Buying direct from the manufacturer or country of origin is not always the best idea. Buying from a local importer offers benefits you may not have considered.

With the advent of the internet, ease of international door-to-door freight, the world has shrunk. It has never been easier to order a product on-line from an overseas supplier, pay for it instantly and securely by PayPal or credit card, and have it shipped to your door within a few days or weeks. What could possibly go wrong? 

Whilst buying direct is convenient, it is not always the cheapest in the long run, nor is it always trouble-free.

When a trading business imports stock, they invariably buy bulk quantities, attracting a discounted cost because of larger manufacturing scale and increased bargaining power with the seller.  Consolidated freight (likely sea freight) can have a massive impact on the landed cost.

An individual or small scale buyer does not have any of these advantages.

It is expected that the product that you think you ordered, in the correct quantities, will arrive on time, undamaged, with instructions in English, and will work as expected for an expected length of time (warranty?). Again, what could go wrong ?

If any of the above fall short of the buyer’s expectations, he must decide how vigorously to pursue his claims. No doubt, many overseas “mail order” suppliers are honest and scrupulous.

However, if he chooses to be otherwise, there’s probably not much that the customer in Australia can do. It will invariably take time, maybe money, and likely frustration. Returning questionable goods is prohibitively expensive and tedious. 

It’s not likely that you can simply pick up the phone and have the issue resolved.

Australian Consumer Law, under which Australian traders operate, are amongst the strictest in the world. With severe penalties for non-compliance, Australian importers must ensure that their products comply with Australian safety and other standards which guarantee a high degree of customer confidence and security.