service which has a 4 lbs or so weight limit. So individual item shipments, low weight, and low cost, works just fine. And also avoids getting tagged with any duties from Thai Customs.

PS - Shipito does have an online pricing calculator where you can enter the weight and dimensions of a prospective package, and check their shipping costs, including comparing the costs to send from CA vs sending from Oregon or their Nevada location. So that makes it easy to see the added shipping cost from having an item sent from one of their no-tax locations, and then see how that added cost will compare with the CA sales tax you'd pay for a CA delivery.

Edited October 16, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[wpcoe]

Interesting. Thanks for that background. It was a few years ago when I was researching using shipito.com and I don't recall there being difference in shipping rates, but either I simply didn't notice, or it has changed since then.

I ended up buying the items I was thinking about importing from invadeit.co.th since the cost difference was minimal and I didn't have to wait for the items (and possibly deal with Thai Customs.) Also, at the time, I was living in Hua Hin and invadeIT was just up the street, so I would take a B10 baht bus to pick up my stuff.

[wpcoe]

I just did a few examples using the shipito calculator comparing CA (Hawthorne) vs OR and the USPS Priority Mail and Express Mail prices were almost identical (within ten cents of each other.)

The DHL/FedEx/TNT prices were higher from OR, but my understanding is that if you use non-USPS shipping there is a high probability you will be charged customs duties/fees upon arrival in Thailand, and that if you us USPS there is a high probability that you will *not* be charged. Something about couriers bound by contract to divert all inbound shipments through Thai Customs, whereas mail shipments rarely pass through Customs, IIRC?

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here's some examples of the rate differentials I was talking about with Shipito, based on using CA vs OR.

I usually (95% of the time) use their own Shipito Economy Airmail service, which is the best rate of everything they offer. There's a meaningful cost hike to use OR vs CA there. And varying higher rates for other methods as well.

I was surprised, though, to see the comparative rates be very similar for USPS Global Priority, though USPS 1st Class International is also cheaper when sending from CA. The USPS Global Priority approach would come in handy for electronics with lithium batteries where their Economy Airmail service is mostly not available.

Torrance, CA:

Oregon:

[wpcoe]

Interesting how the prices can change considerably with size/weight/value of package.

One of the test amounts I did was 4 lb / $200 / 6"x6"x12" and for that, USPS Priority Mail/USPS Express Mail:

CA: $67,40 / $85.13

NV: $67.38 / $85.10

I was shopping for computer components like SSDs, CPUs and RAM, and wanted them quickly, which seems a bit different than your scenarios. I don't think I'd have the patience for Airmail Economy. But, if you were more patient and wanted Airmail Economy, I can see the savings for shipping via CA.

[Thailaw]

Thanks for the information and help. I ordered 2 Asus Memo Pad 8" tablets from Amazon. My mail forwarding service, Mail Link, in Nevada (who I like a lot) quoted me a price of $40.00 for USPS delivery of the 2 tablets to Thailand (1.2 lbs. each), and I had the tablets sent to them. Amazon's price ($95 each) plus shipping to Thailand is a bit less than Lazada's price (B4,600/$131 each) for the same tablets. No international warranty is, however, available on these tablets, so I am effectively getting "grey market", no warranty tablets. I am sufficiently confident of Asus' build quality that I am willing to take that risk. If I don't get charged for import tax, I will have saved enough for 1 minor repair.

I also set up a "package shipment" account at shipito.com for future comparison and use. My only two shipping address choices were Nevada and California, as Oregon was only available for monthly box subscribers. They asked for a $5 deposit and gave me addresses in Nevada and California, which seemed cheap for the added shipping options. Assuming that the Asus tablets arrive here in Thailand, I'll keep the cases I ordered from Lazada when they arrive. These are Christmas gifts for my kids, so time is not an issue.

