Pete L
Member
I visited the following website : -
http://www.nepine.co.uk/xcart/customer/home.php
which looks very impressive, .... almost too good to be true.
They claim to be a USA supplier selling American power tools at GB Pounds Sterling prices direct to the UK (and elsewhere). The information on the site about the company is negligable so I checked out their "Chat with us Live" option and got the following (sorry for lengthy detail):-
Chat Transcript
info: Please wait for a site operator to respond.
info: You are now chatting with 'Christine'
Christine: Thank you for contacting nepine.co.uk, how can I help you today?
Pete: Dear Nepine Customer Service, your website is very well constructed, but I am having difficulty finding out anything about you contained on it. It would seem you are an American company, but the ".co.uk" in your URL and all prices shown in British Pounds Sterling suggests you are able and willing to supply goods to customers in the UK. Please can you advise: - 1. Your company details (name, contact address, basis of trading etc). 2. Do you sell to UK customers? 3. Do you have a UK base of operations, or will any goods for British customers be sent directly from the USA plus the usual UK Customs Import Tax, transatlantic shipping costs etc.? 4. Your telephone Help Line rings for a while and then a recorded voice advises "Garden Readies (or something like that) ? all our operatives are busy, please leave a message ...." etc. Is this in fact a Customer Call Centre fielding calls for a number of mail-order companies?. 5. Are all goods sold to British customers modified to appropriate UK standards e.g. 230/240v, 13amp supply? many thanks, Pete.
Christine: Hi Pete, thanks for your requests. We are a US based company.
Christine: and sell items to customers in the UK
Christine: Our office is based within the US. The postal address is:
Christine: 681 Main Street, STE 2-17
Christine: Waltham, MA, 02451
Christine: US
Christine: 2. Yes, we do sell to UK customers
Christine: 3. Your item will be posted from our warehouse in the USA. It will be shipped promptly, with full insurance. Usually, no import duties or other taxes apply, but we cannot guarantee that. However, should you get charged for that, simply send us a copy of the customs receipt, and we will cover those charges.
Christine: 4. I apologize for that, we are very busy
Christine: Our phone number is 0207 9932973
Christine: 5. We are selling the american spec items. They are 110V. With most of our cordless tools, we also add a step-down transformer that you can use the item on 240V. You can find that information in the item description or you can also ask us if you are interested in a specific item.
Christine: Is there anything else I can do for you?
Pete: No thanks, I'll call the number you have provided if I need to chat about specific items. Many thanks for all of your help. Pete
Pete: Bye
Christine: Thanks.
Christine: bye
I have been looking for ages for a fixed-base router for my router table in the UK without success I'm wondering if importing from USA, and using a transformer (230/240 to 110/115) is a possibility.
Anyone know is this company is for real ????
Pete. :?
http://www.nepine.co.uk/xcart/customer/home.php
which looks very impressive, .... almost too good to be true.
They claim to be a USA supplier selling American power tools at GB Pounds Sterling prices direct to the UK (and elsewhere). The information on the site about the company is negligable so I checked out their "Chat with us Live" option and got the following (sorry for lengthy detail):-
Chat Transcript
info: Please wait for a site operator to respond.
info: You are now chatting with 'Christine'
Christine: Thank you for contacting nepine.co.uk, how can I help you today?
Pete: Dear Nepine Customer Service, your website is very well constructed, but I am having difficulty finding out anything about you contained on it. It would seem you are an American company, but the ".co.uk" in your URL and all prices shown in British Pounds Sterling suggests you are able and willing to supply goods to customers in the UK. Please can you advise: - 1. Your company details (name, contact address, basis of trading etc). 2. Do you sell to UK customers? 3. Do you have a UK base of operations, or will any goods for British customers be sent directly from the USA plus the usual UK Customs Import Tax, transatlantic shipping costs etc.? 4. Your telephone Help Line rings for a while and then a recorded voice advises "Garden Readies (or something like that) ? all our operatives are busy, please leave a message ...." etc. Is this in fact a Customer Call Centre fielding calls for a number of mail-order companies?. 5. Are all goods sold to British customers modified to appropriate UK standards e.g. 230/240v, 13amp supply? many thanks, Pete.
Christine: Hi Pete, thanks for your requests. We are a US based company.
Christine: and sell items to customers in the UK
Christine: Our office is based within the US. The postal address is:
Christine: 681 Main Street, STE 2-17
Christine: Waltham, MA, 02451
Christine: US
Christine: 2. Yes, we do sell to UK customers
Christine: 3. Your item will be posted from our warehouse in the USA. It will be shipped promptly, with full insurance. Usually, no import duties or other taxes apply, but we cannot guarantee that. However, should you get charged for that, simply send us a copy of the customs receipt, and we will cover those charges.
Christine: 4. I apologize for that, we are very busy
Christine: Our phone number is 0207 9932973
Christine: 5. We are selling the american spec items. They are 110V. With most of our cordless tools, we also add a step-down transformer that you can use the item on 240V. You can find that information in the item description or you can also ask us if you are interested in a specific item.
Christine: Is there anything else I can do for you?
Pete: No thanks, I'll call the number you have provided if I need to chat about specific items. Many thanks for all of your help. Pete
Pete: Bye
Christine: Thanks.
Christine: bye
I have been looking for ages for a fixed-base router for my router table in the UK without success I'm wondering if importing from USA, and using a transformer (230/240 to 110/115) is a possibility.
Anyone know is this company is for real ????
Pete. :?