Author Topic: Buying LED lightbulbs in bulk  (Read 4866 times)

gillstone

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Buying LED lightbulbs in bulk
« on: November 22, 2013, 03:26:53 PM »
I purchased a home with light fixtures in the dining room, foyer, and lving room.  They all require E12 - Candelabra Screw light bulbs (the ones that look like candle flames and have the tiny screw mount).  I want to replace the incandescents with LEDs but I need 14 bulbs to cover all the fixtures.  Right now I can get a dimmable LED that will fit for $14-$16 /ea.  DOes anyone know where I can purchase LED lightbulbs in bulk so I can get that dollars per bulb number down a buck or two.

Thanks

bradonw

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Re: Buying LED lightbulbs in bulk
« Reply #1 on: November 22, 2013, 05:16:37 PM »
Have you checked AliExpress?

Or Alibaba?

Spork

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Re: Buying LED lightbulbs in bulk
« Reply #2 on: November 22, 2013, 05:44:41 PM »
Have you checked AliExpress?

Or Alibaba?

Has anyone ever actually used alibaba?  (And I am 90+% sure alibaba and aliexpress are the same company.)  I feel like I am dealing with the Chinese mafia when I look at their stuff. 

gimp

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Re: Buying LED lightbulbs in bulk
« Reply #3 on: November 22, 2013, 05:49:00 PM »
I've tried to buy things off Alibaba but in the end I just found them from other sources, ones that didn't take 8 minutes to load, have 500 identical items, and have unintelligible english. I'd see if there are US-based suppliers for the same items (there usually are, it's not like Alibaba manufactures anything).

dadof4

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Re: Buying LED lightbulbs in bulk
« Reply #4 on: November 23, 2013, 03:28:46 PM »
Do they have to be dimmable?
Do they have to be LEDs?

Costco has a 6 pack of CFL for under $4. That's what we have.
Hoping LEDs eventually go down to reasonable prices.


ArcticaMT6

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Re: Buying LED lightbulbs in bulk
« Reply #5 on: November 23, 2013, 03:31:31 PM »
Non dimmable LED's are under $10 now at Home Depot. I tend to go to HD more than Lowes, so I don't know about there.

Spork

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Re: Buying LED lightbulbs in bulk
« Reply #6 on: November 23, 2013, 04:23:45 PM »

The OP was asking about E12 bulbs...  I have personally not seen E12 LEDs at under $10 anywhere.  I've had trouble finding reasonable replacements for anything other than the normal type A replacements.  Does Costco/Lowes/Home Depot really have E12s (or any non-general purpose shapes) at under $10?   (My problem is finding BR40s at a reasonable cost... and so far the BR40 CFLs I've found are so short lasting that I suspect they don't save me money.)

JamesAt15

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Re: Buying LED lightbulbs in bulk
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2013, 07:00:28 PM »
Has anyone ever actually used alibaba?  (And I am 90+% sure alibaba and aliexpress are the same company.)  I feel like I am dealing with the Chinese mafia when I look at their stuff.

I have, although usually for small stuff in the $2-$5 range so I don't get upset if I end up with a cheap piece of crap that breaks after being used a couple times. Which has definitely happened.

Prices are low (obviously) but it often takes a while for your order to be processed and then the item to be shipped. Expect a couple of weeks or more, for most orders. It seems like a bit like Amazon Marketplace, in that the stores are independent businesses that use the Ali framework to do their sales. You pay Ali* when you make the order, but they say they don't release that payment to the store company until you confirm you received the order, which presumably works to keep them in line. It has worked for me so far - it may take a while to get to me, but they have always delivered what I ordered.