Lazada really sucks, and having an option to order from the US is very helpful, so I really appreciate the guidance provided by TGJiBKK.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The actual delivery time to Thailand with their Economy Airmail tends to be in the 10-14 days range. That works for me, especially considering that the shipping cost for Economy Airmail will tend to be half or more off the USPS Global Priority rates -- as well as less likelihood of drawing any Thai Customs duties.

[fang37]

Although Lazada are price competitive & advertise heavily, a similar price is obtainable elsewhere.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I ordered 2 Asus Memo Pad 8" tablets from Amazon. My mail forwarding service, Mail Link, in Nevada (who I like a lot) quoted me a price of $40.00 for USPS delivery of the 2 tablets to Thailand (1.2 lbs. each), and I had the tablets sent to them.

Thailaw, what kind of services and monthly price does Mail Link provide for you?

I ask because, I've been using USA2Me, which recently made significant, and not good, changes to their service. Previously, I used to be able to send a USPS Global Priority envelope with them, containing anything up to 4 lbs actual weight, for $35 per month, including their monthly service fee.

Now in the past two months, they've done away with that, and now are charging a monthly service fee plus the actual cost of any mailing you want to do, and they're continuing to charge by DIM weight instead of actual weight, even when sending by USPS, which really can jack up the prices for sending any packages.

It was the former method with USA2Me that I used to use for sending smartphones and tablets to Thailand, since those would tend to fit nicely within the USPS Global flat rate envelope that was included in my monthly service. And that method had no problem sending lithium batteries. But now, doing that same thing under their new rates plan would be tremendously more expensive.

[Thailaw]

The actual delivery time to Thailand with their Economy Airmail tends to be in the 10-14 days range. That works for me, especially considering that the shipping cost for Economy Airmail will tend to be half or more off the USPS Global Priority rates -- as well as less likelihood of drawing any Thai Customs duties.

I assume that by "Economy Airmail", you mean "normal" USPS airmail, without any express/priority service. That is what I will elect for the reasons that you have indicated (lower cost and reduced likelihood of customs duties). Mail Link made the same comment regarding the reduced likelihood of import duties being charged, but also indicated that it is "less reliable". I will ask if insurance and tracking is available for economy USPS airmail, which may reduce the risk of non-delivery if it is available. .

Edited October 18, 2015 by Thailaw

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

None of this is easy, which is why Lazada, with all of its faults/flaws, may be seen by many as the best available option -- TIT!.

I'd like to use Lazada, but unfortunately, I've read too many really bad experiences with them here on TV to consider them for anything but the most inexpensive items.

In short, their customer service staff seems unreliable in terms of either simply not responding, or promising to respond, and then not following up. They don't seem to stand behind their sales, especially when the actual vendor is a 3rd party seller thru their site. And when you buy "imported" things from them, good luck in getting any refund if the item is defective or the wrong item is delivered.

In contrast, I was really impressed with the way Amazon handled their sending me the wrong smartphone, as I mentioned above. They took care of everything, and reimbursed me fully, including for the return shipping, without even any argument. But I should add, they (Amazon) were the seller in that instance, not a 3rd party seller thru their site.

Actually, I've ordered a ton of stuff thru Amazon over the years, and that was the first time in my experience they've ever screwed up an order or sent me a wrong/defective item here to Thailand. So kudos to them for that. I'd assume my experience with them recently would be a repeatable one, should anything similar happen in the future.

But I'll add as a footnote: it's always good to check the "defective returns period" for any particular item you're ordering, and try to get it in your hands in Thailand before that period expires. In my case, after telling them I was abroad, they refunded me even though I was past the official returns period at that point. But for the future, I'd certainly be more aware of that issue, just to safeguard myself.

As for ITrueMart, despite them having no English speaking CSR staff, their online ordering and payment process for my recently bought ASUS ME581CL was smooth and the item was delivered to my home by private courier pretty quickly, and arrived securely packaged with the contents inside in a sealed box, clearly new and unopened. Based on that experience, I'd be more likely to give ITrueMart a second try vs going with Lazada.

