Chinertown
Other Resources => Vendor Discussion & Reviews => Topic started by: 00Garza on April 25, 2023, 02:59:08 PM
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If you follow chinese components you're probably aware of Joe's channel on youtube (China Cycling) and his upcoming venture Panda Podium. https://www.pandapodium.cc/coming-soon/
What are your thoughts on it? Is he just going to be a middle man? Could he be the customer service solution we've all been wanting? Will this forum disappear into obscurity once he launches???!!!! ;D
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If you follow chinese components you're probably aware of Joe's channel on youtube (China Cycling) and his upcoming venture Panda Podium. https://www.pandapodium.cc/coming-soon/
What are your thoughts on it? Is he just going to be a middle man? Could he be the customer service solution we've all been wanting? Will this forum disappear into obscurity once he launches???!!!! ;D
With rising prices on those Chinese components the last few years, what we do not need is a middleman to add some more to those prices...
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Yeah. I already have a local distributor for some Chinese factories, but I don't see the point of paying 30% more just to have my frame slightly faster.
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Hyped for the products you can't find on aliexpress already. If if's even a cent more expensive than ali, not interested. I rarely mind waiting a month (but it's never that long to europe anyway)
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That's exactly what he will be, a middle man. No different that some others on here have already done or attempted, just with much easier access to the products we actually want.
Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. He may be banking on the "cycling 100 sucks" and "Aliexpress is too slow" situations we see quite often and looking to solve those issues. The reality is, most of these items are already available if you're patient/know how to weasel around and import stuff. I'm very excited to see his offerings, maybe some products we REALLY don't know about??
But as others have said, I'm not looking to pay more. I don't mind waiting or finding my own middle man. :)
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I could see it useful for people who are scared of AliExpress, but those people would probably just stick with their LBS and big name brand parts. I think a list of Gold/Silver rated AliEx sellers and top rated frame/wheel vendors would probably be a lot easier and cheaper with direct links to their AliEx store or website.
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I'm just pumped for the L-Twoo ERX groupset. wonder when its going to be released. So tired of my Sram Force.
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I'm just pumped for the L-Twoo ERX groupset. wonder when its going to be released. So tired of my Sram Force.
I've seen it on Aliexpress recently, but I can't find it now. Either all sold out for now, or got pulled for some reason.
Edit: found a link
US $673.92 50％ Off | ERX Disc Carbon 2 * 12 Speed Highway Oil Pressure Electric Transformer Carbon Fiber Manual Rear Shift Electronic Front Shift
https://a.aliexpress.com/_msUVVKk
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There are some brands listed on that website which I had never heard before, so now I can visit this website and then search on Alix lol. I don't need no middleman. I prefer experimenting and wasting my money on my own.
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Given that I've recently had some issues with failures & warranty on high-end Chiner parts, and getting burned by aliexpress dealers, I definitely see a market for PP helping facilitate high-end sales. There's a lot of brands selling stuff that rivals elite-tier western-market parts (Cybrei, Seka, Magene, Farsports, Craft, EXS) but at that point you are reaching deep into the pockets.
In the past (for me any way), the psychology driving my strategy for buying Chiner parts was that perceived risk of getting a dud part was high, so the price needed to be cheap enough to mitigate loss aversion. But this mentality caps how much you're willing to spend on parts, and in turn, limits maximum quality that is marketable.
If you can have some assurances that the dealer will have integrity/good service, and will work with you on warranty issues, then you're going to increase how much money people are willing put on the line.
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If you can have some assurances that the dealer will have integrity/good service, and will work with you on warranty issues, then you're going to increase how much money people are willing put on the line.
I get that reasoning, but for me as a European customer, I don't see pandapodium scoring higher in that regard than ali. If the R&R policy refers to warranted returns due to severe product flaws (and not just sending stuff back for funsies), it's kind of crap (maybe different from the lottery with ali sellers, but crap still). Unless I just didn't find it, there is no mention whatsoever of import duties/tax, which is a huge deal (add customs + ~20 % import tax + highway robbery fees from the delivery company ... or not, nobody knows, because not telling).
Now, I'm not saying it couldn't turn into something really good, but, as of now, it's mostly the same stuff for slightly more money (or significantly more depending on the import-duties thing) because trust me bro.
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Now, I'm not saying it couldn't turn into something really good, but, as of now, it's mostly the same stuff for slightly more money (or significantly more depending on the import-duties thing) because trust me bro.
This right here is so important. They sell more or less what I already buy from AliExpress with a small premium added on top.
I'll admit, they sell some really cool, head turning, high end stuff like the Cybrei cranks, Sixwheel cassette, fancy wheelsets, etc. But at those prices I'd rather buy the Western equivalents or custom wheels from Farsports, LB, etc.
