Rating: BuyInCoins.com

http://BuyInCoins.com

Pros:

  • Have forums, reviews (well not many)
  • Website seems to well designed (but see cons), has quick zoom, you can filter flashlights by various features
  • Cheapish WF-501B with xenon lamps may be good if you just want a host
  • 18650 holders 8 for $4.09 (their ebay store is better if they ship to you)
  • Have a 10% off coupon although only valid 1 but you could probably create a new account or not even bother to create one
  • Have a 5% discount if you input a recommender (my nickname is Nil Einne) for your first order and this also stacks with the 10% for a total of 15%, again creating a new account or not bothering to create one should get around the 'first order' criterion
  • Supply photos of your packages when they ship

Cons:

  • I got someone elses messages while checking my messages one time
  • Not really that many flashlights?

Prices look interesting.

Thanks Nil Einne for the tip! Sticky'd.

I came across them on eBay first as sinedya (I think this is them not a dropshipper), they have the cheapest price for 18650 boxes/containers/cases that I can find, 8 for $3.97 including shipping BIN. (Dealextreme are $1.98 for 2 and even with bulkrate if you buy 4 of those it's something like $7.50 all up.) Sadly they don't ship worldwide in particular they don't ship to NZ. I tried asking them but they claimed lots of items go missing (I have my doubts, I suspect they just don't have enough experience so are presuming items may go missing, they probably have no idea where NZ is or whether we're different from New Caledonia so their staff are instructed to parrot the claim that items go missing) but I can buy from their webstore buyincoins (which is almost definitely a violation of eBay policy).

I was going to buy from xiao2huan on eBay who is one cent more expensive but did say they'd ship to NZ when asked. But I looked thorough their website and then did an internet search and found that there is one 10% off coupon, see http://www.retailmenot.com/view/buyincoins.com for example.10%off2010 works currently, the name would suggest it's supposed to last thorough 2010 but who knows. 10%offeBayer seems to be expired, no idea how long it lasted.

These only work once from my own testing but seem to apply to the whole order. However, I've seen it suggested and my own testings shows if you don't log in and use the express checkout you should be able to use it again. Or create a new account. By the time you reach PayPal you've already put in the coupon and it's been reduced so I don't think the fact you have the same PayPal account will matter either. I made my first order with an account and then tried without creating an account all the way up to just before I clicked submit on PayPal and the price stayed the same. If I log in it says I've already used the coupon.

Of course you can't use any 'coins' you've gained if you do that and I haven't read their T&C to see if that technically violates them. Oh and their customer service could cancel any order and refund you if they feel your abusing it.

I also belatedly (i.e. after I already ordered) realised that if you put in a recommender you get an additional 5% discount for your first order and it does stack with the 10% for a total of 15%. Sadly this was after I ordered and even I can cancel now I'll lose most of any savings in the exchange fees... Again either don't bother with accounts or create multiple should allow you to use this again.

Anyway I've put an order for the 8 cases and specified 2x blue, 2x green, 2x orange, 1x clear and 1x yellow in my PayPal payment and a message (they say you can specify but their order system forces you to select one colour) so I'll see if they get that right. I also found that the bicycle mount I'm getting which I already ordered from DX was about 40 cents cheaper before discount so ordered that as well. I probably should have waited until I found out if DX are going to cancel my order (well I didn't realise it wasn't going to be instant last time it was) but I don't mind getting 2 of them. For the bicycle mount they sell it for more on eBay so things aren't always cheaper on their eBay store. (I did search eBay first, it was about 3 cents less so I decided to stick with DX since I did use them for research, although I later realised I forgot to look on KD and they are cheaper too.) I also found you get a measly 10 cents off for multiple items in the same order.

So we'll see how it goes.


Other then the cases, they also have the black/red flame trustfire for about the same price as DX. With the 10% discount they do work out cheaper (cheaper then getting 2 of the 2 pack from LT with their 5% too). They don't actually seem to have that many flashlights and none of them seemed interesting to me (their only XPG appears to be the AA) except perhaps they have a WF-501B with 3.7V, 6V or 7.4V Xenon bulb for $8.62 and WF-502B with same options for $9.69. May be useful if you want a host although lightake are cheaper for just the host even with BIC's 10% so unless you want to play with the Xenon probably not much use.

I got the Skyray 1JC8, and I'm very happy with it. They seem to be the only shop selling that one. A very nicely made no bullshit 1-mode Q5.