But my go-to shopping approach for almost everything remains the combination of Amazon.com and Shipito.com, which has proven very reliable and cost-effective over the years. And with regard to Amazon, another factor being that their available selection and range of products vastly exceeds anything offered online here in Thailand, by miles and miles.

Edited October 18, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Langsuan Man]

Thanks for the information and help. I ordered 2 Asus Memo Pad 8" tablets from Amazon. My mail forwarding service, Mail Link, in Nevada (who I like a lot) quoted me a price of $40.00 for USPS delivery of the 2 tablets to Thailand (1.2 lbs. each), and I had the tablets sent to them. Amazon's price ($95 each) plus shipping to Thailand is a bit less than Lazada's price (B4,600/$131 each) for the same tablets. No international warranty is, however, available on these tablets, so I am effectively getting "grey market", no warranty tablets. I am sufficiently confident of Asus' build quality that I am willing to take that risk. If I don't get charged for import tax, I will have saved enough for 1 minor repair.

I also set up a "package shipment" account at shipito.com for future comparison and use. My only two shipping address choices were Nevada and California, as Oregon was only available for monthly box subscribers. They asked for a $5 deposit and gave me addresses in Nevada and California, which seemed cheap for the added shipping options. Assuming that the Asus tablets arrive here in Thailand, I'll keep the cases I ordered from Lazada when they arrive. These are Christmas gifts for my kids, so time is not an issue.

Lazada really sucks, and having an option to order from the US is very helpful, so I really appreciate the guidance provided by TGJiBKK.

Shipito call this their virtual mailbox program and is either $10 per month or $50 per year and is required to use the Oregon address. So unless you are going to purchase a lot of high value items and are willing to pay higher shipping rates to save the sales tax this option is not for you

The $5 charge is just to verify your credit card and the $5 will be added to your account balance. Shipito only charges you once your receive a package and then instruct them on what to do with it, then they know exactly how much to charge to the credit card on file that was previously validated

BTW: Here is the shipping calculator TGJB talks about above:

http://calculator.shipito.com/en/#/

[fang37]

I just cannot see an advantage in using LAZADA.

1) you cannot see/feel the product

2) price - no advantage.

For computer products, I will use Jib.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Re LSM's comments above, yes, Shipito has two different service plans -- one with no annual or monthly fee, and the other with a $50 annual fee.

In the past, there was an advantage to paying the $50 annual fee, because they had a reduced package mailout fee (their handling/service fee for sending a package, apart from the postage) when you had that status.

But not too long back, they changed that and now, I believe, they reduced the handling fee that used to be $8.50 per package for those not paying the annual fee, and now it's the same $1 per package fee, regardless of which status you have.

The remaining main advantage to paying the annual fee, these days, is that you're allowed to have multiple packages arrive and be stored with them at their facility, prior to having them shipped. Whereas with the no-fee status, you're only allowed to have ONE package in storage with them (in your inbox) at any given time.

So these days, I'm just careful to space out my orders for things arriving to them, and then once something has arrived, I'll promptly have them process it for mailout. That's worked fine, although sometimes retailers/vendors will complicate things by taking a single order you've placed with them, and for some reason dividing it up into two or more different boxes/shipments that may tend to arrive to your address at the same time. I try pretty hard to have them avoid doing that.

[Thailaw]

I just cannot see an advantage in using LAZADA.

1) you cannot see/feel the product

2) price - no advantage.

For computer products, I will use Jib.

You can see/feel the product in a local store if that is necessary/helpful, and then buy from Lazada (or elsewhere) if the price is better. This is a problem that exists with any internet seller, and it is not a problem unique to Lazada. And there are an amazing number of "box opening" reviews of products on Youtube that give you a very good idea of what you are buying if it is a "name brand" item. I use these routinely before I order any item on the internet. And your "price - no advantage" statement is simply wrong. I would always buy from a local reliable vendor if the price was the same or very close. But, Lazada has given me prices on many items that were far and away lower than anything I could find locally or elsewhere on line. Lazada is one option among many, and you need to understand what you are dealing with if you order/buy from them -- no service, no help; take your money and then forget that you exist -- full stop. In 90% of the cases, things will go fine, the seller will fulfill the order with exactly what was promised, and it will be a good shopping experience. In a few cases, however, if you pay in advance or, as in my case, order multiple items from Lazada that are being sold by different sellers that sell products that depend on each other, you can/will be in trouble if one seller fails to perform as promised/agreed. You can reduce that risk by never using the "pay over the counter" service with Lazada, and only pay on delivery (a credit card does not seem to be a real option). I will probably (reluctantly) use Lazada again in the future, but I will act far differently than I did in the past. And, thanks to this thread, I have a few new options to consider in the process.