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With rising prices on those Chinese components the last few years, what we do not need is a middleman to add some more to those prices...
Well said
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I am a bit confused because they sell the magene p505 base about 10% than magene does on their own shop, or am I missing something?
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005005506880823.html?spm=a2g0n.search-store.0.0.5f12Kf3PKf3PY0&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=bokhcrckjycaazia18b62b1995312285cfe42004dd&gclid=&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21EUR%21392.92%21314.33%21%21%21409.50%21%21%402101fb1216981678880466437ed9c0%2112000033438014571%21sea%21DE%211909939259%21&algo_pvid=869a035e-7ed7-4e85-a542-e1cddbfd2d2a
https://www.pandapodium.cc/product/magene-pes-p505-base-power-meter-crankset/
Think warranty should be comparable?
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I am a bit confused because they sell the magene p505 base about 10% than magene does on their own shop, or am I missing something?
https://de.aliexpress.com/item/1005005506880823.html?spm=a2g0n.search-store.0.0.5f12Kf3PKf3PY0&aff_platform=msite&m_page_id=bokhcrckjycaazia18b62b1995312285cfe42004dd&gclid=&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21EUR%21392.92%21314.33%21%21%21409.50%21%21%402101fb1216981678880466437ed9c0%2112000033438014571%21sea%21DE%211909939259%21&algo_pvid=869a035e-7ed7-4e85-a542-e1cddbfd2d2a
https://www.pandapodium.cc/product/magene-pes-p505-base-power-meter-crankset/
Think warranty should be comparable?
My guess would be faster shipping/communications, and hopefully better warranty/customer support.
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My guess would be faster shipping/communications, and hopefully better warranty/customer support.
By whom? Magene directly via Ali?
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I don't see panda podium having much use for people who have already managed to find this forum, it is more so for the boomer freds who are too afraid to buy off aliexpress.
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I bought a Magene PES from there as it was cheaper than doing so from AliExpress (particularly considering that AliExpress has 10% GST added on top for Australia whereas Panda Podium does not).
Transaction was easy and postage was quick - about 2 weeks to regional Australia.
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I bought a Magene PES from there as it was cheaper than doing so from AliExpress (particularly considering that AliExpress has 10% GST added on top for Australia whereas Panda Podium does not).
Transaction was easy and postage was quick - about 2 weeks to regional Australia.
I just checked the price of my magene p325 cs dual pm and it came out to $663.66 aud including gst+shipping, panda came out to $480 usd which is $755 aud, I guess I bought it when it was on sale? Right now AE is expensive since they have their 11/11 sale coming up so they jacked up all the prices.
Keep in mind in Australia we have cashrewards that has 4.5% cashback on aliexpress so i got $29.8647 back so the true cost was 633.7953
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I just checked the price of my magene p325 cs dual pm and it came out to $663.66 aud including gst+shipping, panda came out to $480 usd which is $755 aud, I guess I bought it when it was on sale? Right now AE is expensive since they have their 11/11 sale coming up so they jacked up all the prices.
Keep in mind in Australia we have cashrewards that has 4.5% cashback on aliexpress so i got $29.8647 back so the true cost was 633.7953
The price difference is dependent on the product. Right now the Magene PES the same price (before GST) on both the Magene store on AliExpress and PandaPodium ($299 USD) - so it makes more sense for me to buy on PandaPodium. To be frank, I have more faith in after sale support from PandaPodium judging by Joe's activity on WeightWeenies regarding the CRW wheels (https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=132&t=172996) - I expect (and generally receive) absolutely zero from any AliExpress seller - even the so called 'official' stores.
Obviously there's a limit to how much extra I'd pay for good customer support, but for a high-end product I can see the sense in paying a little bit extra if it's backed up with good support.
Oh - and good point with CashRewards. I keep forgetting that I can use CR for AliExpress!
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The price difference is dependent on the product. Right now the Magene PES the same price (before GST) on both the Magene store on AliExpress and PandaPodium ($299 USD) - so it makes more sense for me to buy on PandaPodium. To be frank, I have more faith in after sale support from PandaPodium judging by Joe's activity on WeightWeenies regarding the CRW wheels (https://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=132&t=172996) - I expect (and generally receive) absolutely zero from any AliExpress seller - even the so called 'official' stores.
Obviously there's a limit to how much extra I'd pay for good customer support, but for a high-end product I can see the sense in paying a little bit extra if it's backed up with good support.
Oh - and good point with CashRewards. I keep forgetting that I can use CR for AliExpress!
Fortunately I've only had one incorrect order after a good 100~ orders on AE, they sent me the wrong model of sunglasses.
I went back and forth with the vendor which went as you can imagine, escalated to AE and they gave me all my money back and I got to keep the sunglasses.