Oh and while not flashlight related I did come across http://laserpointerforums.com/f41/new-company-greenies-5-50mw-buyincoins-com-43104.html which have some discussion of them.

phlowcus you've bought from buyincoins.com? Do you have an account? If so could you give me your nick or PM your email (well post it if you don't mind) so I can use it as a referrer for future orders now that I've realised you get 5% Could use myself but probably shouldn't. If not I'll just randomly grab someone off their forums.

Nil Einne

I have opened an account with them how do i get 15% off.

Hello, I bought a SuperFire WF-501C from eachdesk Ebay-Shop,which seems to be a part of buyincoins.com. Mainly because old4570 has spoken highly of the 501c as a pseudo 2xAA P60 host (xenon replaced with a Solarforce low voltage dropin). Shipping was 18 days to Germany, photo of package was supplied, no shipping cost. Very good communication... highly recommended. I gave the xenon dropin away but it seems to be nice for a 2x18650 setup.

Just put in an order as 15% is too good to pass up, thanks for the heads up Nil.

How2, when you have selected your items, in the shopping cart screen at the bottom of the big picture you’ll see “Have a Coupon Code??” and “Have a Recommender??”

I entered the 10%OFF2010 discount coupon and as it was Nil who posted about this I entered Nil Einne as the recommender.

Clicked on the arrow to the right and it took off 15%, you also get $0.10 off for every additional item.

It did not look like you had to register to get the discount, you could select Paypal Express after you put in the codes.

But as Nil said the 10% coupon can only be used once per customer.

Hope this helps.

Fingers crossed everything goes through smoothly, them having an ebay shop gives me a bit more confidence.

Cheers,

Gary

I'm resonably impressed with BuyInCoins so far, I'll write more later. But one thing I wanted to note is while their support is fast, you don't seem to get any notifcation via e-mail so you have to keep checking the site. Same thing with your order, you don't seem to get a notification when it's shipped you have to check your account.

Just thought I’d update the thread as my entire order has now been delivered.

The Sky Ray 1JC8 was dispatched from a different supplier from the rest of my order so came separately and a bit later.

I blame phlowcus for me ordering the Sky Ray though I should really thank you as I can see it becoming one of my most used flashlights.

Both packages had separate tracking numbers and were dispatched direct from China, not through HK.

I also did not get any dispatch notification emails, only the initial order confirmation email.

I used the internal message system to ask a small question and it was answered reasonably quickly.

All of my items were ok so can’t comment on how they handle problems with faulty or missing items.

Especially happy with the Sky Ray and the matching Ultrafire 119 mid size holster in hard to find black instead of camo.

Also bought one of these simply because I liked the look of it though not sure why......probably a phallic thing, these things usually are.

Timeline;

Order placed on the 19th

First package dispatched to UK on the 20th (left China 23rd)

Second package dispatched to UK on the 22nd (left China 25th)

First package arrived on the 31st

Second package arrived on the 4th

Cheers,

Gary

Of the three following smallsun c9 does your Sky Ray look like:

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=6909968202

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=5836364138

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=6279433027

Sweet, thanks for the info, preparing an order just now.

They even seem to have the REAL MRV :)

http://www.buyincoins.com/lumapower-mrv-sk-18650-4-m-camping-led-torch-flashlight-product-1719.html

Holy how cow, how did you find these? I take it you are from China?

They all look pretty much the same from the outside but none of them is totally identical with mine under the hood. The one of the 3rd link is the most similar. The SkyRay has the same white plastic layer on top of the led and a similar tailcap, but that Small Sun has anodized tailcap threads which the SkyRay doesn't.

Hi phlowcus

London is my home town.

The third one looks the best quality,but not that many threads on the head. The first one looks to have more threads on the head.

Is your reflector metal?

Yup, and the lens is glass.

I may get one but not to sure if I can get 15% off. $12.31 is a better price tahn $14.49.

How2, if you've already used the coupon before, either create a new account, or just don't bother to create one and I think it should work. And remember a referrer/recommender for the full 15%. It's possible you'll need to clear cookies but I didn't have to when I tried. Note that since you'll likely be using the same PayPal account it's possible BIC will cancel your order or something, I didn't actually try ordering anything a second time. Also this may make it harder to track your orders and you either wont collect 'coins' or they'll be in different account.

Good to see I'm not the only one to know of taobao :-)

seems like a good place, will try them out next!