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Deals and Great Z Buys / SL-860 for ~$635...
« on: June 07, 2004, 10:10:21 am »
I just received my zaurus on 5 June from mcljapan. I paid 61000 yen for a zaurus 760 but was offered a 860 at no extra charge (see below to find out why). There aren\'t any people posting their experiences on this forum regarding mcljapan, as compared to dynamism, japan-direct, shirt-pocket, etc, so, this is my experience with them:
Good Points:
1. Honesty: A day before shipping, they informed me that the zaurus c760\'s package was not good and offered me the c860 instead.
2. Good buisness ethics: They offered me the zaurus c860 at no extra charge. I had already made payment for the zaurus c760 prior to the change.
3. Prompt replies to emails: All my inquiries were answered within a day, within 12 hours on average.
4. Quick and cheap delivery: My purchase was sent for shipping within 1-2 days after payment was made. Shipping and delivery took another 3 days. They used EMS postal service, which is fast and very cheap, compared to DHL, FedEx or UPS.
5. Cheap price of product: I got a quote of 61000 yen for the zaurus 760 in late May (without shipping and other charges). Not exactly Akihabara prices, but well below the recommended sale price.
6. Able to communicate in english: The website is in English, with a Japanese version too. You can email in English to T.Sunder at sales@mcljapan.com
Bad points:
1. Lack of credit card payment options: At least for me in Singapore. I think they accept US credit cards.
2. No formal invoice or order form: Ordering was done through email exchanges.
3. No return, refund, repair or exchange policy: I was afraid that I might receive a defective/scratched/incomplete product. When I asked them what their stand was, their reply was \"DONT BUY FROM US IF YOU ARE DOUBTFUL WHEN DEALING WITH US\". :mrgreen: Some people might find that rude, but I guess it\'s true--the consumer is ultimately responsible for his/her purchase decisions, after considering the risks involved. Luckily, it worked out fine for me.
Overall, my dealings with mcljapan was smooth and uneventful, except when they offered to change the model. Somehow I got the impression that these guys were the utilitarian and no-frills sort, because they only sent me emails when necessary, and all their emails were concise. Maybe I\'m paranoid, but I would have liked it if they gave me a daily update of my purchase. It is unnerving to wonder, after payment is made, whether the seller would be honouring their side of the deal.
Summary of total costs (100 yen = US$0.9105 = EUR 0.7394):
Zaurus c860: 61000 yen / US$555.39 / EUR 451.03
EMS shipping (to Singapore): 2000 yen / US$18.21 / EUR 14.79
Wire transfer charges: 4454 yen / US$40.55 / EUR 32.94
Singapore import tax: 3020 yen / US$27.50 / EUR 22.33
Total: 70474 yen / US$641.80 / EUR 521.32
The total does not include a couple of dollars I lost in the currency exchange and a converter I had to buy to transform 220V to Japan\'s 100V supply.
Of course, don\'t expect to get a zaurus c860 for 61000 yen like I did, if you are buying online. You might get that price if you go to a store in Japan though.
Final words:
Don\'t let my review sway you too much. Just look at what happened to the people who bought their zaurus from K on ebay (search the forums for background). That being said, this posting adds 1 more positive review for mcljapan. Hopefully that number grows to a statistically significant number.
Good Points:
1. Honesty: A day before shipping, they informed me that the zaurus c760\'s package was not good and offered me the c860 instead.
2. Good buisness ethics: They offered me the zaurus c860 at no extra charge. I had already made payment for the zaurus c760 prior to the change.
3. Prompt replies to emails: All my inquiries were answered within a day, within 12 hours on average.
4. Quick and cheap delivery: My purchase was sent for shipping within 1-2 days after payment was made. Shipping and delivery took another 3 days. They used EMS postal service, which is fast and very cheap, compared to DHL, FedEx or UPS.
5. Cheap price of product: I got a quote of 61000 yen for the zaurus 760 in late May (without shipping and other charges). Not exactly Akihabara prices, but well below the recommended sale price.
6. Able to communicate in english: The website is in English, with a Japanese version too. You can email in English to T.Sunder at sales@mcljapan.com
Bad points:
1. Lack of credit card payment options: At least for me in Singapore. I think they accept US credit cards.
2. No formal invoice or order form: Ordering was done through email exchanges.
3. No return, refund, repair or exchange policy: I was afraid that I might receive a defective/scratched/incomplete product. When I asked them what their stand was, their reply was \"DONT BUY FROM US IF YOU ARE DOUBTFUL WHEN DEALING WITH US\". :mrgreen: Some people might find that rude, but I guess it\'s true--the consumer is ultimately responsible for his/her purchase decisions, after considering the risks involved. Luckily, it worked out fine for me.
Overall, my dealings with mcljapan was smooth and uneventful, except when they offered to change the model. Somehow I got the impression that these guys were the utilitarian and no-frills sort, because they only sent me emails when necessary, and all their emails were concise. Maybe I\'m paranoid, but I would have liked it if they gave me a daily update of my purchase. It is unnerving to wonder, after payment is made, whether the seller would be honouring their side of the deal.
Summary of total costs (100 yen = US$0.9105 = EUR 0.7394):
Zaurus c860: 61000 yen / US$555.39 / EUR 451.03
EMS shipping (to Singapore): 2000 yen / US$18.21 / EUR 14.79
Wire transfer charges: 4454 yen / US$40.55 / EUR 32.94
Singapore import tax: 3020 yen / US$27.50 / EUR 22.33
Total: 70474 yen / US$641.80 / EUR 521.32
The total does not include a couple of dollars I lost in the currency exchange and a converter I had to buy to transform 220V to Japan\'s 100V supply.
Of course, don\'t expect to get a zaurus c860 for 61000 yen like I did, if you are buying online. You might get that price if you go to a store in Japan though.
Final words:
Don\'t let my review sway you too much. Just look at what happened to the people who bought their zaurus from K on ebay (search the forums for background). That being said, this posting adds 1 more positive review for mcljapan. Hopefully that number grows to a statistically significant number.