It’s New tools tuesdays

[Flintstone]

I think if they brand it as the Antonio supercut blade that's a fair offer!

 

[Waluigi]

I’d like an 8% finders fee.

It’s weird though, when I posted about these Chinese bits I was told they would be inferior quality and could potentially take your eye out.

Oh well

 

[Concrete guy]

We've got two lots coming in from different factories (one is the Diatool blade a second is from a factory we already use that make a blade that looks a similar spec) and we're going to run back to back tests to see if there's any difference.

The difficulty for an end user buying direct via aliexpress or similar outlet is you don't know who you're buying from. Diatools is a trading company, they don't make anything. They buy from factories and resell worldwide. So if something does fail and take your eye out you're on your own. That's the downside.

The upside is you're paying cost +100% with no import duty, no VAT, very small shipping costs and no importer markup.

Companies like us do exactly what Diatools does, but in the UK. We buy direct from the manufacturer of the blade and import it. We need to make a margin that covers a number of costs that Diatools wouldn't pay. Corporation tax, import duty, public liability and product liability insurance (if the blade does take your eye out you can sue us and we're insured) then there's our profit.

That's the reality.

The world (or how we shop) is changing. You see on the news every night about the abandoned state of the high street, people simply no longer want to pay high street prices.

eBay and Amazon has wholly embraced Chinese wholesalers and both platforms have now become like the wild west. See this article specifically about Amazon's struggle. Amazon investigates staff bribery claims - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-45543063

eBay is suffering the same issue.

Aliexpress is eBay/Amazon but based in China.

It will be interesting to see how we adjust over the next decade as a nation.

Does it effect us? Well to a small degree, but the number of people willing to buy direct is so small (as a percentage of our customer base) that's it not a problem.

The other thing I often chuckle about is the conversations about products being manufactured elsewhere (in Europe etc). I've stood in the Chinese factories that make Dewalt and Bosch blades in the millions along with every other brand name you'd care think of . We even stumbled across the Marcrist factory quite by accident and once they discovered we were from the UK we were politely told they wouldn't supply us due to their arrangements with Marcrist.

China is the worlds factory, despite Trumps best efforts to mess it up it's still that way.

As long as you understand about what and who you're buying from that's all that matters.

 

[Waluigi]

I’ve been using AliExpress for 15 years, long before it was AliExpress. When it was purely Alibaba which is who AliExpress is part of.

There’s a hell of a lot more buyer protection nowadays if you use AliExpress. I can’t fault the service. I don’t buy that much from them really.

I will do anything to maximise my profit margin. My local Tile shop is suffering, my local Bathroom showroom is suffering because I buy direct from Germany, the list is endless. We’ve all got to make money.

 

[Waluigi]

Just to add- I think there’s a market for everyone. You have the likes of the brand name who are the most expensive but people see the brand and know the gear is good as they have some brand loyalty.

You have those who like to save some money but often need their gear straight away. The gear is often just as good quality as the branded goods.

Then you have the likes of me who tends to buy direct, sort of direct anyway and saves the most money. However I do still buy branded gear and would also buy from UK companies if I wanted my gear very quickly and needed some advise on what to buy. That’s something you don’t really get from China- advise.

Ive started to get all my Bathroom gear direct from Germany. In the UK it’s either overpriced or such poor quality that it becomes embarrassing to fit.

 

[aytiling]

Testing this out later. Only on plaster I’m afraid but some tile adhesive will be mixed soon enough.

View attachment 100810

I just use my heavy duty Makita cordless for mixing. Fits in my tool bag and also used as a driver. Had it 2 years and no burn out or changing brushes yet.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Makita-DHP...430&sr=1-6&keywords=makita+cordless+drill+18v

 

[aytiling]

Talking about Ali express I bought 2x 115mm blades and when they arrived they were the wrong diameter for the spool. Only £7 each so threw them in the bin. Also bought a couple of 20mm hole bits and they lasted all of about a week each on ceramics, Rubbish.
My one from ATS at 3 times the price has lasted more than 6 months

 

[Waluigi]

My vacuum brazed from AliExpress have been fine. I would only ever use them on porcelain.

AliExpress is just the avenue for sellers to sell. If you get a poor item then it’s the wrong seller.

I’ve had crap items from Amazon, I still buy stuff from Amazon though.

 

[Bill]

I wish we could set up a tool link page from where we buy our stuff from so that we don't have to trawl Google looking for them......just sayin'

 

[Waluigi]

What are you after Tom?

Maybe post in the other place?