Site is accessible but no ordering is allowed for all regions. Doesn't look good at this point. I logged in to replaced my shipping details with dummy texts.
Not sure about others, but i have good memories with GearBest and their staffs whom i contact regularly back in 2016-2018. I really miss working with their reps during their heyday, it was an enriching experience for me. It is really unfortunate to see them go.
GB sank to new lows in recent years, with their terrible/non-existent customer service and high prices. Its good to see them finally sink into the abyss. Paypal may have given them “the boot” for their shady business practices and all the customer complaints/refund guarantees they generated. Im sorry for those who got ripped off by those scoundrels.
They definitely did support us here on BLF for many years, but unfortunately looks like they got too big and too unethical to keep operating. It wasn’t all of them, most of their employees that I dealt with for advertising on BLF seemed to be very decent people, but “a fish rots from the head down” as the saying goes in many Slavic languages. I’m still rather shocked though, it seemed too big to fail.
I’m not sure, could be Banggood is next. Fasttech has shipping problems to my area but otherwise I have less problems and irritation with them then I do with Banggood. Especially lately.
Since my country is not an EU member and since I pay VAT enforced and calculated by local customs authorities BG should reduce their prices for me, right?
Well, they don’t do that, so from my point of stand their prices skyrocketed.
Also I did some calculations and comparison of products that I purchased before, conclusion: old price + their VAT is still about 20% above what It would cost me if I were to pay old price + “local” VAT when order enter my country…
Product prices on AE changed very slightly but there is far less products with “free” shipping .
The good thing I remember about GB is that they give credits/points for every purchase/reviews and we can use the points to deduct the amount of next purchase up to 30%.
I believe you are absolutely right, the increases are not due solely to BG collecting VAT (I live in the Philippines, no required VAT added ATT). It’s interesting to speculate on the real reasons for the increases justified or not. After comparing BG prices to other sellers it seems their price increases and discounts are meant to give buyers the illusion of getting a good deal while BG is maintaining their profit margin.
I believe they have little respect for the intelligence of their buyers.
I also believe we will see more of this type of thing from China.
Anyway, I won’t miss Gearbest at all as I stopped buying from them more then a year ago but I would miss BG as I have very few choices here.