Umi teasets

[PolyhymnianMuse]

Has anyone ordered from this place? I've seen mixed reviews on steepster, most are over a year ago tho. There are a number of things they have I've been wanting and really good prices. They are offering me a few free items as well because of the amount of stuff I wish to purchase. Just feel a bit weary over a few reviews I've read about poor customer service and receiving broken tea ware.

www.umiteasets.com/

[Keisha32]

Ordered from umi 2 month ago, wait for a week and got the package. The tea set was in perfect condition, also i got the free teas. Delightful experience. Hope this will help you.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

My concern is mainly if something does come broken, I have to go through the process of shipping it back per their policy, while other places will replace broken items with a simple picture of what was received broken.

[pedant]

don't mean to be crass, but it looks like the kind of stuff you see on aliexpress except more expensive...

for example:
http://www.umiteasets.com/chinese-glass ... a-set.html
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-9pcs ... 40911.html

[PolyhymnianMuse]

Would I be better off going on Ali express?

[pedant]

well, if that site has something you really like and you can't find it on aliexpress, then that settles that, right?

otherwise, you have a choice to make...

i've had good aliexpress experiences, but that doesn't mean you will.
the sellers actually seem to care about their feedback, though.

[samuelturner]

I owned a tea store, both ordered from Aliexpress and Umi every month.

For Aliexpress, the price is very competitive, but the shipping always take a month or over a month. the quality is bad, so it is easily broken during the shipping. Most Ali sellers will offer the replacements because they really care about the low rating to their store.

For Umi, I was a bit concerned about the reviews , but the online staff told me those reviews were published by other tea sellers last year. So i tried a small order from this company. I got the items about 10 days, in good condition, all items with a gift wrapped box. So i started to order monthly, sometimes i got the broken items, I talked with online staff immediately and sent the photos. But for the replacements always take about a month to arrive. I thought that they shipped the replacements by economy shipping so that they can save the shipping. Although the price is a little expensive than Ali, i really like the beautiful items, wonderful quality.

[pedant]

I owned a tea store, both ordered from Aliexpress and Umi every month.

For Aliexpress, the price is very competitive, but the shipping always take a month or over a month. the quality is bad, so it is easily broken during the shipping. Most Ali sellers will offer the replacements because they really care about the low rating to their store.

the orders i've made from aliexpress were definitely faster than a month.
my most recent order was made sept 4, shipped sept 5, and arrived in IL, USA on sept 16... that's 11 days. it may be different for you though.

the items i've ordered have looked like they look in the pictures. when you say the quality is bad, are you saying that you ordered things knowingly that were of low quality, or are you saying that the things you received were worse than pictured/described? i would've asked for a refund in the latter case...

[PolyhymnianMuse]

I'm looking at this tea table

2015 new Large wood chicken wing wood teatray drawer tray tea set tea tray rose wood coffee table teasea Portray tea-tray
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Large-wo ... 28764.html
(from AliExpress Android)

[theredbaron]

I am sorry to be blunt here - but that is all cheap run of the mill factory ware for tourists and has about as little to do with tea art, appreciation and culture as a coffee machine.

[bonescwa]

171 dollars for a tea tray?

[PolyhymnianMuse]

171 bucks isn't too expensive compared to some I've seen. I want a table top size one. Not just a small box.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

Im also looking at the items I have circled. I know they arent exactly top quality pieces but they seem like they will function under my needs.

EDIT* I am completely open to suggestions and recommendations

[theredbaron]

Im also looking at the items I have circled. I know they arent exactly top quality pieces but they seem like they will function under my needs.

EDIT* I am completely open to suggestions and recommendations

Go to places such as dragonteahouse, and you get better items for less money. The items you have shown here are about as low quality as you can possibly get.

[PolyhymnianMuse]

Im also looking at the items I have circled. I know they arent exactly top quality pieces but they seem like they will function under my needs.

EDIT* I am completely open to suggestions and recommendations

Go to places such as dragonteahouse, and you get better items for less money. The items you have shown here are about as low quality as you can possibly get.

These same exact items are on DTH, and they are def not less money from them. The tea table I'm looking at DTH wants anywhere from 20-35 dollars more than I've seen elsewhere for the same exact design. The teaware is a few bucks more per piece from DTH as well. I originally was going to order these items from DTH actually, before I started looking around.