[fang37]

I admit that I have little experience with Lazada - one purchase only.

Available range of stock - excellent.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here's some examples of the rate differentials I was talking about with Shipito, based on using CA vs OR.

I usually (95% of the time) use their own Shipito Economy Airmail service, which is the best rate of everything they offer. There's a meaningful cost hike to use OR vs CA there. And varying higher rates for other methods as well.

I was surprised, though, to see the comparative rates be very similar for USPS Global Priority, though USPS 1st Class International is also cheaper when sending from CA. The USPS Global Priority approach would come in handy for electronics with lithium batteries where their Economy Airmail service is mostly not available.

Torrance, CA:

Shipito Torrance.jpg

Oregon:

Shipito Oregon.jpg

I was placing an online order today thru Amazon U.S. for some small electronics that I'll ultimately plan on forwarding via Shipito.com. So I had on my mind this thread's discussion on the different shipping costs and such depending on which Shipito location you choose to have your item sent to.

Turns out, Shipito now has a webpage that addresses, in very general terms, the differences in shipping costs, shipping times and sales tax issue for their various locations (chiefly being CA vs Oregon vs Nevada).

https://www.shipito.com/locations

I said "in very general terms" because, for example, their website says that using their Shipito Airmail Economy service out of their Oregon or Nevada locations should be about 15% more just for the shipping cost alone vs. using their CA location. But, when I did the location comparison in the quoted post above, my shipping fees were going to be 21+% higher to use one of their non-CA locations.

However, today, in doing my $25 purchase Amazon order for a package that I suspect will weight about 0.5 pounds, I was able to avoid a 10% / $2.25 Los Angeles County CA sales tax by choosing to send my package instead to Shipito's Nevada location, where Amazon apparently will not assess any state sales tax. So, if my Shipito shipping cost is about $5-6 for Economy Airmail and it's an extra 20% to use Nevada, that would be an extra $1.20 for shipping. So I'd be coming out perhaps $1 ahead by using Nevada.

Obviously, those dynamics are going to vary based on which shipping method you're using, the value of the package, and the weight of the package.

One other thing I found today was that as I was no longer paying their $50 annual fee, I no longer had access to using their Oregon delivery address, although I still had access to using their Nevada address.

PS - I'm not sure what Shipito means when they write regarding their CA and Nevada location sales tax issues that "only stores based in XXXXXX" will charge sales tax." AFAIK, Amazon has operations in both CA and NV. And yet when I went to place my Amazon order, Amazon system clearly was going to charge me 10% state sales tax to send my items to CA, but showed me no tax for sending to Nevada, even though Nevada has a sales tax, according to Shipito's site.

Edited October 21, 2015 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[johnh869]

That's why I laugh loudly anytime I ever hear anyone calling Lazada the "Amazon" of Thailand.

Just an episode in contrast to how Lazada operates:

A couple months back, I ordered a smartphone from Amazon in the U.S. as the seller for my wife. It arrived to my mail box in the U.S. and then I had the package forwarded here, so it ended up arriving more than a month after my original order.

Upon opening the box, I discovered that Amazon had sent the correct brand and model phone I had ordered, but the wrong type (they sent a U.S. version instead of the intl version I ordered) and also sent the wrong color (I had ordered black, they sent white). So at that point, I got on the phone with an Amazon CSR and explained the situation, including that I was, at that moment, outside the U.S. for work where I had initially received the phone, hence the delay.

