buying militaria online.

nogie11

Hi all, i just wanted to share my experience of buying gear online, although one always likes to pick up the item and get a real feel and smell for the piece of coarse this cannot be beaten. But i have bought quite a few pieces from a crowd in england called uk militaria and they have two web sites and one which offers 80% off the listed item and yes that sounds too good to be true, maybee it is, but i would like to give my two pence worth because i bought two d/d m35 german helmets, one was german Heer and the other was SS. Basically they were valued at 1250e and 1300 euro but with the 80% off they came to my house at around 600euro inc delivery, this seemed like a steel to me and yes i was reluctant because of the seriously cheap price tag and i know exactly how much an SS helmet would fetch but hey i was up for the risk, and there is a seven day inspection period. When they got here i was really surprised as the looked and felt like the real thing and i thought i was on to a wee winner. I have read a book the history of german helmets and have done a bit of research and them, ill also mention www.germanhelmet.com which has some really good tips and i happened to e mail the guy who runs it, i think his name is curtis, and he got back to me and said straight off the bat that in his opinion they were forgeries which did and didnt shock me. This man has been buying and selling german helets for over 35 years so i felt compelled to bow to his superior Knowledge so i repackaged them off and sent them on their way back to uk militaria somewhat reluctantly i must say. Someone else would might have decided to keep them and flog them on e bay or somewhere but that kind of thing disgusts me, Now i cant say outright that uk militaria are knowingly selling fake helmets but after all they state that they are experts in the field and everything they sell is considered original unless stated otherwise, but given the price of german helmets in the market and what they are selling them at it seems strange. I just want to give people heads up and i can post some pics of the helmets if anyone is interested. Well it just gose to show that you think you know a bit but experience is priceless..aghh well.:mad:

Morlar

I recommend a read of this :

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157532

nogie11

Morlar wrote: »

I recommend a read of this :

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=157532

Thanks Morlar, cant seem to acess that page even though i have logged in, was it something to do with my thread in paticular or just the fourm in general?

arnhem44

I believe I've read it before without even checking the link.The seller in question has been discussed many times on other forums about the items he sells,a friend of mine purchased a helmet from him which turned out to be fake which he returned and only after numerous emails and phone calls did the seller finally refund payment.

nogie11

arnhem44 wrote: »

I believe I've read it before without even checking the link.The seller in question has been discussed many times on other forums about the items he sells,a friend of mine purchased a helmet from him which turned out to be fake which he returned and only after numerous emails and phone calls did the seller finally refund payment.

Oh, don't tell me that cos I have just sent the helmets back to him yesterday so I hope I'm not in for a **** storm of a headwreck trying to get my money back. Dam I'd like to read that thread if it is the same crowd.

Morlar

nogie11 wrote: »

Oh, don't tell me that cos I have just sent the helmets back to him yesterday so I hope I'm not in for a **** storm of a headwreck trying to get my money back. Dam I'd like to read that thread if it is the same crowd.

It's a thread that starts in 2006 & continues up to 2010 - the almost unanimous verdict is that the seller is no good.

Here is one quote from it :

do not go near him as from my own personal dealings with him and due to my inexperience at the time he nearly ripped me off to the tune of £1500 only after visa and trading standards stepped in did i get my refund it took nearly a year as he had no cash and had to pay it in instalments. so be warned.

ollaetta

nogie11 wrote: »

Thanks Morlar, cant seem to acess that page even though i have logged in, was it something to do with my thread in paticular or just the fourm in general?

Didn't let me access it first go either but I wasn't logged in at the time. I logged in and tried the link again, successfully the second time.

nogie11

ollaetta wrote: »

Didn't let me access it first go either but I wasn't logged in at the time. I logged in and tried the link again, successfully the second time.

Still wont work for me. Still waiting for my full refund and he should have the helmets at this stage so will keep ye posted, fingers crossed.

arnhem44

If you Google UKM sales and so forth you should find some posts about the site,hope you do get your refund and that it doesn't take to long.

nogie11

Yea, just read all about him, same guy alright,"Andy Beale" i think his name is and he has been doing for years by the sounds of it UKM Sales or UK Militaria, he has two web sites, one offering 80% off, no wonder he can give away such so called bargans when he sells rubbish. As for that guy selling dodgey gear on Deals.ie these guys should be exposed. :mad:

BlackEdelweiss

There is an old thread on Wehrmacht-awards about favourite online dealers, it s worth checking out if you are looking for trusted online dealers.
http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/showthread.php?t=55198&highlight=Online+dealers
I always run an unknown dealer by this form, somebody is bound to have traded with them before and will share their experiences with you.
If I could offer a bit of advice on your situation from my own personal experience, I had dealings with an online dealer once (not militaria, mp40 airsoft gun) who was very slow delivering my order, it dragged on for a few weeks until I emailed him and told him I would spend the next few weeks going onto every online forum I could find, spreading the word of his bad dealings until there were very few places that did not know how bad a trader he was. I got my money back within a few days. Worth a try anyway.

nogie11

Thanks for that, i have actually got the e mail of that guys local trading standards off another guy who has had dealings with this guy, he also bought a helmet off uk militaria and eventually got his money back. I am still waiting to be refuned but he has the month to cough up according to his web site so ill have to wait a bit longer to see.