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Frequently-Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the preferred method of payment in Singapore?
McGill prefers the following order of payment:
1) ATM Funds Tranfer to McGill's UOB or DBS/POSB Account;
2) Cheque by a local bank;
3) Cash-on-Delivery but not preferred for orders exceeding S$1,000;
4) Cash-and-Carry at McGill's Display Corner in Clarke Quay. (This is applicable for small items such as binoculars and telescopic accessories only, subject to stock availability. No paper receipt will be given. An Electronic Receipt will only be issued upon request.)
For payments 2) and 3), you are also required to give a non-refundable deposit for orders exceeding S$500. Deposit is dependent on total order sum.
What are the various payment methods available to me who is not based in Singapore?
1) PayPal: Normally McGill accepts credit card transactions from countries which have local PayPal offices. This is the most convenient, affordable and secure payment method, especially for low-cost items. Please note that the default currency for PayPal payment is USD.
2) Credit Cards: If your country has no access to PayPal service, this is the method you may use. Major credit cards are accepted. However the commission charges are slightly higher than that of PayPal. McGill will inform you the final prices when you email us your desired product. Please do NOT access the online system if you use this option. Your credit card details may have to be faxed to McGill for our advanced security checks on fraud detection.
3) Bank T/T: This service is normally necessary for buyers with no access to PayPal. But it might not be attractive for purchase of low-cost items as you need to pay agent bank fees on both sides. McGill may also insist you use this payment method if your order value is high, ie. normally beyond US$1,000.
4) Western Union: This is a useful method for people who prefer to send payment slips to McGill.
5) On Special Credit Terms: This method is only reserved for our premium McGill Members who have been purchasing regularly from us so that we know them very well. For low-cost items, as long as they are in stock, we will ship to them first. They shall do a lump sum payment during future purchases. McGill hopes that there will be more of such customers in future! This unique payment method is seldom offered by other dealers in the world.
I observe that you don't sell Celestron, Orion, Meade or other famous American brands in astronomy. Why not?
The brands on McGill's website already represent some of the best products that the astronomy/optical world has to offer to anyone, whether he's a beginner, serious stargazer or professional. The specifications for each category are comparable or superior to similar models from these famous American companies. Furthermore such American products have high shipping costs to Singapore, which translates to expensive prices for customers. As such they are "rejected" by McGill's marketing staff.
Is McGill purely an online shop with no physical presence?
Not at all! McGill is unlike some dealers offering very impressive range of products but can't provide immediate delivery for most items. Other than having a retail front, we do have a stock inventory which has to be carefully maintained taking into account the likes and interests of customers mainly based in Asia. We also ensure that confirmed orders for out-of-stock items can be fulfilled within a short waiting time. To be successful online, you have to be successful offline first. McGill has been progressing in the optics business even before the creation of this online system!
Am I able to view the telescopes before I decide which to buy?
This is not a proper question to ask if you want to buy an optical product. McGill presumes you just want to take a look at the physical appearance of the telescope. You should be asking if you could actually TEST the telescope before buying. Please bear in mind a good telescope is not like any item that you can buy off-the shelf during a shop walk-in. You need to test it in a correct situation, which is during the night. McGill knows this and offers some scopes for your testing. However these are more limited to telescopes around S$1,000 and below, and subject to changes to our stock inventory. Please contact us for details as we try our best to serve you.
How do I select a suitable telescope from your range on offer?
As mentioned, if you are able to test the telescopes before buying, that would be excellent. However there is also a good way for you to be sure you have selected something correctly according to your budget and needs. Read first the reviews on this site. If not available, simply go to a search engine like Google and type out the key descriptions of the telescope you desire. Browse the reviews which appear so as to get an overall "feel" of the product. You should also call us to get some honest and neutral advice from the buyer's point of view. McGill will not simply sell you a telescope/binocular just to make a quick profit. A satisfied customer is much more important to us.
What does your company motto (at the end of the page) mean?
These are words of wisdom which will guide McGill always. It simply means that making money is less important to McGill than making a customer happy.
Can I order online immediately if I see a product I am interested in?
Normally you can do that. However please take note that McGill does not update our stock inventory on a daily basis and hence the quantity might not be accurate. Therefore it is best that you contact us first to make sure the product is available before you order online. However it is still alright should you place an order for a product which is out of stock as McGill will inform you about the expected delivery date. It's just that your money may enter our pocket first! Ha..ha..! However should you not want to wait for the order, we are able to refund you the money. So McGill still protects your consumer rights.
What telescopes does McGill have for the beginner in stargazing?
For a beginner, the highly affordable yet professionally-made line of telescopes from Sky-Watcher is more than enough to satisfy his needs for a good starter scope. Sky-Watcher is a Canadian brand with a state-of-the-art factory in China. Known as a major Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), the factory has been producing telescopes and related accessories for established companies such as C-brand and O-brand of USA. It is an OPEN secret that American companies no longer manufacture low to mid-level telescopes due to higher production costs in North America as compared to China/Taiwan. Sky-Watcher has even managed to produce some extremely outstanding models at affordable prices, such as the Maksutov-Cassegrains which are marketed by O-brand in North America. This series is now available in Singapore under the Sky-Watcher brand. Just for your information, Chinese-made telescopes now conquer more than 60% of the global telescope market. Please note McGill's starter telescopes start from 70mm, not low quality 60mm refractors commonly found in camera shops all over Singapore and at exorbitant prices!
Is Vixen a good manufacturer of telescopes? Never heard of it in Singapore.
Vixen telescopes and accessories have been around in Singapore since the early 1980s. It's just that they are mainly labelled as Celestron products or other brands. Vixen was founded in Japan in 1949, and since then has made important contributions first to the astronomical market of Japan and of late to the North American market. Vixen used to be a major OEM for American companies before the rise of Chinese telescopes. Now Vixen is using its own brand name in North America. Vixen is famous for providing professional telescopes and accessories at amateur or affordable prices. For instance, their famous Super Polaris (SP) German Equatorial Mounts (GEMs) sold under the Celestron brand in the 1980s are still in very good working condition in many schools and homes in Singapore!
Why are McGill's prices so low as compared to other dealers in the region?
McGill is a relatively new player on the astronomical market of Asia. We started out in 2001 as a specialist trader of military binoculars (this is still one of our strengths!) but have since expanded to become a full-fledged trader of premium optical products. McGill has the conviction that there is still a vast potential for astronomical products not only in Singapore but the whole of Asia. The growth of astronomy amongst grass roots and youths is unfortunately stifled due to exorbitant prices of telescopes. Hence our marketing experts have decided on a pricing policy designed to make telescopes affordable to all levels of consumers.
Why are McGill's international shipping rates so low as compared to major courier services such as TNT, UPS and many others?
As explained under Shipping & Returns, McGill currently uses Speedpost Air Parcel provided by the Singapore Postal Service. This is one of the most affordable postal services in the world fortunately. Though not as fast as the major courier services, we believe that most customers will be extremely satisfied with the slightly longer delivery period at a much lower shipping cost. For customers who request for faster delivery time, we offer the more expensive Express Mail Service (EMS) as an alternative. But it is still about 15-30% cheaper than major courier services. As a dynamic company geared towards customer satisfaction, we are flexible enough to provide value-added support to anyone who is willing to trust us for quality service, including finding ways and means to help you save money!
Updated as on 30 Jun 2003. More to come……..
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