In what probably was no more than a 5-10 minute phone conversation, the Amazon rep agreed to 1) accept the return of the phone, even though it was past their normal return date, because I was out of the country; 2) refund my entire original purchase price including the original Amazon shipping fees; and 3) do a subsequent credit to my credit card for whatever intl shipping charges I incurred to return the phone to them from outside the U.S.

The refund to my credit card for the original purchase showed up on my card account within a day or two of that conversation. And, as soon as I put the phone in Thai Post back to the U.S., Amazon asked me to email them a copy of the postage amount and tracking receipt. I did that, and the additional credit for my return postage was likewise quickly credited to my account, before they had even physically received the phone back.

That's the way to run an online marketplace business and the way to keep your customers coming back -- not the half-a**** non-customer service approach that Lazada takes.

Your right! Lazada sucks! Their website is the armpit of the Internet!

[lopburi3]

My last order, from 3rd party provider, was made at about 2100 on the 28th and delivered today (31st) at noon (expected delivery 4 to 6 November).

[Thailaw]

That's why I laugh loudly anytime I ever hear anyone calling Lazada the "Amazon" of Thailand.

Just an episode in contrast to how Lazada operates:

.............................

That's the way to run an online marketplace business and the way to keep your customers coming back -- not the half-a**** non-customer service approach that Lazada takes.

Your right! Lazada sucks! Their website is the armpit of the Internet!

Your post is nonsense and simply wrong. Lazada has some problems to be sure, but they are often a good buying option and if used correctly can be a low risk and good value choice, and that comes from someone who has had a problem with Lazada and explained in some detail what that problem was and what Lazada did in response, so readers could assess for themselves whether Lazada's response/actions were reasonable under the circumstances. These vague -- "Lazada is great!" and "Lazada sucks" -- posts are useless and add nothing to the discussion or anyone's understanding of when, how or if to use Lazada for a purchase. Forget about Lazada, your post "is the armpit of the internet".

[dddave]

Recently, the Lazada website has been running very poorly for me in Bangkok. Page loads are slow and product images often never come up...just the little spinning arrow.

I'm on True 10mb ADSL.

Anybody else or is it my machine/connection?

[Thailaw]

Thanks for the information and help. I ordered 2 Asus Memo Pad 8" tablets from Amazon. My mail forwarding service, Mail Link, in Nevada (who I like a lot) quoted me a price of $40.00 for USPS delivery of the 2 tablets to Thailand (1.2 lbs. each), and I had the tablets sent to them. Amazon's price ($95 each) plus shipping to Thailand is a bit less than Lazada's price (B4,600/$131 each) for the same tablets. No international warranty is, however, available on these tablets, so I am effectively getting "grey market", no warranty tablets. I am sufficiently confident of Asus' build quality that I am willing to take that risk. If I don't get charged for import tax, I will have saved enough for 1 minor repair.

I also set up a "package shipment" account at shipito.com for future comparison and use. My only two shipping address choices were Nevada and California, as Oregon was only available for monthly box subscribers. They asked for a $5 deposit and gave me addresses in Nevada and California, which seemed cheap for the added shipping options. Assuming that the Asus tablets arrive here in Thailand, I'll keep the cases I ordered from Lazada when they arrive. These are Christmas gifts for my kids, so time is not an issue.

Lazada really sucks, and having an option to order from the US is very helpful, so I really appreciate the guidance provided by TGJiBKK.

The two Asus Memo Pad 8" tablets arrived today from Amazon via my US re-shipper. No Thai customs charged, so all in, the cost was less than I would have paid to Lazada. But no international warranty, so I lose on that end. And the cases I ordered from Lazada a week earlier still have not arrived! TiT!

Edited November 2, 2015 by Thailaw

[sometime]

I am having trouble getting a pc replaced by Lazada, anyone know the CEO/managing director Maximilian Bittner email address, or how I can get it.

Thanks will keep you upto date on this problem.