Online purchasing, recent experiences and the implications for living aboard.

[Painted Skies]

Originally Posted by GILow

You wind-generator issue is something I can really sympathise with. (But it’s a goodie and going to be great when it arrives. ). Let me know if you need to borrow the TIG to help with the install. If I have it by then.

Thank you your kind offer - the Rutland is heavier than our old Air Breeze so is going to need a beefier bracket/pole... gotta get it here first, however. Maybe your TIG has eloped with our Rutland (hmmm...).

[BigAl.NZ]

Originally Posted by GILow

I hadn't thought of asking marinas... that's a good idea, thank you. (Though, for budget reasons, I am REALLY keen to avoid frequenting them over the next few years.)

I had always assumed I'd have stuff sent to family and forwarded to a post office from there, but after my recent experience with Australia Post, I am kinda nervous.

Interesting. I got something from these guys : https://www.monkeyfist.com.au/ and it got from Freemantle to NZ in 3 days which I thought was pretty good speed wise (there pricing was very good too).

[BugzyCan]

Online purchasing will always be hit n miss, but if you deal with a good company you are at least covered if the item never shows, or arrives broken. I had to give up on aliexpress recently when a parcel said it was delivered, but I never received it, and when I went through the dispute process they gave the money to the seller anyways, so they do not have any guarantee there your package will get to you. It is a Seller protection plan. Buyer beware. Now days I stick with Amazon, unless their prices are inflated, which happens sometimes, then I might try ebay.

[john61ct]

If you are constantly nomadic, then certainly using a mail forwarding service is the way to go.

That way you travel as you like, then once you know the parcel has actually arrived, you have a much more certain, predictable time window for having it sent to your next stop, or the one after that.